Joyful Snow-showers

Snowflakes, soft and fluffy, were floating down, atop the 8 inches of snow on the ground. I watched my dog delightedly running circles in the yard as if to say, “Yey! Fresh snow! Look at me!” I called my 12 year-old son to the window. “I wonder why all dogs, big or small, short coats […]

Loading

Woman winning award

Finding Your Way Through Status Anxiety

Issues related to status and college pressures are familiar to many people, particularly given the college admission scandals in the news lately.  Recently, federal prosecutors filed charges against a group of parents who paid someone to “help” admit their children to particular colleges. Specifically, these parents paid to have someone else take standardized entrance exams for […]

Loading

And

The Power of “AND”

“And” is a word that we don’t often think about.  It is quite powerful Let’s start by looking at the following examples “I really liked your presentation, but I think you could make a few improvements” What do you take away from that statement? Do you think you would walk away thinking “boy, that person […]

Loading

tree

Getting Through the Last of Winter

Here in eastern Iowa, we have had a huge March snow, with a likely April snow ahead. The winter has been long, and many of us are feeling it. Given that we can’t control (or even reliably predict) the weather, especially here in Iowa, here are a few tips for pushing through until the warmth […]

Loading

sorry

Stop Saying “Sorry” So Much

The other day, someone bumped me with their cart on the way by, while I was quietly searching for a nice soup for lunch. And I turned around and said, “Oh, sorry!” A friend was talking to me about the loss of her pet, and when her tears came (which, of course they would) she […]

Loading

Underdog Is My Spirit Guide: Lessons in Self-Trust

It was a beautiful day on the equator, particularly on this stretch of the Andes Mountains in Ecuador. The sun was shining, birds were singing, and everywhere I looked the flowers were blooming in splendor. It was also hot, and the direct sunlight was intense. Although it was the wet season, it was uncharacteristically dry. […]

Loading