I was very inspired by the "Happy Secret to Better Work" TED Talk by psychologist Shawn Achor! In his funny and energetic talk he points to the research done by the positive psychology movement that shows that only 10% of happiness is predictive based on actual reality and events. The other 90% is related to how your [...]
Take a moment right now and ask yourself this question: "What kind of thoughts have I had today?" Have your thoughts been sprinkled with gratitude, enlivened with possibilities and creative in solving problems? Or, did you get mired in worry, self-doubt and negativity today? If you notice that you have been focusing more on the 1/2 empty [...]
One theme I hear regularly in coaching sessions with women is "I just don't feel like I am (fill in the blank) enough..." I sit across from women who are bright, talented, and loving but they can't quite see themselves. Sure, they are human and have messy edges (like we all do) but they regularly define their [...]
I have been thinking a lot this week about the dualities that we experience in our human lives. New clients often come to coaching with a confusion about how to be both intentional and accepting at the same time. They have a desire to be in action and to achieve their goals but they also want to [...]
I am delighted to be participating in the 2012 Portland Mama Makeover! This will be my third year as the Life Coach for the winning mama and it has been an enriching and inspiring experience. I can't wait to meet the winner! The deadline for entry is March 16th so please encourage any Portland-area mama that you [...]
It has been my privilege over the last six years to partner with remarkable women (and sometimes men and couples) in realizing more joy and fulfillment in their lives! The life coaching process inspires you to be more present to your inner truth and create deep and lasting change that supports your growth. Every so often, I [...]
To begin 2012, I have a simple question for you: Who do you want to be this year? You, like everyone else I have met through my life coaching practice, have many different selves inside. You might have a worried self that tends to agonize about money and a jaded self that feels skeptical about [...]
People often come to life coaching wanting to change the circumstances of their lives: they want a more fulfilling job, better communication in their relationships, improved health, ect... In a nutshell: they want to be happier! In our work together, they soon discover that happiness is not about what happens and that it can even [...]
In my life coaching work with women, I am regularly faced with the honor and challenge of helping clients mitigate the negative impacts of perfectionism. One of my primary tools for working with clients who are highly self-critical is self-compassion. An article this week on MSNBC describes recent research showing self-compassion to be much more [...]
Happy 2011! If you are focusing on some New Year's intentions or resolutions, I encourage you to read my column this month in Portland Woman Magazine. It is all about the 5 reasons most resolutions fail and how to insure that your resolution sticks! Just hit click on Portland Woman Magazine (link here) and then click on [...]
Many of my clients suffer from what I call the “perfection trap.” This sneaky pit is easy to fall into when you are trying too hard to do everything just right. When you over-worry about failure or looking bad, you back yourself right into the devious clutches of “it’s never good enough” – and never done. What [...]
If I accept the job as a teacher, then I will be giving up on my dream as a writer. When I take time for myself, I am taking away from my family. if I get married, I won't be able to make my own decisions anymore. I have heard each of these statements from clients in [...]
Here are some photos of the Vision Maps (in progress) from our recent Vision Mapping workshop! It was so fun to see the artful intentions that each woman created to add clarity and focus for their goals.
Often, coaching clients come to me wanting to make changes in their lives but feel either overwhelmed or paralyzed. They have a sense of wanting to move towards something that feels positive, such as a new career, better communication in their relationships, an exciting new project, more fitness and self-care, etc., yet they don’t understand why they [...]
How many times have you wanted to change something in yourself or in your life but were overwhelmed at even the thought of such a big undertaking? Have you ever jumped right into change, only to fizzle out or discover it wasn't even what you wanted? Sustainable change often comes from tiny, purposeful steps in a positive [...]
