Tag Archives: friends

Coaching Challenge: Giving

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Most all of us will be giving one thing or another during the holidays, so today I will share a few challenges for you to consider as you do so.

Here we go…

  • Next time you are in a conversation with someone and find your mind drifting away, come back.  Engage again.  Make eye contact.  Really listen.
  • Find a local charity that could use your help this month.  Ring a bell.  Serve a meal.  Put food on the shelves at your local shelter.  Sort gifts from a giving tree.  Call them to get it on your calendar today.
  • If you need to change your giving habits to reflect your financial state, have the courage to have the conversation with whoever you need to.  For the first time this year my family is drawing names instead of buying for everyone.  The other side of my family is exchanging gifts we have made instead of purchased.  Others will likely be happy that you had the courage to speak the truth.  Don’t spend more than you have.
  • Give at least one experience instead of “stuff.”
  • Finally, when you commit to being somewhere for the holidays, be there.  Completely.

Remember to keep joy in your heart and a smile on your face as you give!

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The Gift Of You

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The holidays should be a joyful time, yet we all know that the season can also come with obligations and stress.  Parties and gatherings where we should be “merry” fill many of us with dread as we think about long hours with relatives, mindless conversation with a spouse’s coworkers, or volunteering at school activities.  For any of these things that you are able, you should certainly bow out.  But when you must keep the family peace, impress the right bosses, or it’s your turn to be the volunteer parent… give the gift of you.

We all have things we don’t want to do and it seems that this time of year brings even more of them.  But when we do commit to an activity this is not the time to start whining (I remind myself); this is when we have the opportunity to be fully present, engaged and charming.

Truth is that what we bring to an experience, we get.  So when we choose to give of ourselves and show up fully engaged, the experience gives back to us.  We find out interesting things about those people we thought were going to drive us a little crazy.  We see the wonder in the faces of children.  We enjoy ourselves a bit more.

And we’re probably a little more enjoyable to be around as well.

If you’re going to bring anything to holiday gatherings this year, be sure to bring your energy, your attention and your smile with you.  Give the gift of you.

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Gift Giving

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So much press has been given these last few days to our collective spending and while that is economically interesting, our focus should really be on giving instead.  This may be a little late for many of you, but for those who are like me and have yet to purchase a single gift, here are a few thoughts…

  • Give only what you can afford.  Giving gifts beyond our means not only hurts us when January rolls around, it simply isn’t authentic.  Part of who we are is our financial situation and when we represent ourselves as having more than we actually do, we create an image of ourselves that is inaccurate.  Be truthful to yourself and those around you.  Stay within your means.
  • Consider consumables.  My friend Melissa over at Ms. Simplicity is a big fan of giving gifts that don’t hang around to clutter the home later.  Her recent post on giving experiences has a lot of great ideas as well.
  • Remember that the gift is for them, not you.  Make sure that when you’re giving someone something that you love that they will love it, too.  Even those gifts that seem benevolent – like gifts to charities in honor of our loved ones – can sometimes be about what we love best, not what the recipient loves best.  It should be obvious that we should keep the other person in mind, but we’ve all received gifts that were more about them than us.  Try not to do that to others.
  • Move beyond the gift card.  I have teenagers so I get it.  But try for something a little bit thoughtful, too.  Think in terms of a gift card plus a small item – perhaps a favorite candy bar, a book mark or an ornament would add a little bit of personality to your gift giving.
  • Have fun!  Giving gifts should be a joy and if it isn’t, something isn’t right.  Take some time to figure out what it is that’s bugging you and fix it.  Perhaps you’re spending too much, giving something that you know a person doesn’t need, or feel that there’s no heart in simply selecting something off a wish list.  If so, adjust and do what feels right for you when selecting gifts for the ones you love.

Coaching Challenge: Vacation

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In making the case for taking vacation time, I hope a few of you began to think about adding this important piece to your health regimen.  To solidify it, here are a few vacation and traveling challenges for you to consider.

Here we go…

  • Schedule a day off.  Send the request to your manager today.  Have it coincide with a day your kids have off so you can explore a museum or zoo.  Or land it randomly in an upcoming week so you can spend a restoring day at a spa, driving in the country, or cross-country skiing in a city park.  Do what you want to do.  Feel your stress level go down…
  • Dream.  I find that when I dream of traveling, soon I am.  Buy a copy of a travel magazine or, better yet, subscribe.  (Budget Travel is one of my favorites – because I’m a bit of a cheapskate.)  Make a bucket list.  Sure, you might not get to all the places you want to go.  But if you dream about it, you may get to some.
  • Plan.  Have a dream spot in mind?  An event you don’t want to miss?  Friends or family you haven’t seen in too long?  How can you make it happen?  Figure out how much money and time it will take and then start working toward it today.  If you don’t start, the likelihood of your trip happening at all will decrease.
  • Find something in your community you haven’t done before.  Do it.
  • Get your passport.  You’re sure to never leave your country if you don’t have one.
  • Change your thinking.  Next time you hear yourself say, “I can’t afford to travel,” or “I can’t take time off from work,” say instead “How can I find the money to travel?” and “What would I have to do to plan time away from work?”  Get creative.  Allow the possibility.

That’s a lot to do!  You better get right on it if you’re going to get out of here anytime soon!

Headin’ Out

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After several months of being Earth-bound, I took to the air last week and will do so again tomorrow.  I’d forgotten how much I enjoy traveling and also was reminded why I’d get so sick of it too.  Travel can be a bit of a double-edged sword.  That said, travel is definitely something that changes us.  Regardless of the length of the journey, cost to us, or the purpose of the trip, we can’t help but return home changed.

The latest travel data I could find showed that in 2005 64% of Americans had traveled away from home in the previous year.  If you’re in that bucket, good for you!  For the other 36%… you need to get outta here!

Yes, I know vacations cost money.  Yes, I know that we hesitate to take time off from work.  Yes, it takes time and energy to plan.  And yes, it is worth it.

So for the 36% who haven’t left their abode for a year, those who speak with pride about all the vacation time they have accrued or the many without a passport… this week I plan to encourage you to take to the highways or skies.

All travel has its advantages. If the passenger visits better countries, he may learn to improve his own. And if fortune carries him to worse, he may learn to enjoy it. ~Samuel Johnson

Check out this interview with me from the Dale Carnegie ND online magazine!

Ignore the Naysayers

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Breaking free from the status quo sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? I’ve never met anyone who didn’t agree that we have the power to make changes in our lives – at least to some degree. So what’s holding us back?

Oftentimes – and this will come as no surprise – it’s us. Our fears. The limits we place on ourselves and our dreams. Our beliefs about our talents or circumstances.

Unfortunately, those around us can also limit us and our dreams. It’s common for my clients to spend one of their sessions with me working through an unforeseen problem with a friend or family member who isn’t supportive of the changes they’ve decided to make. We all expect the people who truly love us to be excited when we are pursuing happiness. But that’s not always the case.

Research shows that our weight is determined by those in our close circle of friends. Divorce follows a pattern in friendship circles. We really are like those around us and when we choose to change, it forces those close to us to look at themselves.

If John has a drinking problem, maybe I do, too.

If Sara’s losing weight, she must think I’m a fat slob.

If David gets serious about upping his game to get that promotion, I won’t ever get mine.

Etc. Etc. Etc.

When you decide to break free from the status quo, realize that not everyone will be happy for you. That’s OK. It’s not about you; it’s about them and their own feelings about their own circumstance. Because it’s about them, there’s not much you can do. So what to do?

Remind yourself that you are doing what’s best for you. Find likeminded people who are supportive. Listen to the friends who do welcome the changes you’re making.  And most importantly, keep pursuing your goals and dreams.

Ignore the naysayers.

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Coaching Challenge: Celebrate

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Each day gives us something we can celebrate.  We just need to be ready to see it; ready to shout out a rousing “woo hoo!”  Everyone has something to celebrate.  Today, I challenge you to celebrate.

Here we go…

  • Find something to celebrate today.  It could be your accomplishment or someone else’s.  The celebration can be big or small.  Just celebrate.
  • Plan a celebration.  A birthday.  A retirement.  A reunion.  Find an excuse to celebrate with family and friends.
  • Celebrate an important relationship.  Your time with your loved ones might not be as long as you hope.  Let someone you love know how much he or she means to you while you can.  As often as you can.
  • Acknowledge a milestone you met this week.  They happen all the time.  Did you meet a deadline?  Finish a project?  Pass an anniversary date?  You don’t have to go tell everyone you did it – simply acknowledging your work and time passed is good.  An internal celebration just for you.
  • Find a “win” to celebrate.  Yours or someone else’s.  Perhaps your child got an “A” on a tough assignment.  Or your spouse made a big sale at work.  Or you were able to get a client to re-up on a contract.  Make a favorite dinner or uncork some wine (for the adults, not the kids!).

However you choose to do it, choose to celebrate!

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Celebrate Milestones

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Our weekend of celebrations started out with a very important milestone: our youngest son turned 13.  Officially a teen and no longer our baby boy, we’re watching him turn into the man he will become.

Because of his cousin’s wedding, Davis’s birthday was spent at the rehearsal and the groom’s dinner.  Even so, time was taken to mark his milestone birthday as others and we paused to give him gifts or wish him a happy birthday.  The bride led us all in a rousing chorus of “Happy Birthday” following our meal as well.

It could be argued that the day we reach a milestone is like any another day.  Most milestones are not life-changing events, really.  Our son is the same today as he was a week ago.  But then, things aren’t quite the same either.  Reaching a milestone by definition puts something else in the past.  For Davis, it was his childhood.  At retirement, it is a career.  At graduation, it’s cramming for exams and all-nighters.

It’s this piece that makes it important for milestones to be celebrated.  It’s a way to recognize the work completed and the time past.  Whether celebrating with a big party or simply enjoying your own quiet acknowledgement, taking the opportunity to enjoy and relish the moment is something that should not be missed.

Celebrate!

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Celebrate Life

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In the midst of what was planned to be a joyful weekend, we took time to say good-bye to a friend lost suddenly to a tragic accident.  When his young widow sent out invites to his funeral as a “Celebration of Life” I honestly didn’t know how it could be done.  It’s so heartbreaking to witness someone taken too early.

Eric’s Celebration of Life was held a few hours before the wedding and still my husband and I wanted to be there.  Wanted to say good-bye.

We arrived to a packed church filled with grieving family and friends.  A beautiful photo tribute to our friend played as people found their seats.  The service began and soon there was time for an informal eulogy; a time for anyone to come to the altar and share a story.  His best friend Keith began…

I’m in awe of people who can work through their grief and share their hearts during a time like this.  Within moments we were laughing, remembering the joy Eric would bring to a room.  Many were smiling as we heard stories about his childhood, his sense of humor and his entrepreneurial spirit.

During that time of remembrance, I felt a shift from grieving to celebrating.  Not celebrating in the way we would celebrate later that day, but celebrating nonetheless.  Celebrating that we’d been able to enjoy the time our friend had on this Earth and the impact he made while he was here.

And for those who believe, celebrating that we’d see him again on the other side.

Let no one weep for me, or celebrate my funeral with mourning; for I still live, as I pass to and fro through the mouths of men. ~Quintus Ennius

 

Eric (on the right) with my family and Keith while visiting us in Germany.

Celebrate Love

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We enjoyed a weekend full of celebrations as my only niece was married to a wonderful young man.  What makes celebrations so delightful is not simply the happy occasion pulling everyone together, but also the response and behavior of the participants involved in the event.

I noticed that some rules get thrown out the window when we’re celebrating.  Nobody is on diet (I’ve got to try more than one flavor of the cupcakes!).  Parents aren’t always sure where their kids are (I last saw her on the dance floor…).  Kids eat too much candy and cake (they had a candy bar!) while their parents enjoy another glass of their favorite adult beverage.

Everyone looks beautiful.  Even so, people don’t seem to care as much what others think of them (queue Y.M.C.A.).  Uncomfortable shoes are tossed under the table (It’s so hard to dance in high heels).  Suit coats are left on the back of chairs.

All other responsibilities and cares are set aside to be fully present for that moment.  Smartphones are used to upload pictures instead of checking email.  Nobody talks about work.

Family and friends travel for miles and spend hundreds of dollars on tuxedoes, dresses, hotel rooms and gifts, happily.  People spend hours decorating to make everything look perfect.

Thoughts drift back as stories are shared about past celebrations.  Imaginations soar forward as people are reminded that dreams do come true.

And that’s what makes it a celebration.  Obviously we can’t throw out all the rules, look our best, or ignore work every day.  What we can do is take every chance we get to celebrate that which is truly wonderful in life.

Celebrate love. It is the breath of your existence and the best of all reasons for living. ~Author Unknown

So What If I Procrastinate?

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At this point in the week there may be a few of you thinking, “Yeah, I procrastinate.  So what?  It doesn’t hurt anything.”

Well, you’re wrong.  Procrastination does hurt some things: you, those around you, and your work.

Procrastination hurts you.  While there is evidence that procrastinators are healthier while they are procrastinating, stress that comes with the rush to make a deadline more than makes up for it.  Research led by Dr. Fuschia Sirois of the University of Windsor found that,

…trait procrastination (our tendency to procrastinate in most areas of our lives quite chronically) is linked with poor health in adults, and that this association is best explained by the direct effects of stress.  (Learn more in the post by Timothy A. Pychyl, PhD - Unnecessary Illusions and the Truth about Procrastination.)

Procrastination hurts those around you.  Your delays impact others.  Period.  To quote Dr. Pychyl again (this time from Psychology Today):

In the name of “working better under pressure,” too often social engagements are canceled, promises are broken, and favors called in to have others problem solve last-minute catastrophes (a jammed printer becomes a national emergency). Anyone within the vicinity suffers the intense pressure of the looming deadline. Procrastination harms relationships at home and at work.

Procrastination hurts your work.  Funny thing – people say they work better under pressure but research simply doesn’t support it at all.  In layman’s terms, our brains break down when we are under pressure.  Sian Bielock, PhD offers a more clinical explanation in her piece Losing Your Cool Under Pressure:

…under pressure, the prefrontal cortex (and the working-memory housed there) stops working the way it should. This malfunction of the prefrontal cortex also wreaks havoc on our ability to control our emotions. A major component of working-memory is inhibition, which helps us keep what we want in mind and what we don’t want out. It also helps us control our thoughts, emotions, and behavior.

So procrastinate if you choose.  When you do, know that your choice comes with a price to you, those around you, and your work.

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Practice Patience

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I will practice patience when my will is tried.

Many years back I went through a Seven Habits of Highly Effective People workshop and as a part of that event, created a personal mission statement.  I lost my copy long ago, but a portion of it remains as a personal mantra.

I will practice patience when my will is tried.

And what tries our will more than anything else?  Other people, right?

Confession: I was not always the most patient person.  Compared to truly patient people, I’m still not very patient.  But I have learned.  Learned to breathe.  Learned to accept what I cannot control.  Learned that the timing others have is not necessarily the timing I’d like for them to have… and that has to be OK.

When we are patient with others we are giving them a gift – the gift to explore this life on their own terms without our preconceived ideals pushing them forward at a pace that isn’t their own.  This is especially important with our children; however, we need to wait gracefully for everyone in our lives to figure out their paths without our judgment, prodding or nagging… including significant others, parents, siblings, friends, coworkers, employees and even our bosses from time to time.

So when my will doesn’t match the will of others, I choose to practice patience.  Practice makes perfect, right?

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How’s Your Attitude?

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How’s your attitude today? Mine’s better than it was last week… now that I’m paying attention to it! Funny, I also feel better too. Better physically. Better emotionally. Better about my business. Better about my relationships. All because I’m choosing to have a better attitude.

Kind of crazy, isn’t it?

We can spend a lot of time thinking that our moods are due to what’s happening to us. However, more science supports that our moods about how we are reacting to what’s happening to us. Our choice. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I find that a little irritating. I don’t always want to have control of my mood – I want to blame someone or something else. Of course, that’s usually when I’ve already taken on a bad attitude.

Our attitude not only affects the relationships around us (anyone called you “grumpy pants,” “sour puss,” or something less flattering lately?), it can impact physical ailments like back pain, heart health or depression. Just do a quick search on WebMD and you’ll find all sorts of support for why we should choose to be cheery.

So what to do when we’d rather wallow in our bad attitude instead of giving it up? I’m sure you won’t be surprised… Turns out many of the things that affect our attitude are the very same happiness boosters already discussed here over the last few months.

Take a walk. Laugh. Call a friend. Pet your cat. Call an end to your pity party.

You know you’ll feel better. And your heart, back and mind will thank you for it. Not to mention the people around you as well.

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If You Can’t Say Something Nice

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This weekend I read what I thought was a great blog post.  It was written by someone who had truly followed the advice, “If you wouldn’t do your job for free, then quit.”  Granted, it’s extreme.  However, as a person who did the same, I appreciated the perspective and definitely thought about sharing the blog with various audiences.

Then I got to the comments.

As a blogger, I understand what it’s like to put myself out there with a personal story and in my experience the feedback received has been positive overall.  Looking at these comments, I guess there are a lot of people out there who missed Thumper’s advice and feel they must spew their negativity about.

I read through the comments and sympathized a little as the difficulties in this job market and in certain industries are very real.  That said, at the end of the rants I was left feeling relieved that I didn’t have people like these guys hanging around in my life.  Whew!

So my thoughts this week are not about how you should stay in your career or not.  My thoughts are about attitudes.

We all know people who carry a “chip on their shoulder” and make us want to dodge out of the room when we see them coming.  Being a Debbie Downer not only impacts relationships but also can have an impact on our health and well-being, too.  Maybe that’s why it’s a lesson we were all taught at an early age.  If not by the adults around us, by Thumper and his wise mother.

Really.  If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.

Coaching Challenge: Relationships

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One thing a good coach will do in addition to asking powerful questions is to challenge as well.  Instead of the “usual” Friday format you’ll find here, today I’m going to set out a few challenges when it comes to your relationships.  You can accept them, refuse them, or modify them.

Here we go…

  • Have a conversation with a child about someone who has passed on that made an impact on your life.  Tell them why they were important and how they live on in you.
  • Send a hand-written note to someone who has made a difference in your life.  Tell them so.
  • Follow-up on a connection you recently made.  Invite the individual to meet you for coffee or lunch within the next two weeks.
  • Send an email, FB post or LinkedIn message to a connection that you want to continue to have in your life… but that you’ve neglected over the last several months.
  • If you have someone toxic in your life, decide if you’re going to keep them or let them go.  Know exactly why you are choosing to keep them, if you do.  If you decide to let them go, do so gracefully and with dignity.
  • Hug your kid, spouse, mom, dad, friend.  Say “I love you” when you do.  Expect nothing in return.
  • Open the car door for the next person you share a ride with.

And then, let me know how it goes!  I’d love to hear your story.

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Treat Them Like Strangers

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I bet you’re a pretty polite person.  You smile at others when they pass you on the sidewalk.  You hold the door for people when you enter a restaurant or store.  You look your waiter in the eye when he takes your order and thank him when he brings you your drink.  When your co-worker rubs you the wrong way you let it slide in the interest of keeping office harmony.  When you’re at an event and meet someone new who has different opinions than you, you are able to have a civil discourse or you nod and smile – you certainly wouldn’t start a fight.

And then you get home.

Many times we get comfortable and we sort of lose our manners.

When someone you love makes you a meal or brings you a drink, do you thank them?  When your child asks you a question about something important to them, do you quit what you’re doing and look them in the eye while you listen?  When your spouse brings up a topic that frustrates you both, do you immediately go on the defensive?  Are you sometimes rude to the important people in your life?

I know I can be.  As my family can tell you, I’ll also point out when they are being rude with me.  That’s when they may get this line: “Treat me like a stranger.”  How ironic that we will be more pleasant to complete strangers than we are to our families, co-workers and friends.

When it get’s down to it, being polite is something that builds relationships and being rude picks away at them.  We have a choice.  Why not be as nice to those closest to us as we would be to those who will never pass our way again?

Try treating them like strangers.

Need to Let Someone Go?

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Back in February I also spent a week thinking about relationships.  It was, after all, the week of Valentine’s Day.  Among the posts about connecting and nurturing, I also posted this one about letting someone go.  I happen to know that many people search on this topic because many of them have landed on this post while doing those searches.  This post continues to have life because of that.

Given all this, I thought it’d be worthwhile to post again in case you missed it the first time.  Or need to hear it again.

Letting Someone Go

Keeping relationships may come easy. Letting them go? That’s pretty tough.

I suspect that many of you, like me, have had times where family members have quit talking to each other. Or a choice needed to be made about keeping a friend or letting her go. Or we simply grow apart from people; sometimes because of us and sometimes because of them.

The thought was brought to the forefront of my mind this week because I may have one of those, “Do I keep you or not?” situations coming up. (For those of you reading this wondering if it might be you, it isn’t you. And Todd and I are solid – see Monday’s post.) It is interesting that the problematic situation resurfaced this week while I’m writing about relationships; interesting enough to bring it up.

Any way it comes up, we have to choose our action in the thick of some pretty heady emotions. When someone incredibly important to me quit talking to me for years, I had to decide how I would react. I was young and I acted poorly. I was upset, bitter, and behaved in ways that I wouldn’t now. And then when she decided to come back into my life 15 years later, I had to make another decision regarding whether I would let her back in again (I did) and if I should forgive her (I did, but it still stings a little). Given how I acted, I recognize that the forgiveness needed to go both ways.

And now, when the tables are turned and I’m thinking about whether someone of significance should continue to be a part of my life, I fully understand the consequence of that action. It’s something that I do not take lightly. However, there are occasions when separation is not only healthy for us; it’s healthy for the other person as well.

So what to do? I’m not sure. Either way, it will likely not be easy.

Post Script: I’m often asked what happened.  I did not let this person go.  Letting go just wasn’t the right thing to do.

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What If Nothing Changed?

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Think about all those things you’re afraid to do so you keep putting them off.  What if you put them off so long that they never really happen?

As I share with you a few powerful questions this week, this one ranks as one of my favorites.  I don’t think there are many people who want to be the same person five years from now as they are today.  Everyone wants something to change.

Not everyone gets off their butts and does something to make the change they want happen, though.

Putting off getting your MBA?  What if nothing changed?  Perhaps you’ll still be waiting for that promotion or job offer than won’t come without the credential.

Don’t have the discipline to pay off your debt?  What if nothing changed?  Run the numbers on what your credit card balances will look like if you keep charging at the same rate; keep making the same minimum payment.

Want to ditch that toxic friend but don’t have the nerve?  What if nothing changed?  Are you ready for five, ten, twenty more years of the energy drain he or she brings?  What will that much negativity bring to your life over that extended time?

What if you don’t apply for the job?  Save for that trip of a lifetime?  Ask her to marry you?  Sell the house?  Start exercising?  What if nothing changed?

Are you OK with that?

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Being Content vs. Being Complacent

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The challenge in yesterday’s post may have seen contradictory to previous posts about being content. However, making sure one doesn’t get stuck in time, place or knowledge does not mean that being content has been thrown out the window. Complacency is different than being content.

I guess the difference is this: we should be content with the things, relationships and circumstances we have and, at the same time, refrain from being complacent about what’s to come.

I am content with my family relationships but I will never be complacent in letting them know that I love them.

My friends bring joy into my life and yet I will not be so complacent that I miss an opportunity to make a new friend.

I am content with the home I live in; however, I will not be complacent in ensuring its upkeep and repair.

I try my best to be happy with my healthy body and yet I will not be complacent when it comes to monitoring what I consume and how often I exercise.

I love my current job and intend to keep learning more to get better and better at what I do.

It is possible to be quite content and still push to do more, be more, have more.

No contradictions here.

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Attitude Adjustment

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Ever feel like you have to do something that you would simply rather not do?

There are certain things that I dread doing. One that is thankfully over for me – at least until I have grandchildren – is the grade school carnival. [For those who have not endured one of these, lucky you. For those of you who love them and enjoy putting them on, thank you.] There are other family events, community events, work events that have fit the bill as well. With my “simplify” mantra, I’m able to bow out of some of these things but then sometimes, I really have to attend.

Sound familiar? Or maybe you only have to do things you absolutely love to do… yeah, right.

Anyway, I am a bit ashamed to admit that once I commit to an activity that I don’t really want to go to, I can get a little whiney. Mostly to my husband who usually has nothing to do with the decision I’ve made to join the event. And then usually, the event meets my expectations.

On the other hand, in the precious few instances where I’ve made the decision to go, taken a deep breath, and then dove in deciding to be present and enjoy as much as I can, the event meets these expectations as well.

Turns out that it’s not as much about the event as it is about the attitude I have going in. If I decide to attend something that I wouldn’t normally choose to do, it’s usually because it’s important to someone who is important to me. And my love for that individual or people should override the lack of enthusiasm I have for whatever my surroundings end up to be.

So in retrospect, the school carnivals might have been a little easier on me if I’d focused more on how much my sons loved to be there versus my impatience for it to be over. I can’t go back and change that – but I can change my attitude for new occasions that arise going forward.

And now that my husband has read this, I’ll have someone to remind me of this commitment. A built in accountability partner, for sure!

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Authentically Present

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