I don’t know about you, but there are certain quotations that pop to mind frequently to help me find – or take - the next right step. I have Brené Brown to thank for one of those anchors: “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.” I’ve been affirmed by this advice, encouraged by it, challenged by it, and yes, even shamed by it.

Did you know that September 12 each year is the National Day of Encouragement? The timing is not coincidental. Since September 11 is such a tragic day in American history, National Day of Encouragement is a counter-balance. It is a poignant reminder of the power of love and support that humans can offer one another – in grief, sorrow, difficulty, and tragedy. It is also a call to action – spurring us to do something simple to uplift someone else. So how will you observe the National Day of Encouragement this year?

Are you looking for a little more joy in everyday life? (Yes, it’s a trick question. Who says “no, thanks” to more joy??) So let’s assume you’ve got a hankering for some added joy in your life. I invite you to try one of these quick tips for a little pick-me-up. They may be suggestions you’ve heard before, but maybe this is just the friendly little reminder you need to actually DO one of these things.

For nearly nine years, I wallowed in frustration at the mess of my pantry’s bottom shelf. And I’m embarrassed to say that it was only a few months ago that I made a life-altering change. I added a basket. Finally! Structure, neatness, organization. No more stacked and sliding bags. No more chaos. No more muttering and swearing. Why am I sharing this? Because I quickly saw the life lessons (ones that I’m clearly still learning), and thought you might relate.

Review is all about noticing our energy, and it’s amazing what happens when we get intentional about noticing. In Atomic Habits, James Clear notes: “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”  Review is one of those systems that keeps me on track – and gets me BACK on track when (not if) I get off-track. It is the most important system I have for being both productive and purposeful.

It doesn’t matter if your annual goals are still only sitting on paper and not coming to life. It’s OK if life sideswiped you earlier this year and you’re just now getting back in gear. If you’ve got a pile of half-done stuff sitting next to you and throwing guilt grenades at you, I’m here to tell you that you’re not alone. AND I’m going to share the 1-2 punch that will help you neutralize all those negative bombs with progress in the next 90 days.

Next week is National Simplify Your Life week, and I want to help you celebrate it! Now, as a life coach, I honestly think that any week and every week can be a good time for simplifying our lives, but sometimes it’s nice to have an excuse to do something we’ve been dragging our feet on. And if you’re not sure how to appropriately mark such an ostentatious occasion, don’t worry – I’ve got you covered. Here are twenty ways to get started in simplifying your life – ten for your physical surroundings, and ten for your psychological world.

Whenever my head or heart are swirling or feeling overly full, I turn to a tool that’s tried and true in my life. I use it all the time, usually at least once, often multiple times, each week. I’ve taught it to clients. And this week I’m going to share this “life hack” with you.

What do you think of when you hear the word “renew?” Your Netflix subscription? A weekend at a spa? Songs or prayers about the Holy Spirit? Activities that renew us generate energy, usually new or different energy. Renewal often involves a different environment from our norm, and it typically engages our brains differently than the usual activities of our days. For me, renew gives some “breathing room” in my week and provides needed balance. When I add renewal into my week, I notice that I feel like I am “living better” in those weeks.

Values are one of the cornerstones for alignment. When I go for a chiropractic adjustment, my doctor needs to find just the right place to apply pressure. When considering our values, that pressure point for alignment is our decisions. Whether these are major life planning decisions, or everyday decisions made in response to situations that arise, values can impact the choices we make and the degree to which we feel aligned with who we were created to be.

Hey, what was your word of the year? If you didn’t set a word for this year, what was a resolution you set for yourself or a goal you wanted to achieve? We’re mid-way through 2023, so I thought it was a good time to check in on those hopes, dreams, and plans we had for this bright and shiny new year.

A few years ago, I realized that my standard answer to “How are you?” was <drumroll, please> “Busy!” That also seemed to be the usual reply I got from others when I’d ask them how they were. So busy. We’re all just so very, very busy. I realized that I was starting to assume busyness was the expected answer, and worse yet, I realized that sometimes I was wearing it like a badge of honor.

I decided that was an award that I didn’t need.

It's officially summer! For many of us – myself included – a “summer vacation” is coming up soon. But it’s truth-telling time: As much as we usually look forward to our vacation with eager anticipation, raise your hand if you’ve ever come home from a vacation thinking, “That really wasn’t nearly as satisfying as I’d hoped it would be.” (Yep, mine’s up too.)

So how will things be different this year? These three practices help me enter into vacation with more purpose – with more intentionality – and I thought maybe you’d like to try them too.

Eww. Did I just use the s-word in a blog title? Who talks about shame?? I do. Or at least I’m trying to. And I’ll admit that it’s more than a little uncomfortable. But I’m trying to share content with you that I think will actually matter to you, so I’m pushing myself to lean into the vulnerable spaces and lead the way into the deeper work of living an authentic, abundant life.

There are so many dimensions to CliftonStrengths, and so many ways that we can understand ourselves more deeply. It gives us a powerful, positive affirmation of who we are and how we’re made. But what if our strengths could actually help us name our needs? It’s ok if that question makes you just a little uncomfortable or confused. It still makes me squirm a little.

When I was 5 years old, my dad started his own business. He was a hazardous waste consultant. I still don’t really understand his work, but I’m pretty sure that it’s fair to say that he helped people figure out what to do with their garbage so that it didn’t do harm to the planet.

I was adrift. I was facing a career pivot and was being invited (read: forced) to AGAIN entertain the question, “What do I want to be when I grow up?” Then the question changed: “You’ve just been given a magic wand and any wishes in relation to any aspects of your life can come true. What might those ideal goals or wishes for your life be?”

Last week, at a women’s networking event I attended, the emcee asked the group of about 80 professional women, “How many of you feel behind all the time – stressed, overwhelmed, and running all the time just to keep up?” Most hands in the room went up. Mine did not.

It would be super easy to write this blog with some tips and tricks for managing time better. But it doesn’t quite feel authentic for me to write that if I haven’t first shared the messes I’ve been in when it comes to time.

Raise your hand if your parents, grandparents, or Sunday School teachers engrained in you the Golden Rule? It’s a good rule, but the more I work with individuals and teams, the more I see that the Golden Rule isn’t enough, at least not from the perspective of servant leadership.