Practical Advice for a Vibrant Life
I wanted to send you a letter of encouragement, as I was thinking about you today. Life is really hard for you right now, but I don’t want you to lose hope. My sweet friend, as you read my letter of encouragement may you feel strengthened and comforted.
The woman sitting across from me was living in crisis mode. Fifteen years ago, I was just starting out as a court and family advocate. Part of the job I loved was talking with the clients that came into our agency. After hearing the woman in my office speak for close to half an hour, I was greatly concerned. She was in a very vulnerable position. Her current relationship was abusive. And to make matters worse she seemed trapped in crisis mode. [Read more…]
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By nature, many of us struggle to find contentment. We tend to look backward living in our memories. Or we want to rush forward to the next stage. Finding contentment and blooming where you are planted is pivotal to appreciating today and growing where we are.
Our little chicks have grown into teenagers. Since the chicks are ready for a bigger pen, I moved them to the chicken coop while the chickens were free ranging the property. Wouldn’t you know, as soon as the chickens spied the chicks in the coop they came running back. They stood alongside the fence trying to get back in the very coop they couldn’t wait to leave minutes earlier. The chickens ruffled their feathers at the indignity of having those chicks in their house!
I think we can all relate. Sometimes we whine and complain about our circumstances. We wish things were different. We feel overwhelmed by our situation and just want it to pass. But when it does, we often try to go back and reclaim our old life. [Read more…]
From my years working with teens, I have noticed that when a teen connects with their interests they are more focused on their future. They tend to be more motivated, as they press forward and over obstacles to obtain their goals. So we don’t want to let those teen years slip by without encouraging teenagers to discover their interests. And with summer fast approaching, now is a great time to discuss with your teen ways to cultivate their talents during summer break. So here are 6 simple ways to encourage teens to discover their interests! [Read more…]
When I first saw the book, A Mother’s Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy by Sue Klebold, I was both eager to read and dreading it at the same time. Sue Klebold is the mother of Dylan Klebold, one of the teenagers who entered Columbine High School and killed 13 students and faculty. To read the very words of one whose life and name had become synonymous with the Columbine High School shooting massacre of 1999, felt overwhelming and too dark.
However, I truly appreciate a book showing the human spirit’s ability to rise above tragedy. And one of my librarians gave me her compelling review, so I decided to take the plunge and read the book. [Read more…]
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I almost burned our house down that day. It all started when I was cleaning out my work desk downstairs. Little did I realize the mess that was about to unfold. Sometimes our dating lives can be like that, messy and nearly disastrous. So before you decide are you ready to date again, ask yourself the four questions below. [Read more…]
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ave you ever had that feeling that something is off, but you are not sure what? For those of you who may not know, the picture above is of a round bale feeder. The cattle are SUPPOSED to stand on the outside and reach in with their necks to feed. This heifer decided to just stand inside the feeder! Not sure how she managed that! It did remind me of a job I had years ago where everything felt off, and how I was faced with finding the right job.
In the 90’s I began working as a flight attendant. In general, I loved this job. It was flexible, I had unbelievable flight benefits and the sun was almost always shining above the clouds.
But, alas, there came a time when I needed a job with more stable hours, where I was home every night. So I took another job. [Read more…]
You never imagined that this would happen to YOU. You never envisioned your life as a single parent, a young widow, a victim of domestic violence or a person with a life threatening disease. Handling unexpected changes in life can be overwhelming.
Some changes will be for a season, and you can see that there is an end in sight. But for this post I wanted to talk about those events which happen that change us forever. They redefine the way we see ourselves. They make us think of our life in terms of part one and part two. Before and After.
Sometimes they can come upon us slowly, like waking up one day and realizing that you are raising your grandkids. Other times they enter fiercely and abruptly. So how do we handle these unexpected, unwelcome changes? [Read more…]
When you talk about the basics of healthy relationships, you will quickly run into the term “safe person”. In order to have a healthy relationship, you don’t need perfect people, but you do need safe people. A safe person is one who will see you as another human being of equal value in terms of having thoughts, opinions and feelings that are important. Recognizing a safe person will allow us to be attracted to the right people and quickly distant ourselves, or at least our emotions, from those who are not. Here are 7 characteristics of a safe person that will increase your relationships smarts! [Read more…]
In 2015, my husband and I bought a house on a beautiful piece of property. Actually, we bought a wreck on a beautiful piece of property!! What we thought was going to be a remodel on an older house turned out to be a complete gut on a house that had to be at least 150 years old. It wasn’t a pretty process, but we love the finished product. Our home!
Earlier this week, I shared some thoughts on the importance of having a group of friends and family in your life that truly support YOU. (Read here)
