Soft skills

I Finally Tried Improv. What I Learned Surprised Me.

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So, I finally did something that’s been on my bucket list for about ten years. I took an improv class!

I’ve always been fascinated by shows like Whose Line Is It Anyway? How do these people come up with hilarious songs, characters, and stories completely on the fly? I thought it would be so cool to try. There was just one little problem. The thought of doing it myself terrified me. ...  read more

I Am Excited and Nervous About Being a Beginner Again

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being a beginner again

Last Thursday, I started a year-long professional coaching certification program with New Ventures West. After spending nearly a year researching four different programs, I finally made my choice.

I was excited, but also pretty nervous. It’s been a long time since I’ve taken on something so new, especially something I’m not sure I’ll be good at. After 30 years in corporate America, I’m used to having experience and knowing what I’m doing. Now I’m voluntarily putting myself in a situation where I have neither. ...  read more

The Part of Early Retirement I Wasn’t Prepared For

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Since leaving full-time work last April, people often ask me, “How is retirement going?”

I usually pause before answering. I think people expect me to say, “It’s great.” And in many ways, it is. I’ve traveled more, spent more time with my family, and had the luxury of deciding how I want to spend most of my days. I’ve also tried to take better care of myself, although my recent flare-up might suggest I still have some work to do on that one. ...  read more

What Changed When I Stopped Fighting Reality

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I’m now in the fifth week of what I confidently called a “four-week flare-up” in my earlier article, The Health Debt from Overwork. I laugh a little when I think about that now. Apparently, my body didn’t get the memo.

For the first three weeks, I was mostly in denial. I knew I was hurting, but I kept telling myself it was minor.  I thought if I just cut back on my phone and computer, rested a little more, went to my chiropractor and acupuncture, it would pass. ...  read more

Who Is Actually Running Your Life?

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A few weeks ago, during a group coaching call, one woman said something that stayed with me. I’ll call her Rachel to protect her privacy.

Rachel is around 40, a first-time mom with a three-year-old, and she’s worked hard for her career. Lately, though, she’s been feeling less motivated at work and dealing with some health challenges. Part of her wants to slow down, maybe take a break or even shift to part-time for a while. ...  read more