Blog: Well-being
A gratitude letter for George Cotton, voice teacher, mentor
A gratitude letter expresses our appreciation for someone who has touched us and to whom we haven't fully expressed our thanks. It can be to a parent, sibling, friend, a boss--anyone. Ideally, the letter is shared out loud with the intended recipient. This is my...
My list of 23 for 2023 (Q1)
In December-January, I felt resistant to creating yearly goals for 2023. This surprised me, given how much I (normally) enjoy setting, tracking, and evaluating my goals. However, I went with the flow this time and didn't craft any goals at that time. By early...
Self-awareness is not enough
Self-awareness is necessary for self-change. But, self-awareness isn’t enough. When it comes to making changes in our beliefs, habits, actions, it’s the application of learning (from the self-awareness) that leads to change. Perfectionists struggle with the...
How do I become my future self?
How often do you wonder about your future? If you're anything like me, probably a lot. Without using these exact words, when we think about the months and years ahead, the question you (and me) are asking is "How do I become my future self?" What is "Future Self"?...
How do I make a change?
How do I make a change? This is a central theme when I work with my coaching clients, and in my own life. So it's a question I think a lot about. The other day, I was reflecting on my process. Mostly I was having fun playing with ideas and words and the letters in my...
Having more fun in life
Having more fun in life has not been one of my priorities and throughout my teens and adulthood I've poured my energy into working and accomplishing. I've reaped benefits from this "work hard" behaviour (or habit?): approval, acceptance, and accolades. But I don't...
Do you feel like you never have enough time?
Do you feel like you have never enough time? You know, the day ends and your to-do list is longer than it was in the morning? Or, you go to bed thinking about all the things you didn't get done? Maybe you're even running through your to-do list when you intended to be...
Treat your self well: Have things to look forward to
There is an abundance of advice on how to treat your self well through sound nutrition, adequate movement (exercise), sleep, and healthy relationships. But, what about self-care through fun or other pleasures? If you’re all about getting work done and meeting your...
Why is it so hard to rest?
I envy people who relax often and easily. For me and other ambitious perfectionists, it's surprisingly hard to rest. I'm "working on it"--which, ironically, isn't my preferred approach. Working on resting seems like an oxymoron! Yet, it captures where I'm at and who...
Gaining weight, gaining health
This post about gaining weight has nothing to do with careers but I felt called to write it and share it here, even though it is quite personal. Stretch pants ignorance Like most people who have been working from home 100%, I've spent much of COVID dressed in stretch...
A worksheet on values (authentic & aspirational)
If someone were to ask you what you value, could you tell them? You could probably list a few of your values quite easily, and even describe how these play out in your life. You might even be honest enough to talk about the ones you struggle to live by, despite their...
25 years together
Raúl and I celebrated 25 years together in October. Unlike in past years when we barely acknowledged the milestone of another year, we decided to do something special this time. Not because it felt obligatory, but because we both genuinely wanted to recognize this...