You got this! Tools to overcome survival mode admin January 10, 2024 I have been through a lot lately and feel like I have been in survival mode for several months.  I left 27 years of my life in the U.S. behind and have returned to my hometown, Bremerhaven, in Germany.  In preparation, I had to plan the logistics of taking my dog Boone with me, which in and of itself had its challenges.  I chose an international moving company, radically purged my belongings, and sold furniture on the marketplace on Facebook.  I sold my car – through an app, which was a new experien ..read more

Learning to SOAR admin December 6, 2023 We are nearing the end of 2023.  For many, that means a final push towards professional, personal, or financial goals in addition to dealing with the stress of the holiday season.  If I asked you to rate your current level of anxiety on a scale of one to ten, with one being totally chill and ten in need of blood pressure medication, how would you score?  My level of anxiety is currently at nine as I am preparing for a permanent move back to Germany, a transformational decision that has been in the making for some time.  Early t ..read more

Skeletons in the closet – deal with it! admin October 25, 2023 “Skeletons in the closet” is an idiom referring to an undisclosed fact about someone, which, if revealed, would damage perceptions about that person. And guess what – we all have them! There are parts of our past we’d rather conceal from family, friends, or employers out of fear of embarrassment, rejection, judgment, or punishment. Because, as humans, we have the need for acceptance and feeling safely connected to those who matter to us.  We all have different thresholds when it comes to the severity of the consequences ..read more

On the other side of yes – Can I have an Amen? admin October 4, 2023 My Sunday church services introduced a new theme.  It is called “one the other side of yes.”  For the pastor and the community, the topic revolves around choosing Jesus as your savior and committing to him 100%.  I know, and I appreciate, that people have different views on spirituality or Christianity, and this is by no means a religious blog post.  It is about making major decisions in your life and what happens once you have made them.  I am finding myself at a crossroads.  I recently d ..read more

The courage of following your path admin September 26, 2023 How would you answer if I asked you how satisfied you are with your job and career?  Are you working in the field you imagined yourself in as a teenager or in your twenties (or even in your thirties and beyond)?  Have you achieved the level of income you hoped for?  Is your title in line with your qualifications and ambitions?  Is your work office-bound, or have you become a digital nomad? How long have you been with your current employer (or self-employed), and how long would you like to stay where you are ..read more

When EGO rears its ugly head admin September 13, 2023 Recently, I had many conversations with clients and friends about our ego and how our ego can quickly get in one’s way.  A strong ego can lead to divisive perspectives where one party wins and the other one loses, as frequently observed in politics and the business world.  At other times, our ego might prevent us from taking risks, out of fear of exposure or embarrassment when things don’t pan out as planned, and consequently, we play it small. Of course, our ego has a purpose; it dictates our self-perception and that of ot ..read more

How to become the best version of yourself – Part 4 Cleaning house admin August 22, 2023 We have entered week four of my August challenge to become the best version of ourselves and SOAR to new heights.  If you have followed my tips and recommendations, you have probably made some major progress toward your goals.  Kudos to you!  With less than two weeks left in this month, I have two more articles to share with you and today’s is focused on “cleaning house”.  By now you have realized that every transformation, even the outer ones like weight loss, starting a new car ..read more

How to become the best version of yourself – Part 3 Dealing with setbacks admin August 15, 2023 We have entered week three of my August challenge to become the best version of ourselves and SOAR. Last week I had a minor setback due to cold symptoms that kept me from being as active as I wanted to be. I recovered the next day, no big deal, but when setbacks are not handled with grace and mindfulness, they have the potential to derail you from achieving your goals. Setbacks are defined as temporary defeats or slowing of progress, and they often occur at the most inopportune time ..read more

How to become the best version of yourself – Part 1 Defining your “why” admin August 1, 2023 “Old habits die hard” is an idiom dating back a few hundred years, although its origin is not entirely known.  It describes, very poignantly, that humans have difficulty stopping something they have been doing for a long time, even if that behavior is destructive to them.  Pause for just a second and think about this – most people would rather continue to accept their circumstances in a toxic workplace, relationship, or their own self-sabotaging behavior than put in the work to change ..read more

Series - Utilizing Coaching Skills to Become a Better Leader – Part 10 Sharing Insights and Information admin July 25, 2023 Contrary to common beliefs coaches are not advice-givers.  Coaches trust that all answers to a client’s problem lie within the client.  Even though I may have experienced similar situations in the workplace to my clients, I cannot assume that my solutions or advice will have the desired outcome for my client.  During a typical coaching call, I will mostly ask empowering questions (see part 9 of this series Asking Empowering Questions ).  There a ..read more