The pain was unbelievable.  All I’d been doing was trying out for the school track team with my friends.  But they tore across the blacktop so much faster, and they didn’t seem to be grabbing their ankles when they were done.  

The diagnosis?  My hips were out of alignment.  And that was slowing me down and causing pain.

Fast forward a few decades and I found myself out of alignment again.  This time in my neck, which was contributing to some intense jaw pain which disrupted my life and interfered with some of the pleasures of everyday life.

I’ve noticed a theme among the clients I work with.  They’re all in the middle, in many different ways.  

There are a few exceptions, but most are middle-aged, middle income, middle managers, and in the middle of life or work transitions.

They’re also dealing in some very “middle” situations…

(I’m changing all the names and some of the details, but the stories are very, very real.)

Paula’s organization is in the midst of wave after wave of change, and there’s not a lot of leadership from above to help staff and stakeholders navigate it well.  Paula is doing what she can to “manage-up” while simultaneously extending herself to provide stability and support for her co-workers and clients.  She’s stuck in the middle of politics and drama and it’s sucking her soul.

When was the last time you did something to truly nourish or care for yourself?

Not a quick coffee break between meetings or a stolen five minutes of peace after the kids are in bed, but real, intentional time to focus on your own needs and desires. For many of us, especially those in helping professions or with demanding personal responsibilities, the answer might be, "I can't remember."

Yet, as we navigate the many roles we play—mother, wife, daughter, friend, caretaker, professional—we often overlook a crucial aspect of our ability to serve others: prioritizing ourselves. This might sound counterintuitive or even selfish, but I think it's rooted in one of the most profound teachings of the Bible.

What’s the point of this trip down memory lane?

It’s about connecting the dots. It’s about finding unique joy and life satisfaction.

If I hadn’t reflected deeply on my peak experiences in life, I never would have seen the connection between all of these life events. More importantly, I wouldn’t have recognized the degree to which I’m living into the fullness of the person I was created to be.

What’s the Pace of Your Life?

This spring, I hit a busy stretch. In many respects, it was wonderful: I got to travel to several places, work with many different people and groups, try out lots of different content, and bring in additional revenue.

On the downside, by the end of it (or maybe before the end if I’m being totally honest) I was exhausted, overwhelmed, and scrambling. I was struggling to keep up, and I felt like I was coming apart at the seams.

I was living at a pace that was too fast.

How’s Your Vision?

When I was in 4th grade, I was getting pretty annoyed that the teacher’s writing on the chalkboard was so faint and fuzzy. Finally, one day I complained about it to a friend who sat next to me. She looked at me oddly and said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I can see what she’s writing just fine.”

Oh.

“Then I guess it’s me,” I realized.

Yes, that was the year that I got eyeglasses.

What’s one habit or behavior you wish you could change in your life?

Maybe it’s a bad habit you want to stop. Maybe it’s a healthy habit you want to start. Maybe there’s a behavior that you need to shift in some way.

I’m curious about what you think about this quotation:

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience.  We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” 

Teilhard de Chardin, SJ

Do you agree?  Disagree?  How does this relate to your life?

If you’ve met me, worked with me, or even just followed this blog for a time, you probably know that I passionately believe that developing and using our strengths has a powerful positive impact on our lives and the lives of those around us.

But if you’re new to the idea of strengths-based living, or you just haven’t really thought about your strengths in a while, I thought it might be helpful if I shared the top reasons and ways I use my strengths.  

We can float through life and drift where circumstances take us, or we can lead our lives, and move with purpose. No, we can’t control the outcomes and certain circumstances can throw us off course, but a vision, direction, or goal can help us navigate the waters with intentionality. What intention are you setting for the second half of this year?

You might be surprised to learn that project planning and implementation are part of the creative problem solving process. But consider this: the goal of the process is “problem solving.” If all we do is come up with innovative ideas to address the problem, but we never actually implement them, we’ve missed the point.

When we see the end result of creative processes, it can be easy to be awed, or even intimidated. That’s when it’s important to remember that what we’re seeing is the finished product, not the original idea.

Have you ever felt really stuck when trying to solve a problem in your life? Maybe you feel like you only have two options, and you don’t really like either one of them?

The first stage of the creative problem-solving process, "Clarify," involves exploring the vision to identify the problem, gathering data to understand it, and formulating challenges to create actionable solutions. Join me as we walk through tools to use that can transform your approach to problem solving.

Creativity isn't limited to artistic talent; it's a mindset, a process, and a set of tools anyone can develop. In honor of National Creativity Day, look at what creativity is – and isn’t – as we unpack some foundations and explore what creativity really means. Everyone is creative, so let’s access your inner creative spirit!

When you think about your life or work, do you focus on the gap or celebrate the gain? Today, reflecting on the two-year anniversary of my business, Teal Horizon Coaching LLC, I'm choosing to celebrate the gain by recognizing my growth and achievements since starting, which makes me feel grateful, proud, and motivated—much better emotions than those from dwelling on the gap. Let's take a moment today to look back at your own progress and celebrate your gains!

Our brains are wired to resist change, triggering feelings of threat, confusion, and fear of failure. These instincts, rooted in our biology, often manifest in defensive or withdrawn behaviors. Recognizing and addressing these reactions can help us navigate change more effectively.

One of the questions I am frequently asked is “What is coaching, exactly?” It’s a great question!

And given how many different “helping modalities” exist in today’s world, it’s an important question. Consulting, counseling or therapy, mentoring and coaching all share some common elements, but each is distinct and best suited for certain situations.

Why is it important to understand the differences?

At any particular time in our lives, most of us will realize that we need some help – whether in our personal or professional lives – to navigate the journey.

But what kind of help do we need?

When we know more about what each mode of helping is uniquely suited to, we’ll be able to better identify what we might need in each phase of our lives.

If you’re ever feeling stuck and considering getting some help, this blog can help you figure out what kind of help you need!

Meet Amy.

Amy is a manager of a remote team within a large organization.  While her team is small, they are responsible for producing a substantial number of deliverables on strict deadlines.

How has this team navigated the disruptions of a global pandemic, a change in leadership, and significant turnover among staff, and still managed to form a cohesive team that meets deadlines and produces with excellence?

They play to their strengths.  And that begins with their manager.

I’ve had the privilege of coaching Amy a few times along her journey, particularly as she moved into a larger managerial role with this team.  She was familiar with the CliftonStrengths assessment, so that seemed a natural jumping off point for our coaching work together.  

We all have talents: Natural patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that we can productively apply.

But having talent isn’t enough.

First, we need to clearly identify those talents – to define what they are and what they mean to us. We need to name them.

We need to understand those talents – to recognize how they show up in our lives and work and to appreciate the power they bring us. We need to claim them.

Then we need to apply those talents – to intentionally use them in specific situations so that we can build real strengths. We need to aim them.

Name, claim, aim. This is the process of developing our talents into strengths.