2008: The Second Act...

Just because you bought the ticket doesn’t mean you have to stay for the second act.” -Anonymous (from a print hanging on my wall) Good morning! When I realized that tomorrow marks the official start of the second half of the calendar year, I knew just the quote I needed to dig up and share with you. I nodded in recognition when I first read this quote. It resonated with how often we start something and commit our time to it, and then realize that the activity isn’t fulfilling our purpose or goals in the way we had hoped. Or perhaps we have filled our...

9 Steps to Breaking A Bad Habit...

If we can create a bad habit, then we also have the power to un-create it. Brook Noel Almost everyone has some habit in their life that robs their day-to-day life of a little (or a lot) of joy. We might have a habit of showing up late, bottling up our emotions, smoking, eating excessively, not eating enough, avoiding exercise, drinking too much caffeine, spending too much time on a computer, blaming others, getting angry quickly, over-spending, not taking care of our selves, or many other non-helping habits. Over time the word “habit” often becomes synonymous...

Mid-Year Resolutions?...

“It’s not what you do once in a while, it’s what you do day in and day out that makes the difference Jenny Craig Good morning! Oh, if only it was what we did “once in a while,.” how easy life would be! If I could eat well one day and have it last a month, or think positively one day and have it resonate for a year…but alas, that isn’t how life works. Life makes us learn and learn again those skills we want to instill and embrace. But as another one of my favorite quotes states, “Anything worth trying is worth trying at least...

July 2008 Blank Printable Planning Calen...

Here is a blank planning calendar for the month of July featuring a background from a painting I did last summer and one of my favorite quotes. Enjoy! July 2008 Calendar ...

Grappling with Guilt by Brook Noel...

“Guilt is anger directed at ourselves.” Peter McWillaims Last week I was having an interesting conversation about “guilt” with my best friend. We were talking about how guilt can stop us in our tracks and freeze our progress in self-improvement. While some basic guilt is needed, this isn’t the guilt we were talking about. We were talking about the “bad” guilt. The guilt that leaves us feeling miserable without benefit. The guilt that leaves us hurt and ineffective. (more…) ...

The size of your dreams…...

“Dreams come a size too big so that we can grow into them.” -Josie Bissett Good morning! Today, I want you to…Stop. Take a deep breath. For the next two minutes, we are going to be doing something that might be a bit foreign-relaxing! (Don’t just read this-do it!) Close your eyes and take another deep breath. Now exhale. Imagine you are breathing in all things good and wonderful and exhaling all your stress and troubles. Your Turn: Once you are relaxed, take a moment to reflect on this question: “What dream do you hold in your...

The priceless gift of time…...

“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back.” -Harvey MacKay Good morning! Our time is more valuable than money. Our time is the one thing money can’t buy. If only we would protect and cherish our time as we would a winning lottery ticket. One of my mentors is a very successful CEO, who has gone through vigorous, top-notch, elite training programs. When I asked him for advice, he shared that the single most important...

Sculpt your life…...

 ”The sculptor produces the beautiful statue by chipping away such parts of the marble block as are not needed-it is a process of elimination.” -Elbert Hubbard Good morning! Think about the journey of self-improvement you have taken. How many times have you succumbed to adding a new system, tool, approach, mission statement, goal? Consumer-culture has taught us to look externally for solutions to our problems instead of internally, and that the next “tool” could be the “magic cure” for all of our woes. Yet, when we look externally time...

You are superior to your circumstances&#...

Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside of them was superior to circumstances”-Bruce Barton, American Congressman (1886-1967)  Good morning! As you read today’s quote, what comes to mind? Do you have a strong belief in yourself? For many of us, the answer might be “no.” Perhaps we have tried and failed one too many times-and our self-belief waivers. Perhaps we too-often compare ourselves to others and, instead of recognizing our unique value, we see only the missing pieces. Here is the good...

Grab a chance…...

 ”Grab a chance and you won’t be sorry for a might-have-been.”-A. Ransome, writer and novelist Good morning! If only “should haves” and “could haves” were franchises-how rich many of us would be! How many times have you looked back and thought …”If only…;” or ,”I wish I had…” Here’s the good news-you have the power to eliminate the need for the majority of “should haves” and “could haves” from your life by seizing the changes that come your way. Begin each day...