I have traveled to Guatemala twice for mission trips with the God’s Child Project. We built “houses” for multiple families on these trips. By houses, we’re talking 4 walls and a cement floor; something we would consider more like a garden shed here in the States. There is something so eye-opening about providing service in a third-world country. The stark differences between how we live our lives here in America, and how the people of Guatemala live their lives. I was 20 the first time I went and I remember one of the gentlemen from the Project helping us to process our emotions. Someone in my group had talked about feeling guilty for how “comfortably” she lived her life when the people we were building houses for were just grateful for 4 walls and a Quikcrete floor. That gentleman reminded us that our version of comfortable and their version of comfortable was different, but that didn’t mean our families had any more or fewer struggles than...

So often I hear someone tell me, “I don’t have time for that.” Immediately, I know that time is not the problem. Poor time management and maybe a lack of priorities are the problem.

See, we all get the same 24 hours in a day. Most people have a 40-50-hour work week. Most people have homes to clean, groceries to buy, and laundry to do. Among a million other things they’d like to do every day. The issue lies in having to make the decision between doing thing A or thing B. I used to have the same struggle, that is until I got intentional about how I spend my time. Because we ONLY get 24 hours in the day. I can make more money. I can buy more food. I can watch that show later, but I cannot get this moment back. It sounds so cliché, but the truth is time is priceless. No one can make more, no one can stop it, and no one can refund it. When the day came that I finally realized just how precious it is, it became very easy to rearrange my priorities....

It is safe to say we have seen many things over the last couple of years that have tested our patience, our values, and our thoughts about the world around us. Watching your partners, your co-workers, your kids, and your society navigate the pandemic, the economic hardships, and the continuing challenges we are all facing has certainly been an adventure.

It is easy to fall into a space of judgment when evaluating how others are handling these situations. "Well, I wouldn't have done that" or "if you'd do it my way, it would all be perfect." The reality is that you may have done it differently, and your way might be easier for you... but that doesn't mean that you get to judge them for how they chose to live through this challenging phase of life. No different than you don't get to judge a new mom or another couple's relationship. 

Among other things, one of the biggest reasons we don't judge is because we are all here on this earth to learn things. And my goodness,...

 As we watch the world wake up in the spring, it brings to mind new beginnings, new life, and a fresh start. January 1 is usually credited for all the “new” ideas, plans, and goals in our life, but who says you can create new goals any time of year? Or that your priorities can’t change mid-year? Shoot, sometimes your priorities change mid-week, or even before noon some days. While that is just the nature of life sometimes, it can also show a lack of commitment or an unfounded goal. 

Looking back at the last time you made a goal or a resolution, have you been able to honor it? Are you making choices every day that get you closer to reaching it? If not, why is that? 

Maybe the last time you set a goal, your priorities were very focused on physical wellness, but an injury has forced you to change what that looks like for you. Maybe your goal was all about getting your home organized, and then you found out that you were unexpectedly going...

Have you ever heard the expression, “she walked in like she owned the place”? Descriptions like this are referring the way someone carries themselves. Either with confidence or on the flip side, timid and shy. Either way, you can see the difference in mere seconds of being around someone. The way you carry your happiness and your stress affects every part of you and how you show up. 

Every situation and emotion we experience is carried in a specific place or way in the body. For example, tension is usually carried in our neck and shoulders, and that leads to tension headaches. Stress, carried in our gut,  leads to ulcers. Both of these are fairly well known. But did you know that the way you carry the stress of your obligations or your to-do list, can cause pelvic pain? 

As busy women, we all have to-do lists and they never quite seem to be complete. That is a stressor all in itself, but not the one that I want to explore today. March is...

The start of a new year, a new month, a new job, a new adventure creates an energy of new goals, dreams, and motivations. Have you ever noticed how the luster and excitement of starting something new wears off and all of a sudden you’re not interested anymore? Maybe you have a pile of yarn from that new crocheting hobby you were going to take up. Maybe you have an online course you bought to learn a new skill or some self-development. Maybe you bought a membership for a gym that you used 4 times and have never been back. Not because you didn’t enjoy any of it, but because the new wore off. Don’t judge yourself for this, it happens to the best of us—92% of us according to inc.com. So, what on earth are you supposed to do to stay motivated?

Step one: Stop shoulding on yourself.

So often we do things because we “should.” I should be going to the gym, so I’ll buy a membership. I should have a hobby to relax, so I’ll take up...

Who doesn’t love to be helpful? We have been told from the beginning of time to help our neighbors, help those in need, help each other out, lend a helping hand, etc… etc…etc… 

I’m all about being helpful, it's one of my most favorite things to do. I love to volunteer. I love to help those less fortunate than me. I love to be a part of something bigger than my own goals, dreams, and desires. And I love when others help me when I'm in need.  Here’s what I don’t love: when offering that help is at the cost of my wellbeing. 

You know how when you’re on a plane and the flight attendant reminds you to put your oxygen mask on first, then help those around you. Do you know why they do that? The reality is that once a plane cabin begins to depressurize, you have about 18 seconds before you start to be affected by the lack of oxygen. If you spend 15 of those seconds helping out someone else, you might not have time...

Offering someone compassion doesn't always feel as easy as criticizing them. Because it feels hard it might even feel “better” to criticize before we offer compassion. Sit with that for a second… it feels better to criticize others than it does to offer compassion. Not just others, but yourself too. It feels better to criticize yourself than to offer yourself compassion because that is easier. Like water, we do take the path of least resistance. But like water in a flood zone, that path can certainly be destructive! 

Today, I want you to check your inner dialogue. Whether it’s walking through the store or after a conversation with your co-workers or interacting with a customer. Your knee-jerk response is likely one with a negative approach. “What is she wearing?” “I cannot believe she allows her kids to do that!” “Grow up and manage your money like an adult and you wouldn’t need to put items back.”...

The other day my friends and I got together for a little backyard BBQ. I was late to the party because my husband and I are working on a home remodel and it took us a bit to wrap up for the day. It was 70+ degrees and sunny and beautiful out. I couldn't wait to get out and enjoy it, so I didn’t take the time to shower or shave my legs or wash my hair. I put my shorts on, grabbed some chips and salsa, and away I went. 

We were sitting around visiting and I looked down at my pasty white, hairy legs, and I giggled to myself. Here I was at a social gathering, dusty, dirty, and unshaved. There was a time in my life, that never would have been okay. I would have sacrificed the time with my friends to wash my hair and clean the dust off. I would have taken the extra time to shave my legs and put on a self-tanner. I would have put fresh makeup on and made sure my hair was done. I would have felt the need to be “perfect” before I showed up. But not...

Perspective is key. You can choose to see the glass half-full or half-empty. You can choose to see a loss as a failure or as a lesson. You can choose to see a dream as impossible, or a challenge to be overcome. You can choose to see someone as selfish, or someone who is hurting. You can choose to see someone as addicted or someone who needs support. You can choose to see just another rock, or you can see the pride in your child’s eyes as they hand over their prized possession. You can choose to see a rundown shack, or you can see a family’s legacy. You can choose to see another stick in the yard, or your dog's favorite toy. Do you see? Everything is about perspective.  

Often we find ourselves caught in a loop of negativity, despair, and hurt. Over and over I have heard people say some version of, “2020 is not a good year.”  Don’t get me wrong, it’s been a challenge in many ways, but does that make it bad?  

Have...