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Empowerment

Summer Motivation to Get Back on Track

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“Real generosity towards the future lies in giving all to the present.” – Albert Camus

I can’t believe it’s almost July! Can you? I mean almost half of the year has come and gone and I have some important goals to accomplish during the rest of 2022. Summer is primetime for a reset and a chance to get back in your groove. 

Of course, we all have those times where we feel out of whack and need some support to get back on track. The easiest way to get started is to look at the things you have con…

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(Re)Treat Yourself to Some Time Away

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“Vacation is what you take when you can't take what you've been taking any longer.” - Unknown

Stress is the #1 factor that contributes to aging faster than normal. And there is a link between reduced stress and more vacation. We have all had enough stress created by external and internal factors over the last two years. What’s the best way to recalibrate? It’s time to take hold of the summer months ahead and (re)treat yourself to some time away. 

This can take many forms: solo vacation, family…

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Stay Positive and Excited, Even When It Seems Hard

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“Don’t think too much. You’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place.” - Unknown

Over the years I have shared with you my belief (and the science behind) the fact that positivity is better for us than negativity. Seems basic and obvious, but despite that fact we all struggle to stay positive, motivated and excited. 

The isolation and loneliness of the pandemic didn’t help matters, so wherever you are in your positivity journey, here are some tips based on my process, on how…

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SMARTER goals in 2022!

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This year really is not starting how we had all hoped it would. Despite these frustrating setbacks, many of us still have goals for 2022 and we shouldn’t shy away even if we are stuck inside for a while. 

With that in mind, I want to remind you of SMARTER goals which I learned after attending a nonfiction writers’ workshop in 2019. Many of us are familiar with SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. SMART goals operate well in an organization where project manag…

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Thankfully Unplug

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“Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.” - Voltaire

Last holiday season was not what we are used to. No holiday parties each night for several weeks, no large friends and family gatherings, no in-person festive celebrations. But this year promises to be different, and I want to revel in that excitement and be more grateful than ever for the things I took for granted pre-pandemic.

This holiday season, I want to lead with appreciation, e…

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There is Something Freeing About Saying “No”

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For the longest time, I would say “yes” to just about everything. I wanted to be seen as a collaborator, supporter, and making things easier for others, putting myself second. I was slow to realize that for everything I said "yes" to, I would be saying "no" to something else. That started me thinking about what it is I was saying "no" to, and found  it was much more effective for me to say "no" to things to make the space to fully say "yes" to those things I really, really wanted. 

I ran across…

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Appreciate & Embrace the Authentic You

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Once, after giving a presentation, I was thanked for my vulnerability. No one had ever told me this before and in reflecting on her comment I realized I was not being vulnerable, I was simply being authentic.

“Because at the end of the day, we want nothing more in life than to be ourselves. That’s the feeling we’re all chasing: that simple, awesome joy that comes from not having to pretend to be something we’re not. We call that feeling ‘authenticity.’” – Jordan Harbinger

At times, it is n…

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Don’t Fear the Mistakes, Instead Fail Fabulously

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"Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it's a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from." - Al Franken

Fail Fabulously. I first heard this term when I was attending my first coach-training workshop. I disliked it from the moment I heard it. What was fabulous about failing? Failing was failing. When I failed at something I tried I was embarrassed, humiliated at times, and…

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How to Survive Your Life Transitions – A 2021 Update

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"The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become." - Charles DuBos

Transition is the process of letting go of the way things used to be and then taking hold of the way they subsequently become. Sounds easy, but in reality, it is really hard letting go of the comfort of sameness. 

Think about it: as we entered quarantine last March, it was hard to change how we did our everyday tasks, wear a mask, stay away from family and friends, etc…

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You're Invited to a Compassionate Conversation

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In January, I wrote about taking some time away to reimagine, reflect and reevaluate my journey. Along the way, I started to study meditation with Deepak Chopra and earned my meditation instructor credential. These sessions eventually led me to contemplate on a deep question: “What is compassion and how do I show it?”

Around the same time, I was also accepted into a year-long program on Applied Compassion Training at Stanford University. This intensive learning program requires us to develop a …

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