Talking with a client Friday.  What she wanted from the session was how to not let herself get distracted.  She shared how her brother came to visit for a week.  She had cooked, taken him sight seeing.  He went back home only a few days before her own planned self care rejuvenation vacation.  She had [...]

Some time back on a monthly Master Coaches call I participate in the topic of discussion was mountain climbing.  Of course as a bunch of coaches we were swimming in the messages for humanity with climbing.  One particular bit really lit me up.  When scaling a really big mountain people actually climb it four times.  [...]

I am talking with entrepreneurs from a variety of back grounds and industries.  The conversations have been fun, rich, rewarding.  I enjoy hearing who they are as we talk about what they do and how they do it.  I get a charge out of the idea that maybe they'll get some business with the release [...]

This a piece from the Forging A Life: Truths in the Making of Katana. At the very beginning there is only a round steel bar. One and a half inches in diameter by six inches long.  Smooth sides, flat ends.  It is of little use.  Not even a good door stop.  What it will become [...]

Last week a client had one of the clearest visualizations for Comfort Zone that I’ve come across for sometime. She was procrastinating on taking action to be visible in her new business.  Specifically, posting a video introducing herself and her services.  Every time doing the video came up her brain conveniently pointed out other tasks [...]

Several weeks back I began a big project.  I am dismantling our 60 plus year old corncrib.  I want to use the boards on a remodeling project.  The rest I’ll sell.  Starting this venture I was reminded of many life lessons.  It seemed to be a quick study or mirroring of real life.   The [...]

I am in a joint venture with Lisa Nichols and MTM (Motivating the Masses). We are doing a nine month personal development course Elevate Extraordinaire. I am one of several coaches providing one on one coaching for the participants.  The personal coaching built into an online course is exceptional.  The potential for these people to [...]

Reading “Gifts of Imperfection” by Brene’ Brown I had a veil pulled back.  A glimpse of who I show up as.  Brene’ was writing about who to and who not to share shame stories with.  We do have to speak shame out loud to loosen its grip on us.  She lists six people/responses to avoid.  [...]

I truly love what I do. Coaching I get to experience, almost daily, the flame of the human spirit bright, joyful, growing. It is a gift to witness their awareness, see them understand themselves better, watch as they let go and take on. I get to be the cheering squad. I also relish the deep [...]

Spoke with a friend the other day who found herself in flux. Since their small town cancelled Fourth of July celebrations her family made plans for private gathering, food, and fireworks. Then a patron of the town announced he would provide a fireworks display. The family plans were now being reexamined. They are in flux. [...]

Have you ever bit your tongue?  I don’t mean the physical chomping down on that tender extraordinary part of our anatomy.  Have you ever not said the words springing to mind?  There are times when I am at a loss for what to say. (Hard to believe, I know.)  Usually this is when someone is [...]

Over the weekend I worked at clearing the overgrowth from the asparagus patch. The patch was planted by my husband's mother and father.  It is over 50 years old and has always produced, but in my tenure it has not been cared for.  Working to dig out the grass and weeds being mindful not to [...]

What’s been present in coaching recently is how challenging it can be to claim our worth, to honor ourselves as worthy and valuable.  Especially (with the entrepreneurs Iwork with) when it comes to business initiatives being an emotional human working with other emotional humans.  As an entrepreneur asking for what you're worth (at least initially) [...]

We carry emotions around with us. Unexpressed, lingering to high jack us.  I know that I'm holding emotions when small things trigger a rush of feelings.  It happened the other day as I did the weekly shopping.  I was relishing being out and about.  Aware of and present to the people around me and engaging with [...]

Sitting on the deck as the sun begins to set.  I love sunrises and sunsets.  Watching light shift color and change hues. The sun's light plays with blue sky and white cloud creating endless panoramic scenes.  There is no limit to what can be created with the light from the sun.  We can live 100 [...]

Sunshine, blue skies, opening the house, the smell of freshly cut grass; these things fill my spirit. Yesterday I dealt with a toleration (i.e. something that on some level is annoying) by washing the walls in the hallway. I also deep cleaned the bathroom. I was energized by the work and the look of really [...]

I am feeling more on an even keel this last week. The energies of the world, living in a state of unknowing, are smoothing out for me. Have you ever driven somewhere new and had the trip there seem longer than the trip back? Sometimes there is increased vigilance looking for the right road in [...]

Yesterday morning much was covered in ice. It had rained as the temperature dropped. All the branches were adorned with frozen drips. Baby icicles. Later in the day, as the sun came through the clouds, they would sparkle briefly. Tiny diamond ornaments melting. It is spring in Iowa. Today the sun shone warm and the [...]

Last week I burned off the asparagus patch and then burned the ditch. It's a rural spring practice. Clear off the dead tall grass to make way for the fresh. As the fire made its way up the ditch it crept along slowly. Then with a breath of wind or a more suitable patch of [...]

There some colloquialisms that I’ve learned living in the country.  I have a love hate relationship with the central Iowa rural colloquialisms.  I love the language aspect.  The vibrancy of description.  “Slicker than snot on a corn cob.”  I also muse over what the origin might be.  How did THAT come to be a measure [...]

I’ve been having some juicy conversations with my friend and coaching peer Jenn Schaefer (you can find her @ Coach Kicky on Facebook) We’ve walked around and through both ones relationship to self and self esteem.  Curiously both conversations have come round to the primary relationship with one’s significant other in the season post children  [...]

I attended a funeral on Saturday. A man who was born, raised, and lived his entire life within a 20 mile radius. At age 71 cancer stole him away. The service was one of those really good celebrations of life. His daughter and two of his grand-daughters spoke. Their remembrances and eulogies were real to [...]

Connecting is one of my 2020 goals. To be intentional about reaching out, staying in touch. I was rewarded on Saturday and had a great conversation with a friend and coaching peer. She is in the midst of shifting around how she held on to work and time. Michelle is a powerful and passionate coach [...]

Reading “Becoming” by Michele Obama I pulled this quote: “This is what a control freak learns inside the compressed other world of college, maybe above all else: There are simply other ways of being.” In Michele Obama’s narrative she was dealing with the nuances of living in close quarters. Her roommate being someone who tossed [...]

It was one of the circle back conversations. After one of the rolling tides of life had crashed over. Resurfacing. When we are at the end of the rope, when we are taken to our knees, we crack open and spill out our hurts, losses and disappointments. We will speak to the overwhelm, betrayal and […]

Recently we’ve had “real” winter here in central Iowa. The season has been mild. A few early snows in October and a short cold snap took us to -10 for a day. Mostly we have enjoyed snow free and mild cold. Today I ventured out into single digit cold and a world layered with snow [...]

A client shared with me that Saturday January 11th was National Vision Board Day. Which, if I had been on top of things would have been the perfect day to do a vision board workshop. Note: save the date: National Vision Board Day 2021 is January 9th. I will be hosting a workshop that day. [...]

Ain’t I a wonder and ain’t you a wonder too! Yes you are. You are a brilliantly complex collection of talent, skill, perspective, knowledge, and experience. No one else holds a candle to you. You have accomplished much and contributed to the lives of others. You deserve wealth, rich relationships, fulfillment, joy, satisfaction, ease, and […]

One of the on going business activities, for myself and most others, is the requisite follow up with networking contacts. It’s one thing I rock. I make the phone calls, send out the texts and get coffee dates. I’m good at it. Cool conversations with amazing people is my reward. Last week I had the [...]

I regularly have conversations with people about their journey to the work they are currently doing. Everyone who is an entrepreneur has a journey story. Whether or not you claim your journey or believe there is significance about your journey is moot. Every person who tries on some form of self employment was searching for [...]

I am in the middle of a minor remodel. Painting the kitchen. Which so far has involved dry scrapping wallpaper, re-scrapping wallpaper wetted, and sanding the wall to smooth out the texture so I can stencil (eventually).  Here's what's showing up so far. It is a bigger project i.e. more work than originally thought. My [...]

At the tender age of 50 something I recently found myself at odds with my 80 something mother regarding my right to choose for myself. I chose to drive cross country to attend a retreat in Brooklyn, New York. She fearing for me, my safety, well being, etc. wanted me to fly. It was a […]