Blog Posts

We all have voices in our head. For many of us, there is a dominant voice, often called the Ego, the Inner Critic, or the Judge. This voice tells us that we are not enough: not good enough, smart enough, talented enough, good-looking enough, funny enough, creative enough, young enough… you name it. The messages are always self-destructive. This is the voice that’s hard on you, and tells you that you’d better keep doing more and more, even though you're exhausted! There is ano

I recently discovered Katharine DiCerbo, who writes and teaches about what she calls “the connection crafts” – ways to create and nurture emotional connections in everyday life. Katharine recently posted a blog piece for “people pleasers” that I thought was really insightful. Essentially, her message is that if you're someone who tries hard to please people, and find yourself feeling burned out and taken advantage of, the answer is not (as you've likely been told) just to ge

According to Dennis Pratt, founder of the Greater Boston Area Personal Growth Network, personal growth is the practice of "consciously and proactively creating more happiness and success" in life. I used to assume that this was something everyone was interested in -- or rather, they would be, if only they were willing to give it a try. After all, it was valuable to me -- how could that value not be universal? This assumption ran so deep in me that even when people flat out sa

For years I lived in -- and regularly bought into -- fear-based thinking, reinforced by my environment... by the very water in which I was swimming. Everywhere I turned, co-workers were unhappy in their jobs, afraid to take the leap into what could be better. Family and friends regularly focused on what happened in their past and allowed that to define their today. All this negativity and unhappiness was around me, and in turn I too bought into this world, not because I wasn’

Do you dream of making a difference with your life? Most people do, at some point or another (graduations are a very popular time for thinking about “doing something” with your life). Sometimes we think that “making a difference” has to be some really big thing… and that one little action can’t possibly make a difference to the overwhelming problems of today, such as hunger, poverty, or racism. Think about the Starfish story: A young man is walking along the ocean and sees a

Lately I've been thinking a lot about the “Problem House” vs. the “Solution House.” If you've taken LifeResults Basic you may remember that concept as it relates to personal growth. I've come to realize recently that I've spent huge amounts of my life walking around in agitated circles inside the Problem House. I've practically worn tracks in the floorboards, I've spent so much time in there. Sound familiar to anyone? Lately, I've been watching my loved ones struggle with th

bal·ance ˈbaləns/ noun A condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions. Balance is an area I thoughtfully and with intention work on daily. The world around us moves at a fast pace with only so many seconds, minutes and hours in a day (525,600 minutes, to quote a song :)). We often feel the pull from all angles to be everything to everyone – I know I do! With this pull it's easy to forget about what we need to be our best selves. At times we f

How often do we forget to breathe? What? You're scratching your head, wondering what the heck I'm talking about... of course we remember to breathe or we wouldn't be here now having this exchange. When I say breathe I mean really b r e a t h e So often we are caught up in the day to day, rushing from one obligation to another. We breathe – and yet our breaths are not deliberate, they are for survival. Our breath is for life support and often the breaths we take are just enoug

Fear of failure can control your life, especially when triggered by perceived threats. These fear-based reactions must be overcome in order for you to create personal or professional excellence. There is, for example, almost no real danger when rock climbing if you are climbing with qualified individuals in accordance with generally recognized safety standards. If you fall, your spotters and the equipment will keep you safe. Whether you feel embarrassed or inadequate, you hav

LifeResults is a professional development and personal growth training where you learn what is getting in your way and how to have the life you really desire. In class we learn tools experientially by hearing ideas and concepts, then practicing them with each other to see what they feel like, and then talking about how these tools and insights can be used in our lives to make us happier and more effective with others and ourselves. LifeResults is designed to open you to new p