A bend in the road

A bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you fail to make the turn -- Helen Keller

As I looked for a good quote to start my presentation on Resiliency -- this one came to mind. Resilience takes flexibility, willingness to be open to make those changes - make those turns.

Be your own Dorothy

This past week I had the opportunity to speak to the Young Women in our church. The theme was from the Wizard of Oz:  Be Your Own Dorothy.  The decorations, the message, the favors, the music, the people, and the food was all lovely!  I'm still singing Follow the Yellow Brick Road :).

You've always had the power my dear.  You just had to learn it for yourself.  Glinda - The Wizard of Oz

I wore a new dress that I love.  It was navy with white and had a fun twirly skirt :).

Sometimes I am asked how do I choose my clothing?  I definitely get help ... I ask for input from my friends, family, and the sales associates.  This dress -- I'll take a picture next time I wear it :) - was texted to a couple friends, Steve and Natalie and the sales associate told me it looked great!

Self-Compassion. Look up, move forward

In the back of Look up, move forward is a Reader's Discussion Guide. It was one of the favorite parts of writing this book and I am SO excited to hear that it is being used for book clubs!

Join me in a virtual book club - todays's topic: Self-Compassion. Kristin Neff describes it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11U0h0DPu7k

From Look up, move forward I share: 

"In the Prologue I talk about asking my client to write a self-compassionate letter to herself. The principles of self-compassion include loving and accepting ourselves ... Think about how much easier we are able to move forward when we are kind and compassionate to ourselves.

From one of my favorite books: Christopher Germer, The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion:
"Some people worry that self-compassion will close them off from other people by making them selfish and self-centered. The reverse is actually the case: the more openhearted we are with ourselves, the closer we feel toward the rest of life. Self-compassion is the foundation for kindness toward others. When we're more accepting of our own idiosyncrasies, we become more accepting of others ... Full acceptance of ourselves, moment to moment, makes it easier to adapt and change in the direction we'd like to do."

What's a compassionate phrase you might use when you find yourself in difficulty?

Try writing a compassionate letter to yourself.

Share your experience.

My Georgie Girl

Just returned home from a four-day adventure to San Francisco with two of my colleagues and dear friends.  We had SO much fun.  Georgina aka Georgie Girl, Gigi was amazing!!  She was so happy as she glided through the airport, weaved through the busy streets of San Francisco, walked across the golden gate bridge, etc, etc.  SO SO proud of her and our bond and trust just grew further.  

It was wonderful to have my colleagues experience this with me.  They loved watching Georgie work and had so many questions.  We've worked together for years but not often get the chance to see her navigating crowds in such a remarkable way. 

Thank you Georgie Girl.  With so much love and gratitude!