Though I remember the pain of a bad break-up, it is the betrayal or rejection of a friend that still seems to hold a sting. Why is that? Do we allow friends into a space in our hearts that we rarely permit others? I’m not certain. But I do know that it can take effort to risk being open to new friendships. But as healthy friendships are pivotal to a vibrant life, we want to learn how to safely move forward and be responsive to budding friendships. So here are 5 secrets to overcoming trust issues in friendships. [Read more…]
Surviving the Emotional Toll of Family Court
Going to court is extremely stressful. Enduring court when there is children involved is nothing short of traumatizing! In this post, I desire to give comfort and practical tips to those that are involved in family court. Both from personal and my professional court advocacy experience, I know court dealings can be confusing, drawn out, and stressful. While I hope that you personally never experience a court hearing, unfortunately, for many families it is a reality. Here is some practical advice for surviving the emotional toll of family court. [Read more…]
March Progress Update on My Goals for 2018
Progress not perfection. That about describes my March! But since you all have been motivating me to reach my goals, whether you know it or not, I wanted to give you a peek into where I’m at currently. So here is my March progress update on my goals for 2018. And then later I would love to hear about some of you successes or misses, so don’t think you’re off the hook!! [Read more…]
5 Ways to Develop a Household Cleaning Style that Deepens Relationships
We had the same argument for about a year straight. Country Boy loved having people over for dinner…spontaneously. I like a plan. And of course I needed time to clean my whole house! After the umpteenth time of us disagreeing about having company over at the last-minute, I decided that this was NOT working. So I made a decision that for one year I would say yes every time my husband asked to have people over. In that year I learned a lot about myself, hospitality and my cleaning style! How we think about our home, cleaning and our clutter can increase or kill relationships. Here are some of my lessons learned with 5 ways to develop a household cleaning style that deepens relationships. [Read more…]
5 Warning Signs of a Toxic Relationship
Love. We all desire to be special to someone. We will give a lot of ourselves to see a relationship work and blossom. However, it’s crucial we recognize the signs of a toxic relationship, so our passion to make a relationship work doesn’t blind us to the truth. Most people believe that they would quickly leave an toxic relationship. Unfortunately, that is not always true since a toxic person can be very manipulative. It can become increasing hard to know when a relationship has gone from one with a few problems to toxic. So let’s review the 5 warning signs of a toxic relationship. [Read more…]
Create Calm and Cut Chaos in Your Life
While I appreciate to do lists and tend to have one lying around somewhere at all times, being very detailed is something I have resisted. I like to leave a little space for spontaneity. Even the words “stricter schedule” makes me want to rip up my to do list and go gallivanting outside! However, my spontaneity often leads to taking care of the phone calls or texts and forgetting my main goals. Anyone relating? So here are a couple of ideas that I have recently tried and found helpful. Create calm and cut chaos in your life as you consider and implement a few of these ideas. And you know what? You might even have some fun!
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Are you an Extrovert or Introvert?
Are you an extrovert or introvert? Personality is a funny thing. Whether you are raising children or puppies, you will see glimpses of personalities very early. When it comes to developing a vibrant life, a key is to understand your own personality. As we appreciate our differences, we are more likely to take our emotional and mental needs seriously, leading to even better health!
Most people have heard the terms extrovert and introvert, but often there are misconceptions surrounding them. Understanding if you are an extrovert or introvert is of pivotal importance. So let’s clear up some of those myths. [Read more…]
Dear Friend: A Letter of Encouragement
Dear Friend,
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.
Handling Unexpected Changes in Life
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…]
