The Joy in NO

Joy Christmas ornaments

We have trouble saying NO for many reasons. We are good people and don’t want to disappoint anyone, we are high-achievers and think we should be able to do it, or we thrive on the immediate rewards of attention and praise. We also may be challenged with NO when we underestimate the amount of time…

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Your Resilient Summer

Eighteen Summers: It’s All We Get, discusses how many summers we get with our kids before they grow up got me thinking, how many summers we all have left, especially as we know them now. Whether it’s our kids leaving, health declining, or interests wavering, summers, like everything else in life all change and end.…

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What are you Resisting?

When I finally went to the orthopedic surgeon after experiencing 3 months of hip pain, I was expecting to discuss arthroscopic surgery for a labrum repair. Instead, he said, “I can fix your labrum, but that won’t take care of your problem. You need a hip replacement”. I responded in shock with, “OMG! Are you…

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Let Go to Fill Up This Holiday!

The Grinch

Holidays bring more of everything—more parties, shopping, food, drink, and expectations. We don’t actually need more to fill us up. With more time,we would probably just add more activity. More money doesn’t fill us up either, because once we have our basic needs met, more does not bring peace and joy. And contrary to TV…

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What Frustrates You?

In celebration of our ninth anniversary, Neil and I decided to attend a weekend workshop for couples to enrich our relationship. Actually, I caught Neil at a weak moment when he agreed to go and said later, “I can’t wait to talk about my feelings for 2 ½ days”. The workshop was led by Ben…

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Take a Mindfulness Challenge and a Vacation!

When I lived in Estes Park a few years ago, a beautiful mountain resort town in Colorado, it felt like everyone I came in contact with was on vacation. And with 100,000 summer visitors compared to 10,000 year-round residents, they usually were! But even living in Denver now, it can still feel that way. I…

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How Will You Begin?

January is my favorite month because there is something powerful and magical about being able to begin again. Not necessarily start over, but meet ourselves where we are, with an openness and curiosity, full of promise and potential. This is beginner’s mind in action, looking at things as the beginning and experiencing them as fresh…

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The Compassion to Care

Last month I had one of the highlights of my speaking career by opening the Emergency Nurses Association Conference in Indianapolis for 2500 nurses. I felt I had really come home, not only because I worked as an emergency room nurse for 23 years, but because I also grew up in Indianapolis. In contrast, we…

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Top 10 Reasons to be Mindful

Mindfulness, being awake and aware in the present moment is so powerful because it is the only place we can decide, create, listen, act, and live. When we cultivate the kind of awareness that comes through mindfulness practices, we have the opportunity to pause and choose how we respond to the inevitable triggers and stresses…

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5 Ways to Fall In Love With Yourself

This month we will hear about love—A LOT with Valentine’s Day a couple of weeks away. We can all agree love makes the world go round, but we may forget that it all begins with each one of us. Whatever your current relationship status is, if you seek love from another, fall in love with…

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