tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68480232290136407962012-01-06T14:16:30.633-05:00Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.comBlogger411100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-66170484581764012382010-03-09T16:39:00.005-05:002010-03-09T17:28:02.899-05:00

Today I am launching a brand new blog. It's called Live Bold and Bloom: Personal Growth for Fearless Living. I feel like I've just delivered another child. I am so excited about the new look and what I will be able to offer you, my valued readers.Live Bold and Bloom is for people who want to live fearlessly and make extraordinary things happen in their lives. If that's you or you wish it were,

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-56817047850580780732010-03-04T12:27:00.002-05:002010-03-04T20:55:22.470-05:00

Many years ago, I worked in public relations for the JCPenney Company. James Cash Penney, the founder of the now giant retailer, based his business philosophy on one simple notion: "do unto others as you would have others do unto you" --The Golden Rule. In fact, his first store was called The Golden Rule.This philosophy permeated every aspect of how Mr. Penney ran his business. He asked for a "

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-4454756015474725182010-03-03T08:47:00.003-05:002010-03-03T10:43:27.920-05:00

Thousands of years ago when men were carrying clubs and wearing little fur loincloths, adrenaline was a life saver. You could count on its rapid fire results to propel you through the hunt or when some wild beast was hunting you. Adrenaline still gives us that jolt of energy when faced with a threat or surprise. But for the most part, it isn't necessary in everyday life. I mean, how often are

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-19703303660702381352010-03-01T17:38:00.010-05:002010-03-03T11:12:48.807-05:00

Come gather 'round peopleWherever you roamAnd admit that the watersAround you have grownAnd accept it that soonYou'll be drenched to the boneIf your time to youIs worth savin'Then you better start swimmin'Or you'll sink like a stoneFor the times they are a-changin'.from "The Times They Are A Changin'" by Bob DylanEven back in 1964, Bob Dylan understood that change is inevitable. The sooner you

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-82991113226728667502010-02-27T14:25:00.004-05:002010-02-28T10:18:33.874-05:00

When was the last time your age stopped you from doing something? For me it was recently when I was wearing a particular outfit, and I saw the look of horror on my teenage daughter's face. My brain doesn't even have to catch up with the notion that I'm too old for something. I have kids who take care of that for me. (Sometimes I take great pleasure in "not acting my age" just to get under their

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-9446197234459452172010-02-24T17:06:00.005-05:002010-02-25T15:29:34.575-05:00

I'm reading the book Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I think I'm the last person on Earth to read it, and now I know what all of the hoopla is about. It's a delightfully engaging book about feeding the body, feeding the soul, and feeding the heart. Ms. Gilbert writes about her own journey of personal growth during her travels in Italy, India, and Indonesia. Her adventures got me thinking

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-53491940248285065042010-02-23T08:56:00.005-05:002010-02-23T17:00:25.030-05:00

We all want love. We are hard-wired to want it. From the moment we leave the womb and enter the world, we are kicking and screaming for love and care. Babies demand love, and mothers are programmed to provide it unconditionally. (Thank God, right? Those crying, pooping, eating machines don't always foster warm, fuzzy feelings at three in the morning!)In most healthy families, love is offered to

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-61481839665414069942010-02-21T19:11:00.002-05:002010-02-22T08:36:21.781-05:00

What would happen if you decided to arrive at work no earlier than 9:00 in the morning and left at 5:00 every day? Maybe you already have that kind of job, and if so, you're excused from reading this post. I was talking to a friend the other day who told me he'd lose his job if he left at 5:00 every day. His work requires him to handle certain things well after 5:00 -- it's simply not a nine to

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-57690865345593727132010-02-18T13:38:00.006-05:002010-02-18T17:07:58.139-05:00

I just finished a five day "Blogging Bootcamp" with Leo Babauta, the founder and writer for the wildly successful blog, Zen Habits. Leo is one guy who practices what he preaches. In spite of his success, he lives very simply and spends very little money on material things. He focuses his energy and money on truly valuable things like serving others through his blogs, raising six kids and being a

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-85035348043979771792010-02-17T08:06:00.005-05:002010-02-17T20:15:47.583-05:00

Right now, think of something that you've always wanted to do but haven't done. Got it? Okay, now ask yourself why. What has held you back from doing that thing you've dreamed of doing? There might be some solid reasons. I have two daughters who are ballet dancers. I've always wanted to be a ballet dancer, but if I started training now, I might make it into Ballet Geriatric. I'd be in the corps,

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-79472958362521176112010-02-14T19:28:00.004-05:002010-02-14T21:07:28.094-05:00

So we are in the thick of it now. It's mid-February, and we are hovering in the windy, dark corners of the winter season. The holidays are a distant memory and spring seems still buried under the cold, hard earth. Here in Atlanta we have seen more rain and snow (yes, snow!) this winter than in the past several years combined. In fact, it's been a blustery, rainy, and mostly sunless stretch of

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-57498360532360218392010-02-12T09:57:00.003-05:002010-02-12T11:11:12.748-05:00

Look at the photo of these incredibly powerful, beautiful dancers from the ballet Romeo and Juliet. Are they in agony or ecstasy? Or both? We know the story of these star-crossed lovers. They are passionate soul mates whose circumstances pull them apart and lead them to untimely death. Damn. I hate it when that happens.But isn't that the way with love? On the one hand, it is exquisite, thrilling,

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-40628366599903236662010-02-10T09:16:00.010-05:002010-02-11T15:25:05.091-05:00

Now that I'm a neophyte blogger on personal growth, I have become achingly aware of the plethora of extraordinary blogs with different slants on the same subject. I look at them and drool with the dreams of a one-legged sprinter. I am about to take a Blogging Bootcamp with two of the world's greatest bloggers, Leo Babauta of Zen Habits and Mary Jaksch of Goodlife Zen. So you may be seeing some

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-46243624786016498992010-02-07T19:44:00.003-05:002010-02-07T20:35:19.103-05:00

Life is rarely black or white. It is usually various gradations of grey. Any problem, decision, action, or belief can almost always be perceived from a multitude of perspectives with many possible, logical, or even "right" choices or outcomes. Yes, there are some situations that have a best or more believable result, but even then, there is always another side to the story that may have some

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-51849846887042878342010-02-03T20:41:00.003-05:002010-02-04T11:03:34.252-05:00

Do you have any idea where you're going? I used to wonder that all the time as I bobbled through life like a pinball, bouncing from one task to another. If my dream job was to be a Task Master, I'd become the expert in the field. Routines, errands and other people's schedules ran my life. This wasn't intentional. It just enveloped me like slow growing kudzu. I was tangled up in a web of insidious

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-71973423119689993202010-01-31T16:46:00.004-05:002010-01-31T20:30:43.573-05:00

Every day we have decisions to make -- what to wear, what to eat, how to spend our time. Some decisions are no-brainers. You make your choice, and even if it's not the best decision, the potential consequences are rarely worth breaking a sweat. Then there are the BIG decisions. Should I move? Which job offer will be best? Am I in the right relationship? Sometimes the elements of a big decision

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-30109491583941875392010-01-27T12:10:00.002-05:002010-01-27T13:05:44.329-05:00

Motivation is such an ephemeral quality. Sometimes you have it. Sometimes you don't. It comes and goes like an uncommitted suitor. You're thrilled when it shows up, but left sad and confused when it disappears again. It seems that every accomplishment in life hinges on that unpredictable suitor. You plan to get up early in the morning to run. Morning comes and you're just not motivated. "Oh dear,

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-55729168229364497822010-01-21T20:24:00.004-05:002010-01-21T22:15:11.554-05:00

That's me, above left, with two of my best friends in the world on a recent girl's weekend away. The three of us went to high school together. Class of '77. Yep, this year was the big 5-0 for each of us. Ugh! I choke when I write that. I have similar pictures of us sitting around a table laughing from about 35 years ago. We had us some really good times in high school. But somewhere around my

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-33219110249292890082010-01-20T17:21:00.003-05:002010-01-20T18:44:20.530-05:00

Do you love your job? Do you even like it? I used to think that people who jumped out of bed in the morning, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, eager to take on the day, were either grossly exaggerating or were on some very lovely medication. I always liked my work, and there were some parts about it that I really liked. But I rarely woke up overjoyed to begin the day. Now I do -- every single day. So

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-44733807543407261582010-01-16T20:25:00.006-05:002010-01-17T11:03:03.954-05:00

Books have come to my rescue my entire life. Growing up in an appropriately dysfunctional Southern family, books were an escape and my introduction into life outside of my youthful inexperience and weirdo family life. Books were little packages of entertainment, both cheap and easily available, that lasted for weeks. They were friends when real friends weren't available. They curled up with you

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-51944231445999070922010-01-12T15:08:00.000-05:002010-01-12T21:13:57.180-05:00

Unflappable. That is such a wonderfully descriptive word. I have known some truly unflappable people. They exude an inner calmness even in the most trying circumstances. They are fully present with everyone, gentle, and accepting of themselves and others. Then there are the flappers. Flappers have chaos and angst in their midst. They are busy, busy, busy. Frantic and preoccupied. A flapper can't

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-52083554997255597392010-01-11T13:20:00.000-05:002010-01-11T14:22:39.922-05:00

How often do you have difficulties with other people in your life? As a life coach, I see this issue come up all the time for clients. Whether it's a problem with a family member, friend or business colleague, relationship problems are just like death and taxes -- inevitable. When conflict happens, most of us look at the other person and quickly sum up the situation in one thought: "What a jerk."

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-56975242170733274872010-01-03T13:06:00.001-05:002010-01-03T13:58:43.427-05:00

Okay boys and girls, it's that time of year again. The time when that nagging little voice in our heads pronounces, "I can no longer shovel another piece of pecan pie down my throat and contemplate the fleshy friends that hang over each side of my jeans." It's the start of a new year, and as cliché as it might seem, a new year inevitably feels like a fresh start with renewed hope that this will

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-66759319690123203122009-12-16T10:51:00.001-05:002009-12-16T10:51:11.629-05:00

Snowy christmas treesOriginally uploaded by xtremepeaksFor a moment, stop thinking about shopping, baking, decorating, rushing, finishing up work projects, sending out cards, or attending parties. For a moment, put down your pen, your phone, your credit card, and dwell on peace. Whatever peace means to you, close your eyes and think about it, visualize it. Will you do that now?Today translate

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-53002566220886426842009-12-04T13:15:00.001-05:002009-12-04T13:24:57.026-05:00

Spread HappinessOriginally uploaded by beforethecoffeeStop reading this right now, and ask yourself, "Are you happy?" If not, why are you unhappy? If so, to what do you attribute your happiness? For most people, happiness or unhappiness hinges on something outside of us -- how we look, how much money we have, what kind of relationship we are in, our job, our boss, our stuff, our power. Is that

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-88285849473930107892009-11-23T09:15:00.001-05:002009-11-23T09:17:29.142-05:00

Children in Native American costume at International Family Center grand opening, 2004Originally uploaded by Seattle Municipal ArchivesThis is Thanksgiving week and my teenage children have reacted in horror to the announcement that we are eating out for Thanksgiving dinner. Sadly, they don't comprehend the depth of my gratitude that others are cooking for us this year. One day . . .This is the

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-71184897560401053552009-11-16T10:21:00.001-05:002009-11-16T10:37:01.820-05:00

WorriedOriginally uploaded by hkvamIn my previous blog entry, I wrote about this amazing book, The Brain That Changes Itself, by Norman Doidge, M.D. As I continue to read it, I'm struck by how much control we really have over our mental and physical well-being. How our brains are malleable and can respond to visualization and repetitive learning or exercise. I just finished a chapter that applies

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-60682530434865996822009-11-08T22:28:00.001-05:002009-11-08T22:34:16.270-05:00

Neurons in the brainOriginally uploaded by Hljod.HuskonaDid you know that you can use your mind to rewire your brain? What a mind-blowing idea. I've been reading this book, The Brain that Changes Itself, by Norman Doidge, MD. It's about the science of neuroplasticity and the discovery that our brain is not fixed or hard-wired. It is endlessly adaptable and dynamic and has the power to change its

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-41496577603303116102009-10-31T22:30:00.001-04:002009-11-01T10:01:46.904-05:00

Sunrise FlareOriginally uploaded by nobleupYour days are numbered. That sounds really scary, doesn't it? But the reality of this fact can be transformational if you wake up right now. In fact, you can even make time expand for yourself if you start today, this moment, living creativly and with intention.Consider this. The average life expectancy in the United States is around 80 years. Knowing

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-24839076416169431122009-10-27T15:19:00.001-04:002009-10-27T15:42:35.777-04:00

The man who photograph the horse's eyeOriginally uploaded by greg..!Who do you want to be? I'm not asking who you are or what kind of life you want to have, but who do you want to be? One of my favorite literary characters of all time is Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird. Gregory Peck played the role in the movie, and he captured the character as the quintessential father and a man of

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-349105295643586442009-10-16T17:04:00.001-04:002009-10-16T20:35:47.404-04:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryhollis/2263779179/Originally uploaded by Terry HollisMy friend Elizabeth is a great mom. She's the kind of mom that makes a fresh, hot breakfast for her kids every day and handmakes crafts and toys. She's also whacked the head off a snake in her yard that was bothering her boys (while she was wearing her nightgown no less). I think about her in disbelief

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-73800006020972247372009-10-13T15:36:00.001-04:002009-10-13T15:37:39.663-04:00

Standing On The EdgeOriginally uploaded by Sam Takes PhotosLife is an adventure pulsing,Waiting to be claimed,To be molded and formedInto the design of your making.It is an instant on the edgeOf some wild cliff where you teeter,Then fall with arms outstretched,Knowing the universe will catch you and hold youIn a tender embrace.Life is a glorious hiccup in time, a flickering star.Hold it like a

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-27232611508763555162009-10-08T15:26:00.001-04:002009-10-08T15:30:58.309-04:00

a little diggingOriginally uploaded by edartrMy friend Laura is a digger. She also is a finder and a seeker. (And a keeper!) She is always digging within to find what's real for herself beyond what everyone around her defines her to be. She seeks meaning and purpose daily.Laura appears to have it all, and for the most part she does. She's beautiful, funny, a great friend, talented and smart --

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-58824710128060121002009-10-04T21:14:00.001-04:002009-10-04T21:17:23.951-04:00

Books are for ThrowingOriginally uploaded by AndrossHave you ever had a book claim you? I have. In fact, it happens to me all the time. I'll be walking through a bookstore, and a book will fly off the shelf and boink me in the head. I call these "books from the universe" because they clearly want me to read them. Or something does. Granted, there are lots of attractive books on the shelves that

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-10263578976875128432009-10-02T12:00:00.001-04:002009-10-05T09:01:18.032-04:00

Originally uploaded by peterbakerThere are two things I used to do that I try not to do so much of anymore: buy stuff and do stuff.I spent years of my younger adult life accumulating things or thinking about how I could accumulate them or why I deserved to accumulate them even if we couldn't afford them. Clothes, furniture, gadgets, gee gaws, doo dads, you name it. I would walk into a mall with

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-39530286746643211642009-09-29T17:05:00.001-04:002009-09-29T17:14:37.945-04:00

Self Portrait Thursday 5-3-09Originally uploaded by kittypinkstarsWhen I first heard about Life Coaching, I thought it sounded kind of new agey. Like the way you might think about crystals -- they sound nice and look pretty, but can they really do anything? Now I know better about coaching (the jury is still out on crystals), and since I've been training with corporate leaders, VP's of human

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-36392059824859887072009-09-22T18:03:00.001-04:002009-09-22T18:08:32.894-04:00

Do you really know yourself? That question always has intrigued me, and as an INFJ, it's only natural that I would spend a lot of time and thought figuring out who I am, what motivates me, and what my passions are.For those of you who aren't INFJ's or who haven't explored character and temperament types, an INFJ is just one of sixteen personality types commonly associated with the model of

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-67616407034328366102009-09-20T11:52:00.001-04:002009-09-20T12:05:16.434-04:00

Bowl of cloudsOriginally uploaded by kevindooleyI have these friends, Larry and Jody. They are the coolest couple. They have always been cool, but in the last few years they are more than cool. They are amazing. I've known them for years. Mostly Jody, since both of our daughters have been training together as ballet dancers, and Jody and I have been plopped together in carpools, recitals, and

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-80701774894736688032009-09-19T09:15:00.000-04:002009-09-19T11:05:26.136-04:00

On the way downstairs this morning, I stepped over a pile of accumulated stuff that my kids have left on the steps -- for days and days. I passed the sample boards for bathroom tiles leaning against the wall that the guy brought over four months ago for a fix-up in one of our bathrooms. A project yet to be started. And now as I've begun to write this post, I can't move my darned mouse around

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-52044078754997663512009-09-18T15:01:00.001-04:002009-09-18T15:16:25.278-04:00

IMG_2397Originally uploaded by psychosquirrel427"I hope you will go out and let stories happen to you, and that you will work them, water them with your blood and tears and your laughter till they bloom, till you yourself burst into bloom." -Anonymous

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848023229013640796.post-23376100407766604682009-09-17T20:56:00.000-04:002009-09-17T22:20:13.400-04:00

Have you ever taken the opportunity to re-write your life script? To tear off the old pages and start with a clean, fresh sheet of paper? Often this happens as part of a big life change or upheaval. A job loss, a divorce, a move or some other extraordinary event that changes you forever and forces you to reassess everything you are and everything you do. Most of us don't want to go through the

Barriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18095602080378065540noreply@blogger.com1