Have you ever found yourself stuck in a lousy place, just not sure how to pull yourself back up?  When we get that way, often times we tend to focus on things that will just bring us further down – evidence that supports why we have good reason to feel lousy.  But every once in awhile, we…

  Have you ever bought a piece of exercise equipment that ultimately became a place to hang your laundry? How about fresh vegetables that rotted at the bottom of your refrigerator while you ended up consuming fast food instead? Do you have any “how to” or personal/professional development books on your shelves that you never actually…

The other day in karate class, our sensei (instructor) began by explaining that 2012 is the Year of the Dragon. A year of wealth and financial prosperity. “So none of us need to worry,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. He then proceeded to tell us a Zen story – one that I…

Over the history of time, there have been among us people who dared to dream big and ended up creating something magnificent as a result. What they had in common was not their station in life, their family inheritance or even necessarily a solid education. Many rose up despite odds that would suggest their lives…

“Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.”   ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson When was the last time you stretched yourself? I mean literally, physically stretched yourself? It wasn’t that long ago that I had trouble touching my toes. I started doing yoga, and in one of the…

What is it that you are longing to create in the coming year? And what do you need to let go of in order to allow it to fully take root? Are you willing to entertain the thought that it may come in a form that is unfamiliar to you? Every year, we are encouraged…

OK.  This week’s video is definitely not me in my most attractive moments.  But I offer it to you in hopes that it will give you some levity in a season that can get quite stressful if we let it. I have learned over the years to keep things in perspective – and the ones…

As we move through the holiday season and approach the end of the calendar year, people often find themselves in a bit of a frenzy racing from one activity to the next, their heads filled with chatter and a continually growing list of things to do. It is easy to lose ourselves in a flurry…

Well, I made it through my karate belt test on Saturday.  I actually really enjoyed my belt test.  Yes, it’s true. In last week’s blog post, Overcoming the Illusion of Fear, I wrote about the anxiety I experienced after my last karate belt test that led me to fear and dread the next one.  And…

Almost exactly two years ago, I had a karate belt test that pushed me beyond my limits.  I wrote an article called Tapping Your Reserves that captured what took place as well as the lessons I learned as a result.  But reflecting back on that experience now, I realize that in the months that passed,…