As we step into Spring, have you asked yourself what am I ready to take action on? The seasonal shift into Spring is ideal for this type of reflection. In fact, in The Wisdom of Anxiety, Sheryl Paul writes: “Spring is the season of hope and renewal when, encouraged by the light and warmth, we find the energy to take the necessary action that can push the tentative new beginning into full awakening." We can begin to examine the dreams that have laid dormant over the cold Win

I expect emotions to surface when I make big decisions. So when I resigned last week, I anticipated waves of excitement, terror, and grief that often accompany this kind of transition. What I didn't expect was to be slapped in the face by an old pattern that I thought I'd abandoned long ago. As tends to happen when one resigns, I spent the week announcing my departure over and over again, and finding myself on the receiving end of comments like "I'm so sad" or "This is a big

Reflection is widely considered a critical process for increasing self-awareness, and a catalyst for growth. Yet few of us are taught how to reflect, and this is why some of us will fall into the trap of reliving vs. reflecting. Both are backward-looking, but one adds in a crucial ingredient for true growth: distance. Reliving is replaying an experience by stepping fully into it.  What this means is that we re-experience the emotions and thought patterns associated with an ev

Vacations. They are wonderful. But do you know that until this past week, I hadn't taken a vacation in over a year? Perhaps what's even more shocking is that during that entire time, I never felt like I needed one. Years ago, I set out to create a life where I didn't crave time off from work in order to feel rested and recharged, and yet I know not everyone's in that boat. I worry when I see friends and colleagues dangle vacations like proverbial carrots on sticks, as motivat

How many times have you caught yourself thinking or saying "change is hard" or even "people don't change"? Have you ever wondered whether describing change as hard, frustrating or impossible is actually why we experience it as such? Our words pack a punch. Our words reflect the expectations that we have for how things will unfold. Our expectations influence how we show up. How we show up influences outcomes. So basically, how we talk about things can directly affect results.