Self awareness

What Changed When I Stopped Fighting Reality

by

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?

by

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

What if What I am Doing is Enough

by

“I am not good enough yet.” That has been an inner voice of mine for about 40 years. I probably started saying this to myself when I was a kid.  Whenever I came home with test scores, my mom would congratulate me but my dad would focus on the points I missed. Even if I got 97 out of 100, most of our conversation would be about what happened to those three points and how I could avoid missing them next time. ...  read more

Proud, Yet Heartbroken

by

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how it’s possible to feel two completely opposite emotions at the same time. As the parent of an 18-year-old entering adulthood, I’ve discovered that pride and heartbreak can exist side by side.

My daughter turned 18 in May and graduated from high school. She is standing at the edge of adulthood—excited for college, independence, and the life waiting ahead of her. ...  read more

A Mother’s Love Shapes Us More Than We Realize

by

I Didn’t Fully Understand It Until I Became a Mother Myself

As Mother’s Day approaches, I’ve been thinking a lot about my mom and how much her love shaped me over the course of my life.

When I was younger, I don’t think I fully appreciated it.  Like many children, I think I simply assumed my mom would always be there — supporting me, worrying about me, comforting me, encouraging me, and loving me quietly in the background of my life. ...  read more

The Four Myths of Financial Wealth I Didn’t See Coming

by

Of all the five types of wealth, Financial Wealth was the one I avoided writing about the longest.  At first, I told myself it was because I didn’t want to sound braggy. Who wants to hear someone talk about financial wealth when so many people are still working hard to build it? But the truth is, I also hesitated because I’m not sure I understand this one as well as I thought I did. ...  read more