When you have small children, you spend a good part of your day reading children’s books. Likely, the same one over and over again for days until your child discovers his new favorite book. I love to read.  It’s a new found joy for me.  As a youth I struggled with reading, especially reading aloud.  I’m scarred for life from a few terrible experiences in middle school and one experience as a wedding reader that we’ll save for another time. After learning I was pregnant with my son, I quickly went from fun conversations around a pub table to quiet nights at home.  I read so many books in those nine months, only deepening my desire to read and learn. But once the baby came, time became limited.  Even while nursing I felt I really needed another hand to hold a book.  To my … [Read more...]

Would you like more time?  Wouldn’t we all?  But there are only 24 hours in a day.  Some people are able to accomplish so much in a day, such as Oprah and President Obama, yet others struggle to complete a few tasks. Since time is so valuable, don’t you think you should use it wisely, filling your day doing things that you truly enjoy? Today take time to review your calendar and all the commitments you have set.   If you would like more time, the simplest way to have more is to begin to say no to obligations you do not really want to fulfill.   Re-evaluate your current engagements.  Then decline or back out of any commitments you really do not want to do. Canceling the engagements may be difficult for you. When you reach out to decline, you will want to be classy and … [Read more...]

You may be familiar with the saying, “I fell in sh*t and came out smelling like roses.”  I know it all too well. It has been the underlying theme of my life.  When I was younger and my family would say it about me, I would be upset or offended, but now as an adult, I’m proud of it. Yes, it is true that I often get myself in trouble, but somehow I always come out on top.  Here’s the thing: when I’m in the bad place, it’s often impossible to see my way out. I can be dramatic and stressed and act as if my life is going to end.  But I know and believe with every part of my being that it will all be fine, that there is abundance available to each and every one of us.  That, my friend, is why I always come out smelling like roses. You may be thinking, “If that’s true then why doesn’t that … [Read more...]

“…when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done. …And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)”  Dr. Seuss  January has come and gone.  For many, so have their New Year’s resolutions.  Whether you set the goal to lose weight, work out, drink less alcohol, or spend more time doing what you enjoy most – it’s likely that you’ve given up. If so, don’t worry – you can get back on track. The first mistake you may have made when setting your resolution is that you didn’t focus on how you ultimately want to feel. Grab a cup of tea and cozy up while you take the time to answer these questions: How do you want to feel? What is it that you desire most for yourself? What will achieving … [Read more...]

On a cold wintery Saturday in January, I slipped on my running shoes for the first time in months.  I headed down to the park to meet a woman named Mary.  She claimed to also be a slow runner.  I’ve heard that before from other runners in my community, but the sarcasm in Mary’s email led me to believe she was telling the truth. She suggested we run about 3 miles.  I about choked on my own breath.  I was sure I told her I hadn’t run in months and I surely hadn’t run 3 miles in years. Mary could tell I was a little shocked, she said, “We’ll see how we do. Just let me know if you need to turn around.” Before I knew it we ran close to 5 miles, at a pace I could actually handle. I set the goal to run the Broad Street 10-mile race in May. Mary and I continued to meet 3 -5 days a … [Read more...]

As your head hits the pillow at night, how often are you beyond disappointed that you didn’t accomplish all the things on your to-do list?  Before I learned how to manage overwhelm, I kept a notepad on my bedside table so I wouldn’t have to get out of bed if I needed to write myself a reminder.  My desk, my car and my house were covered with post-it notes.  The funny thing is I wasn’t any more organized, I didn’t accomplish more, I just felt more overwhelmed.  All of these scattered notes were not only a reminder of what I needed to do but a reminder of how terrible I was at accomplishing my unrealistic to-do list. I was paralyzed.  Unproductive.  Defeated. Watch this video as I share my trick to stop overwhelm in its tracks. Okay, it’s your turn.  I want to hear from … [Read more...]