It’s Official!! The Reluctant Cowgirl is now launched! So welcome to the launch of my new business, The Reluctant Cowgirl!
Since it’s a party, I will be giving away a $25 Amazon gift card. To be entered into the drawing, comment on this blog post by scrolling to the end or hitting the comment button to the right of the title. Drawing ends at midnight on Sunday, July 23rd!
The Reluctant Cowgirl is about encouraging and equipping you by offering practical advice for a vibrant life.
Posts under the Survive tab emphasize moving beyond surviving. Sometimes life feels so overwhelming we are barely treading water. Find those posts here or by clicking on the Survive tab above. The Grow tab is focused on moving forward. Check out some of those posts here. And the Thrive posts here encourage you to go to a deeper level to discover your special gifting.
You can read more about the mission behind The Reluctant Cowgirl on the About Me page here!
I also want to give a HUGE thanks to my husband and family for their support. And to my daughter for her creative imput! A BIG thanks to my friend, Heather for all her tech (and emotional) support! And also to my friend Kim for creating my beautiful header!
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Sign up for my FREE email course, 5 Days to a More Vibrant Life (scroll to the bottom if you are on a mobile device:)
Welcome!!
“So, Miranda, have you been exercising?” Ugh! I hate that question. If you visit a cardiologist, plan on them asking you that. I know its coming, but I still freeze every single time. Like a deer caught in the headlights. What do I say? Exercising is hard for me even on my “feeling good” days. I would rather be doing something else. Sometimes I will get into a good routine for a couple of months, and then I start struggling physically. I’ll have to back down on my exercise routine and before you know I’m not exercising again. So honestly, the answer is usually, “No.” And I have found that as hard as it is for me say, “No”, that it is better to be truthful and realistic. Denial prevents growth, and I don’t want to live there. So let’s examine how denial prevent growth? 
Summer is my time “off” from homeschooling so the first week of June is always a sigh of relief. However, around here the list of summer duties can be never ending as we plant and tend our garden and fields, can vegetables, harvest hay, make jam and get kids to summer activities while also making time to relax. Inevitably, I begin adding more and more items to my to do list. By August, I wonder where the summer went! I’m sure you can relate! Creating personal summer goals can allow you to use the summer hours wisely, accomplishing and enjoying what is most important to you this summer.
“Hey, Honey…I have an idea,” my husband typically starts the conversation. “Um, you do?” I hesitantly reply. Now, I love hearing all my Country Boy’s thoughts and dreams. However, I have discovered that almost none of his ideas are small or short term. His goals usually involve packing boxes or lots of late dinners and long Saturdays, whereas, I enjoy setting short term goals. As we have comes to realize our different goal setting styles, we are able to work together more smoothly. It is vital to understand your goal setting type as you set about accomplishing your goals. Whether you are talking about personal goals, family goals or business goals, you will want to understand your goal setting style!
Do you struggle to maintain your equilibrium through the ups and downs of life? Does your creativity dramatically drop when the pressures of life push in on you? Do you need to discover ways to build your stress tolerance so that you feel productive and confident even in stressful times? 
Summer is almost here in the Midwest! My husband and children planted flowers, mulched and mowed Sunday making the yard around our farmhouse lovely. Now the view out my kitchen window is even more calming and beautiful. It made me think about those things in our lives that rejuvenate and allow us to relax and refuel. I thought it would be fun to put together a list of 9 soothing gifts for a stressed or weary friend.
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. 
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, practicing gratitude and growing where we are. 
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. But how do we help our teen find their passion and make time in their schedule for career development? Here are 6 simple activities to help teens discover their passion and purpose! 