Excuses are like pennies you find on the floor. Easy to spot and pretty much anywhere, but not really helpful in the grand scheme of things.  In the stressful world we live in there is always a reason not to do something. Just read any self-care quote or article and you are given permission, even encouraged, to not push yourself. Not get overwhelmed. It’s ok to relax.  And, yes, it is good to relax. And self-care is important. But it’s easy to use those phrases to justify giving up too soon, not trying one more time, or hiding away from your problems while renaming it a sabbatical ..read more

Have you ever gone out with a couple friend? Just to avoid going somewhere alone?  I have. My best friend and her boyfriend have let me tag along numerous times. Graciously too I might add.  And even though I know I’m welcomed, I still feel like a third wheel some of the time.  Two is a nice round even number. It’s intimate. It’s connected. And an outside influence can sometimes interrupt the flow.  Enter your cell phone.  Yes, I know it’s important. MasterCard was ahead of its time with their “Don’t leave home without it” ad. Not that we need to be reminded to tak ..read more

So today's blog is a collaboration between Noah's Ark and Field Of Dreams.  One is a true story and the other is a pretty good movie. But they both share a similar theme that we can use as motivation and encouragement.  Kevin Costner's character in Field of Dreams was a corn farmer. He is troubled by regret over the strained relationship he had with his late father; who was an avid baseball fan.  Through a series of events, he was compelled to turn his cornfield into a baseball field. The mantra of the movie was 'if you build it, they will come'.  So he set about to build ..read more

Full Disclosure: This is my loose interpretation of a sermon I heard. (So no plagiarism intended.) But a good lesson overall.  Have you ever had a good intention? Maybe even a plan. You were so going to DO this. Whatever THIS was. And then out of nowhere, you feel like Dori in Finding Nemo and your attention is pulled in a dozen different directions.  If you didn't get that movie reference, you are missing out! So let me tell you about this guy in the Old Testament named Nehemiah.  Now don't go all glazy eyes on me. The Bible is full of some pretty cool, flawed, dedicated, c ..read more

What do you want/need for Mother's Day? Flowers are sweet. Dinners are special. Cards and calls are endearing. A day at the spa, or the lake, or in bed (or fill in the blank for wherever you want to spend your day) is refreshing. But my gift for you on this Mother’s Day is not tangible, frame-able, or even hash-tag-able. It is, however, priceless. It can also be difficult, because it’s a gift you have to give yourself, and some of us are truly bad at that concept. I'm talking about the gift of forgiving yourself.  Do you know what I’m guilty of? Scrolling through social media and compa ..read more

"No one likes a quitter."  "Quitters never win and winners never quit."  Those are two of the more well-known quotes, but there is a gazillion out there. All designed to motivate you to persevere, push through, never give up.  You've heard these sayings most of your life. You've probably repeated these sayings to our kids or friends.  We have all heard stories of someone just on the edge of a breakthrough that thought about quitting but didn't, and wow, look at them now.  And to some extent, this advice has its place and purpose. We shouldn't go around quitting every ..read more

There are few holidays more stressful than Valentine’s Day.  There, I said it.  Sure, it’s supposed to be the best one. Full of love, romance, and candy!  But what if it’s not. What if Valentine’s Day stresses you out or makes you sad? There’s a lot of pressure around this day signified by hearts and chubby cherubs wearing diapers with arrows.  If you are in a good relationship there is an expectation to at least do as good, if not better, than last year. Even though your partner may say not to worry about it and don’t do anything – you know deep down they want some outwa ..read more

Do you ever feel like your life is a three-ring circus?  And when you feel that way, does that make you feel bad, overwhelmed, or stressed?  Why does the circus get such a bad rap? I mean, most people love a good circus and have for centuries.  In fact, the Romans were some of the first to have a circus, which is where the name comes from. It is the Latin word for circle.  What if I told you I WANTED your life to be like a circus?  Would you stop reading and move on? No. Don't. Hear me out! A circus is actually pretty amazing. It is a collection of trained individuals ..read more

Now before you start scratching your head or crafting your strong rebuttal, hear me out. I promise you, it’s good news. While scrolling (or trolling, depending on your outlook) Facebook recently, I ran across an article that described a professor and an experiment he assigned to his class.  He walked in, told everyone there was a pop quiz, and handed out the test paper, face down. He then had them all turn the paper over at the same time, only to find the paper blank save one small dot in the middle. The assignment was to describe what they saw. The students were confused and waited f ..read more

Are you afraid of something right now? The future, your finances, a health issue, concern for someone you care about? If you said no, then you are probably either lying to yourself or me.  Most of us are dealing with a certain amount of fear every day. Some are rational, healthy, and keep us on the right track. But some are crippling, unproductive, and can stall out your life.  I, for one, am concerned about the future. Just a few years back, all I really worried about was making sure my 401K was growing and I was counting the years to retirement and spending my days writing to you ..read more