How often do you lament that “there is never enough time” or that you wish you had more time… Do you wish for more time to finish up tasks at home or work, more time with your partner, your kids, or just more time to do nothing? Sometimes time can feel more like sand slipping through our fingers. We want more time to experience joy, travel, or just to garden, play a game, or pursue that which brings us joy. The “I don’t have time” mantra is a big one for a lot of people. It

When I was the mother of 3 young children, the chorus often sung at home was “Can we have just 5 more minutes?” Whether they were playing a game, hanging from the monkey bars at the park, or glued to their game boy… their chorus was consistent: …”just fiiiiiive moooore minutes please?” What things do you do now, where you have that same sentiment or feeling? How often do you have the thought, this is so great, I just want to keep doing it? Maybe for you it’s hiking, a gr

Lessons from Fitness, Business, and Long-Term Thinking By Brett Clark BC Fitness Studio There’s a moment that shows up in every workout. And if you’ve been in business long enough, you’ve felt it there too. It’s that split second where your brain asks: “Is this too much, or is this exactly what I need?” Most people don’t actually know the difference. And that’s where things start to go sideways. Pain and Discomfort Are Not the Same Thing Somewhere along the way, we blurred th

I am writing a blog that I truly am unqualified to write. And yet, I feel compelled to write it. I am that person, that feels nearly everything. My kids used to give me grief for shedding tears at animated kid movies, crying at heart tugging commercials, and being the person who would stop what I’m doing to help a stranger. What motivates all that- the ability to see and care about others, to feel things deeply? What we possess when we experience sadness when those we love a

How many times a day do you have the “I have to” thought? How many times do you hear yourself say it out loud? Are you that person all day long, in your thoughts and in your speech, bemoaning your “Have to” list? Has your day become a task master list of have to do’s ? But what about the “Have to’s” that don’t have anything to do with chores and tasks? What about the ones that have even greater significance? Recently, I heard a client lament, “I have to see my parents next

If you are old enough to remember Zig Ziglar, the motivational speaker who wrote books of wisdom and the author of many life quotes, he often talked about “Stinkin’ Thinkin’. At the time I used to read his stuff I really didn’t have the full understanding of what that meant. Now as a trained mental health professional who understands the power of our thoughts and how those thoughts can serve us well; help us be healthy, set boundaries, have good relationships, excel in ou

As a business coach, I hear a lot of stories about what goes on in the workplace. Often time what goes on is a lot of chaos, conflict and confusion. Much of it could be prevented with training for leaders in communication, self management and time management.

Right now, feeling happy might be the last thing on your mind especially as we are all dealing with the fall out of what is happening in our country. The concern for gas prices, overall inflation, fears of retaliation from this war… there’s not a lot around us to be happy about. The stress is taking its toll on nearly everyone. With that said, the results for the “Happiest Country in the World” ( The World Happiness Report) are in and Finland once again takes the #1 spot

When the anxiety monster strikes, it can feel overwhelming and unsettling. The truth is we need some anxiety. A bit of anxiety can actually be motivating, such as when a student feels anxious about an upcoming test and realizes she needs to study. Not studying amps up the anxiety levels, but studying helps quell the anxiety a bit. Anxiety is tricky and comes in a variety of flavors… There’s the GAD, or Generalized Anxiety Disorder ,which produces, well, a general overall fe

Missing out on a good night's sleep can really throw us off the next day. We may feel not only tired, but experience irritability, difficulty with focusing, increased stress and decreased resilience. Little things can be more annoying and big things can feel like heavier burdens. Now, multiply that by a lot when that sleep loss becomes chronic, either due to insomnia, or because we've told ourselves a story that we are too squeezed for a good night's sleep and the one thi

Even those that are self employed, micro businesses and mom and pop shops need accountability systems, even if they are set up to hold just yourself accountable. Especially if you are a solopreneur, this is essential.

Have an office desk job? Feel low energy much of the day? Does work take up the majority of your time? How is your general health and level of fatigue? Congratulations, you are amongst thousands of workers whose jobs force them into sedentary positions for hours at a time. As a counselor, ( and other counselors and therapists can likely relate) we spend hours on our rumps as we listen to clients in our quest to be present and engaged in the therapeutic alliance for the client

How many times do you wait until you are at max output before you decide it's time to pause, slow down, rest or relax? How many of you don't build in a slow down day until your body forces you to by getting your attention through extreme fatigue or illness. We Americans are notorious for moving at a pace, trying to get it all done and then some. We eat fast, move fast, sleep little, and drive fast to accomplish as much as we can... until we can't. I am the first one to sa

You know that feeling… when someone says something that feels attacking or blaming. The sentences usually start with” You did… or conversely, “you didn’t do …”.and the feelings that result can feel pretty awful. The feelings of shame are often deeply rooted. They often begin in childhood. Whether it’s a parent who shames us for not doing our homework or cleaning our room, how they get their message of dissatisfaction across is the difference between feeling shame, or being ab

Some people are introverts. They really thrive on alone time, and socializing for them can often feel a bit too much. It is important that if we live with or date an introvert, to be aware that their social battery can become drained pretty quickly. Others are extroverts- they get energized by being around people, and often are great at making social plans, nurturing friendships and are the first to pick up the phone to text a friend, what are you doing tonight? Then there a

Traditional business ownership dictates that after a certain number of employees, we need managers to manage them and keep them on their toes.

It only takes reading one news article about what is happening in our country, to feel angry, helpless and depressed. The news is pretty grim in our country and in many parts of the world right now. So much divisiveness, injustice, fear and hatred. Flagrant violations of law and common decency abound, and thoughts of how to help make a difference (or pack bags and leave) are common for many of us who care about our fellow human, neighbor, community and country. As a mental h

What is it about human nature that we put things off in hopes of a someday that may or may not ever arrive? Have you heard yourself say it... Some day when the kids are grown we'll take that vacation, or someday we'll take the whole family and drive those 4 hours to go see the grandparents... Someday I'll quit my stressful job and pursue the career I really want. Maybe your somedays sound like, someday I'll really stop working so many hours, play with the kids more, or get m

I'm fresh off a continuing ed seminar on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion honing in on Health Equity. I thought I was walking into a lecture style class, but was pleasantly surprised to find a very interactive format. While ticking the boxes of intellectual and social stimulation for me, it also provoked much thinking on how these issues are faring in our own community, state and country as well. We are living in such divisive times where many leaders have completely abando

You know that feeling of blah, angst, or just a solid dissatisfaction with the way some things are? You can feel it in your body, and in your brain. Sometimes it manifests as body aches, or fatigue, or sometimes it morphs into anxiety or depression. It's that nagging feeling that something in your world is really out of balance, or really not ok. Sometimes we feel this with a job that we are not well suited for. Maybe we are on a career path that as we've gotten older just