Another trip around the sun: gifting grace

Photo by Greg Weaver on Unsplash.

Wasn’t it just yesterday I blogged about my birthday—living with intention, dreaming new dreams, stepping outside of my comfort zone? Life looks vastly different today than it did last year…[read more]

The truest thing I can tell you: the gift of today

Photo by Knuth Waltenberg on Unsplash.

While I believe it’s always the write time for hope, humor & heart, oftentimes grief shows up at our doors without invitation. An emotion that follows no rules—no “how to” manual—I’ve heard grief described as a “sucker punch” by one, and as a wake-up call by another. In my own life, grief…[read more]

That little extra push: remembering your why

What’s one thing that motivates you to get out of bed each morning? For me, it’s a call to sprinkle hope, humor & heart through my writing. But whatever our “why,” it can prove hard to keep pressing forward when results remain elusive. For instance, last year I submitted six stories to…[read more]

What are you reading? Top 5 from 2020

Assuming you agree 2020 proved to be a year like no other—at least in our lifetime—you might find yourself in one of two camps: during the past 12 months, you read more than ever (whether to escape reality or to preserve your mental health or all of the above); or, you remained unable to read anything other than your pervading news feeds (understandable). Regardless of which camp you reside, if one of your New Year’s goals includes reading [more], check out my Top 5 from 2020:

1. Greg Olsen’s “Lying Next to Me“—for fans of suspense
2. Gay Hendricks’ “The Big Leap”—addresses limiting beliefs & finding your “zone of genius”
3. Scott Allan’s “Do it Scared”—shares techniques to charge forward with confidence
4. Alice Feeney’s “Sometimes I Lie”—takes readers on a psychological thrill ride (eked into 2021)
5. Tina Radcliffe’s “Finding the Road Home“—for lovers of stories with heart, humor & faith

What book did you read last year and recommend?

Image courtesy of zole4 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Home away from home

[Image credit: Simon Howden]

Wherever we spend significant time outside of our own residences becomes our home away from home.  It may be our place of employment and/or a pastime we enjoy, such as cycling on the open road or fishing on a favorite lake.  In addition to the office, the Yoga studio has become my second home where I typically spend up to 10 hours per week.  The other day I realized how comfortable I feel with the yogi/nis I share my time with — talking about our constitutionals, skin issues, relationships and various other topics commonly bantered about between close friends and family.  It’s a rare treat to find others who are not much different than I am — some with a similar sense of humor and others with the same insecurities.  And even more of us who are quirky in our own ways.  Rather than judgment, I feel a sense of acceptance.  I consider myself lucky to call the hot room my home away from home.

Where is your second home?

Beauty is only skin deep … and then what?

[Image credit: Ambro]

Yesterday one of the nurses at my dermatology office said I looked so good … for someone my age.  I chuckled under my breath at her qualifier.  On the one hand, it’s nice being told you look good.  On the other hand, I was reminded once again that I’m fighting a losing battle against time.  But I realized something.  The old cliché — beauty is only skin deep — doesn’t stop there.  Because when age has replaced looks, we can choose to allow our inner beauty to bubble up from within.  A positive outlook and sense of humor (no, really, acne and wrinkles are totally what I expected in middle age), a frequent smile to brighten our eyes and kind words on our lips are amazing substitutes for the fountain of youth (and don’t cost us a penny).  It also doesn’t hurt to catch at least seven hours of Zzzs each night.  Now if I could just manage that one (I typically get five to six), imagine how good I’d look … for someone my age.

What are a few of the attributes that bring out your inner beauty?