I respect and acknowledge my worries or fears – then leave them behind.
From Women Will Save the World by Absolute Love Publishing
Wake Up to Your Full Potential
No matter where you are in your life right now - whether you're currently succeeding at an extraordinary level, or if you're struggling to find your way - there is at least one thing I know we have in common (probably a lot more than one, but one that I know for sure). We both want to improve our lives, and ourselves. This is not to suggest that there is anything wrong with us, or our lives, but as human beings we were born with the innate desire and drive to continuously grow and improve. I believe it's within all…
Why You Stop Working Towards Your Goals
Achieving a goal isn't about the goal; it's about the motivation to achieve the goal. Can you maintain motivation, or do you find yourself psyched about achieving a goal, with a good plan and a detailed picture in your mind, only to find yourself not working on the goal anymore? Maybe your work schedule is super busy, or your emotions are tightly wound because you're having trouble in a close relationship. There are seven Motivation Assassinators and they are the reasons we stop working on our goals. But they are easily identified and easily overcome. Do you know what yours…
Stepping Into the Shallows
How often have you stepped into the shallow waters – feeling the warmth and tingling as the water moves through your toes and you feel the urge to walk further – yet something stops you? Maybe you are reminded of a past challenge or trauma when you felt your foundation wasn’t strong enough and the undertow pulled you down. Maybe you felt like seaweed had wrapped around your ankles and there was no need to keep pushing further? Maybe it was just the unknown – the thought, belief or feeling like if you kept going; you may not be…
How Self Esteem May Be Holding You Back
I recently read an interesting excerpt from the book NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman. The book focuses on teaching and parenting styles, but I think it also provides an interesting glance into the power of self-empowerment over self-esteem. Let me try to explain how I see the difference between self-esteem and self-empowerment. Self-esteem comes from the praise of others, therefore it is outside ourselves and something we can not control. Self-esteem is based on the belief in unchanging facts, like “you are smart.” Self-esteem is a noun. It is a descriptor. On the other…
Trying Helps, But Doing is What Matters + 5 Tips to “Do” Happiness
We've all heard it a million times: "Actions speak louder than words." Action is dynamic. It moves and morphs with life. And yet at times we fall back onto "trying" to make something happen as opposed to proactively doing something about the trying. Have you been using a lot of “couldas”,” wouldas”, “shouldas”, maybes, tries and mights lately? It’s time to ditch the conditional-speak. Thinking in this frame of mind puts us in a bind. Why try when you could simply do? Why would when you can? By allowing our lives to be framed in maybes, we’re giving away all…
Sponsored: Love is a Power Tool + Other Fun Tips for Happier Parenting
Love can single-handedly mend a broken day, establish an exciting new relationship, or reinforce a happy, internal bond with ourselves. Love is an omnipotent tool that has the uncanny ability to improve any sticky situation we find ourselves in. Love is a power tool we should all have in our happiness toolboxes. But just like that power drill or band saw, it also comes with some safety protocol. When you use your love power tool, you take on the responsibility of treating the world with kindness, compassion and respect. Use your love power tool responsibly, forging, fixing and strengthening relationships…
Sponsored: Strategies for the Very Serious Business of Happiness
Often, we think of our professional lives as defining of our success as a human being. This is apparent at any social gathering where what we do as a career becomes the center of conversation. Indeed, what we "do" as a profession is important to our economic sustainability. However, the real question, the one that speaks to the heart of the matter of our sustainable wellbeing is: how happy are we in what we do regardless of what our “business” might be? In my coaching practice, workshops and on Harvesting Happiness Talk Radio, I emphasize the need to show up for…
Sponsored: Inhabiting Life + Tips for A Transformational Experience
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about this quote from poet Christian Wilman: "Let us remember... that in the end, we go to poetry for one reason, so that we might more fully inhabit our lives and the world in which we live them, and that if we more fully inhabit these things, we might be less apt to destroy both." Christian isn’t just talking about poems and prose here. What he’s trying to say is that art, creativity and things that inspire thought help us engage with our lives so that we treat our existence with more care, respect…
Providing Motivation for Staff and Colleagues
By Grahak Cunningham. Whether you are a manager, business owner or employee, everyone wants to have a good day at work. This article aims to look at some ways to motivate yourself and/or your staff and how to avoid the opposite. What prevents us from having a great day Most of us have a position of employment which involves being repetitive on some scale. Regular work place, regular work hours and regular repetition of the same tasks. Without the right mindset, it is a simple recipe for losing satisfaction, motivation and fulfillment in a workplace, either yourself or your staff.…
Taking on God’s Role
By Michael Cupo. When we judge, we take on the role of God. Who am I to think I know what's best for anyone else unless I think I know all? And who can claim to know all but God? We all breathe the same air and are dependent on the same elements for our existence, but it seems our mind is conditioned to focus more on our differences than our similarities. It is only a thought that creates a judgment that makes a concept or belief about something. We all want to defend what we believe is the right way…
No Pain, No Gain: Is This Quote Motivational or Problematic?
By Grahak Cunningham. "No pain, no gain" has been yelled at us by personal trainers, business motivational speakers and keynote speakers. Explained to us by life coaches, business trainers and wellness practitioners. Sold to us by investment bankers and probably chanted by tomorrow's future champions. In business it means investing now for rewards later. Putting time, effort or finances into something to get the future results. On a personal level at work it might mean working harder (though not necessarily smarter). You’ll have longer hours, no weekends and plenty of stress and no doubt achieve good results, earn your bonus…
Relaxation and Wellness Through Exercise
We have all come home from a run or the gym and felt the wellness benefits, both physical and mental. Sweating out the problems of the day, we can feel pleased with ourselves and leave the worries and stresses of everyday life behind. Something about it invokes a clarity in our mind and hearts. So what is the connection between exercise, relaxing ourselves and general wellness and how can we enhance this? Firstly let us look at situations where things just aren’t happening. Losing Motivation Mental stress causes real problems when we are attempting something. I see it all the…
Rescue Yourself!
Life's a bumpy road; we can all agree on that. You're not going to avoid it. Stuff just happens. The trick is to avoid falling into the ten foot holes. Chances are, no one will be there with an eleven foot ladder to help you out. What I mean is don’t walk around with the expectation that someone else is going to rescue you, fix it for you, or bail you out. This message is especially aimed at young women. Someone may have taught you that having a man in your life will ‘fix everything’. That a man will take…
Under Construction: The Sign I Wear Mentally !
A famous psychologist (his first name is Phil) talks about the fact that we all have pivotal points in our lives; crossroads, if you will, where we can turn down a path of self-pity, victimism, feeling anger at the world and an urge to 'give up'. Or turning the other way and seeking empowerment, happiness, and a full life. In August of 2006, I experienced a harsh, heartbreaking pivotal point in my life when my husband of thirty years died suddenly. He took his own life. Sure, I knew he was going through some kind of mid-life crisis or other.…
Do You Doubt Yourself? Life Lessons from Great Authors
I ran across a description of one of my enemies... DOUBT! Author Jacqueline Winspear wrote: "Doubt. Was it an emotion? A sense? Or was it just a short stubby word to describe a response that could diminish a person in a finger snap?" And while I most times write my blog and how it relates to the art of writing, I had a thought. THIS COULD APPLY TO LIFE [AND HOW WE LIVE IT] AS WELL! I've written before about my being in good company. Regardless of whether we writers are obscure or famous, we all doubt ourselves and our work. What if Henry Charles…
Blessings from a Bird
Recently I was reminded of the many miracles in my life. Interestingly enough, the messenger didn't come to me as a mighty eagle, but in the humble form of a small bird For those who follow me on Twitter, you know that two nights ago, I had a tiny bird fly inside my home in Montana. It was about 8pm, on a dark, snowy, cold evening, when Koda, our 3-year old Samoyed dog wanted to go outside. As I opened the patio door to let Koda out, I was hit by a very cold breeze AND something ran in and…
Contrast as a Catalyst for Awareness
Contrast can often be the catalyst that causes us to notice the world around us. This Labor Day weekend has been a great time for hiking in nearby Glacier National Park. Autumn is on the way and the first snows have sprinkled a sparkling white dusting on the high mountain peaks. On a hike a few days ago, I was struck by the contrast of the stark white snow against the lush, verdant green of our Montana summers. Moving to Montana from Colorado more than a year ago, I had forgotten just how lush and green Montana is, as compared…