Two major moments in my life revealed to me how vital personal growth is for moms. One was when I was 25 and found myself a single parent which I share about here. The other moment was during our boys’ tween years. I began to realize that my kids were outwardly displaying some of my inner struggles. It’s one thing when your kids repeat a bad saying you have and quite another when you see your kids acting out your own thoughts and attitudes. I knew that the healthier I was emotionally, the better shot my children had at emotional healthiness! So we are going to walk through the steps to developing a personal growth plan. You will then have a workable schematic that you can adapt and reuse for many areas in your life to bring wholeness and emotional health! Ready? [Read more…]
10 Unconventional Self-Care Ideas
Self-care is about caring for yourself. But tending to your needs isn’t just about beautifying ourselves. Physical needs are a part of self-care but so is finding ways to attend our mental and emotional needs. Sometimes self-care can be about caring for and brightening our space or taking a moment for mental clarity. Here are 10 unconventional self-care ideas that will re-energize and lift your spirits. [Read more…]
4 Honest Reasons Why You Don’t Have Friends
Most of us would say that we want friends. We want, even hunger, for those deep connections. Friendships are part of an emotionally healthy life. Friendships allow us to laugh, to keep perspective on life, and to be encouraged to grow. So what is going on if as adults we don’t have any of those relationships? Here are 4 honest reasons why you don’t have friends. [Read more…]
6 Life Areas to Balance for Real Personal Growth
I love the idea of balance. My husband likes to joke how much my side of the family is all about “everything in moderation.” And when it comes to personal growth, it can very beneficial to step back and look at our life from a distance. We may want to ask ourselves if there are any areas of our life that are hurting our personal development. If we are doing fabulous in most of our life but our family life or finances are a train wreck it will soon began to wreak havoc in other areas. Here are 6 life areas to balance for real personal growth. [Read more…]
10 Blogs That Inspire Personal Growth
I am very excited and pleased to tell you all that The Reluctant Cowgirl was nominated for The Mystery Blogger Award by I Dream of Simple! So I will be on the hot seat this week answering questions as well as sharing with you a bit about the award. PLUS as part of accepting the award I get to nominate 10 other bloggers. So I can’t wait to share with you 10 blogs that inspire personal growth. [Read more…]
5 Lessons on Realizing Dreams Learned from Blogging for a Year
The Reluctant Cowgirl is celebrating our one year anniversary! I have been live and writing for a year on this thing called “a blog”. So I wanted to share some lessons learned as I know they apply to all of us dreamers. And I wish to celebrate with my readers one year down in my blogging career. Here are 5 lessons on realizing dreams learned from blogging for a year. [Read more…]
How to Write an Encouraging Letter to a Friend
When we begin to cultivate an emotionally vibrant life amazing things begin to happen. One of the wonderful consequences to creating an emotionally healthy life is that we has some great friendships. We have relationships where we laugh and share together and ones where we encourage and offer some advice. One great way to build upon those friendships is to send a hand-written letter of encouragement. There is something special, especially in this digital age, about receiving a personal letter that is meant to lift a friend’s spirits or share in their happiness. Here are some elements on how to write an encouraging letter to a friend. [Read more…]
3 Needs of the Introvert Teen
A while back, I was working with a mom who was attending one of the groups I teach. One issue in her life was that she tended to dislike schedules and often struggled to follow through in a timely manner. As I got to know her I could see that she was definitely a free spirit. We discussed how being more relaxed with a schedule is fine as long as you move a few things up the priority list that “have” to be done. But there was another concern. She described one of her daughters as “really good” but always “anxious.” The more I listened, I realized that the daughter was probably an introvert. And as an introvert, her needs were very different from her extrovert spontaneous mom. So what are 3 needs of the introvert teen? [Read more…]
Simple Ways to Share Your Personal Story
There she was again! While in town running errands, I saw the same acquaintance, in the first two stores. I had not seen her in a while, and she was now in her early twenties and pregnant. Had she married, and I just hadn’t heard about the wedding? My heart went out to her. But I hesitated to say anything. I wanted to encourage her, as others had encouraged me when I was single and pregnant. I had a story to share, a very personal story. Should I step out and talk with her? After our “chance” meeting, that day, I realized yet again the importance of sharing one’s story. So how can you bless others with YOUR story? Here are 4 simple ways to share your personal story to encourage others. [Read more…]
