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Posts tagged ‘growth’

Mar 8

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A year to STRETCH in every way…

…in work, love, physical pursuits, kindness, bigness, emotional bravery & more!

Hello March! Is anyone reading this surprised we’re already nearly three months into 2018?!

I must admit that I started this new year disoriented and disinterested in setting goals for 2018. My Dad had just died (Dec. 2017) and, of course, it has   left me in grief mode — feeling sad, lost, depleted, uninterested in goal setting, unsure of what next, and more.

Honestly, I was clear on only one thing at the end of 2017 and that was that I wanted 2018 to be different. I needed and wanted to shake things up in my life — to open myself up to the Universe in new and challenging ways, and I didn’t want to have to think too hard immediately about how. (If you’ve ever been in this place, you get it.)

For this In-the-equation girl who has been living brave, saying YES! and  constantly growing and changing during the past 7.5 years — just the realization that I needed a “time out” to regroup and recharge is hugely important.

In late January, I was on a morning walk with a close friend when I realized that what I really wanted in 2018 (besides a change of scenery and routine) was to STRETCH — personally and professionally. So I decided STRETCH was my word theme for 2018. What that means in practice, well, that’s a work in progress. And that’s how I believe it needs to be. Read more

Sep 11

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Faith, courage & love

Requirements for braving the wilderness & living healthy, happy & whole

There is no other blog I could write today. I had the privilege of being in the audience last night at United Methodist Church in Minneapolis, MN, as the amazing Brene Brown kicked off her book tour for Braving the Wilderness, The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone.

Those of you who frequent this blog, know that I’ve not only been inspired by Brene Brown’s work around courage, vulnerability, love, belonging, shame and empathy, but her best-selling books have mirrored my growth AND my personal understanding about my transformation journey. In her message, I am blessed to learn, grow and evolve as a wholehearted human being, and now to share that experience and perhaps help others in doing so.

The values that Brene Brown speaks about — faith and courage — I share. I try to live daily by the core values of faith, courage and love — and it has perhaps never been more challenging than right now. Read more

Dec 20

Does every cloud have a silver lining?

Reflections on a tough year and impending holiday. Not the blog I wanted or expected to write.

“Every cloud has a silver lining.” What does that mean, I wondered as a friend said those words in an attempt to comfort my heavy heart? Where did that phrase come from? While I get the spirit of it — there’s a bright side to every situation — it made me wonder if I really believed it.

Sometimes it feels impossible to imagine that even the worst situations have some positive aspect — especially when you are in the throws of it. Like when  your heart is heavy and your spirit broken. When things seem so bleak that you can’t find your way out. When you’re in physical and/or emotional pain that feels unbearable. When it seems as if the world is swirling out of control around you. Or, when something bad has happened to someone (or a whole bunch of someones) you love, and you can’t fix it.

And when this happens at the holidays, it feels even worse because there is so much anticipation and expectation around this time of year. For me, and many that I love, this is how we are feeling as we enter the holidays of 2016.

Yet as I process through it in writing this blog, I  realize that as incredibly tough as this past year and the impending holidays seem right now, I have not lost heart or hope. I just feel sad. My heart is heavy.

(Stick with me, it gets better, I promise!) Read more

Feb 25

Be a warrior for love

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Jan 18

Life’s moments of impact #2

Life’s moments of impact define us & make us better — if we let them

life'smomentsofimpactGood Monday morning, peeps! Today I am republishing a blog post I wrote in March of 2013 — something I almost never do. But this one continues to be the #1 most read blog post on this site. I am amazed at how many visits it gets and that must mean it has had an impact for some of you.

As I re-read this post this morning, I realized that even for me — right now at this time in my life — there are lessons and opportunities in the moments of impact. We don’t always want to open ourselves up to them but when we do, when we are fully present and alive in those moments — wow — it can be incredible.

So today, as we embark on the third week of a new year, this is for you. It’s also for my dear friends who have recently lost love ones in their lives (a huge moment of impact). I am thinking of you today and holding you in my heart.

Without further adieu or comment, I give you the entire blog post Learning from life’s moment’s of impact. If this one speaks to you or stirs something for you, let me know. Read more

Nov 16

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All I have to do is drop the banana

movewithchange-simpleDo you ever think about how hard it is to accept change in our lives? How desperately we cling to what we know?

Sometimes we cling out of habit because we feel safe and comfortable where we are. Often we cling to the dream we thought we wanted, even when we know it’s time to let go. And sometimes we cling for dear life, not wanting to see what’s on the other side of change even if we know that change is needed, that it’s good for us, and there is likely something even better on the other side.

Five years ago this month, I was brave enough to leap despite my fear. To let go of the norm and embrace big change in my life. I did so with the hope that prioritizing myself and my health — putting my oxygen mask on before assisting others — would propel me forward. But honestly, I was terrified.

And it was/is awesome! Everything is better on the other side of that fear. It’s where I truly blossomed and continue to blossom five years later. It was the very best decision of my life.

It’s ironic then that sometimes I still find myself struggling to let go of that which no longer serves me. Or at least giving it a good fight. Human nature and years of conditioning, I guess. Which brings me to the monkeys. Read more

May 1

In bloom

ITE_Bloom_QuoteSpring in full bloom. I love it. Even when things are at their toughest in life, spring gives me hope. You know it will always come. Things will burst alive, show their colors and renew.

This year, one can’t help but notice the lilacs and crab apple trees in full bloom early (at least in MN). Yesterday on my walk, I photographed every crab apple tree I came across. Those with closed buds and those just bursting open to meet the world. Hello!

Too often in life, fear keeps us closed off and we never really know what it feels like to bloom. I never really appreciated that as much as I do this week. Read more

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