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Continuing on week 3 of “Accepting Uncomfortable Truths” series…let’s talk about risk.

Risk is scary. We are usually raised to see risk as a bad thing – Don’t climb too high. Don’t go too far. Be careful. Don’t run. I know I have said these things countless times to my 2 boys. 

The reality is, we risk everything, every day of our lives without knowing it. It’s not like a game of poker where you can quantify the risk, and decide how much you are willing to put at stake. Many times the biggest risks in our lives are the ones where we aren’t quite sure how much is at stake, but we also know they have the biggest possibility for reward. You have to risk failure to succeed. You have to risk rejection to be accepted. You have to risk heartbreak to love. If you are always avoiding risk, you’re risking missing out on life.

So do you want to get in the game, or do you want to just sit at the table and watch life play out in front of you?

To continue with my  “Accepting Uncomfortable Truths” series, we are going to look at quitting. Too often, quitting has a negative connotation to it. In many situations, quitting is necessary and essential to moving forward. Despite the cultural mantra, quitting an endeavor or relationship that is no longer making you happy, is failing and cannot be fixed, or which no longer meets your needs is a healthy response, as long as it’s the first step toward a new goal and destination.

Knowing when to quit, change direction, leave a toxic situation, demand more from life, give up on something that isn’t working and move on is very important skill that people who win at life all seem to have. But don’t quit because it’s hard; quit because it sucks.

Unfortunately, there is no foolproof formula, a one-size-fits-all strategy for knowing absolutely and positively when to bail on something—a relationship, a job, a goal, a project, a venture, a life path. The important part is to define three things: 

• Why do I want to quit?
• What have I done so far to address my resistance?
• What do I have to gain by quitting? 

 Those answers will be your guiding arrow to your solution.

Hello everyone and happy Monday afternoon!

I am going to start a new Monday Motivation series for the next few weeks, and I am calling it “Accepting Uncomfortable Truths.”  

Week 1 is about happiness. One of the worst patterns a person can get stuck in is the “I’ll be happy when…” pattern. We tend to think that the difficult or unpleasant situation we are in is what’s preventing us from being happy. The uncomfortable truth is: happiness is where you are now, or nowhere at all. It is not a new relationship; it’s not a new job; it’s not a new car; it’s not a completed goal. Unless you give up on the idea that happiness is somewhere else, it will never be where you are.

This doesn’t mean that we need to stop striving to be better, or that we can’t look forward to something. It’s placing all of our hope for happiness in the hypothetical that causes us heartache. 

Hi everyone and happy Monday afternoon!

I hope you were able to take advantage of the beautiful weather we had yesterday! While taking a walk, I noticed some of the spring flowers that are popping up all over the place: crocus, daffodils, hyacinths and more. 

Spring is a time of growth and renewal and these flowers are a reminder to me of that every year. However, it’s also good to remember there are still many flowers and plants far from the surface that are waiting for the right time to pop out and show their colors. 

And so it is with us. We all have seasons and times to shine. To compare ourselves to other “flowers” would be doing a disservice to our own beauty and timing. In the meantime, let us all appreciate the beauty in each other and the timing in how we all bloom. 

Have a great week!
Kate

Hi all and happy sunshiny Monday morning!

Has anyone told you that you are wonderful today? When was the last time you told yourself that? How often have you seen a photograph of yourself and thought “I hate the shape of my nose” or “I need to lose weight” or “My hair looks messy”? Would you tell a loved one those things?
We usually are prone to give out compliments to others and see the beauty in others, but when we look at ourselves, we only see our faults. 

Challenge yourself to look in the mirror and tell yourself one good thing each day this week. Eliminate the negative self-talk. If you wouldn’t tell your loved one something, don’t say it to yourself! 

Have a great week!

Kate 

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the silent voice at the end of the day that says ‘I will try again tomorrow‘.”

Happy Monday afternoon!

What do you think of when I say the word “courage?” 

I think of jumping off cliffs, climbing Mount Everest, completing a triathlon, scuba diving in the depths of the ocean, and many more feats of the body. It reminds me of fierce warriors, knights, and war heroes. The word sounds tough in a pleasant way; something similar to confidence. COURAGE!

I read something by Brene Brown a while back about courage and it triggered me today. She said: The root of the word courage is cor – the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage had a very different definition than it does today. Courage originally meant “To speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart.”  

Courage today is associated with heroics, when really it should be associated with vulnerability. As you end the day tonight, think about if you have shown “courage” by speaking honestly and open today. Sometimes the person that you need to be the most honest with is yourself. 

Here’s to finding courage in its many forms…this week and beyond!

The month of December always brings the word “magic” to my mind. Some of you may know that I am a big fan of “magical” stories like Harry Potter and Outlander, to name a few. Christmas-time in my house brings my family even more magic, with our mischievous Elf who moves about the house every night, and the marvel that is the big man in red, Santa. I know as my kids grow up, the wonder of Santa and his elves will be gone and some of the magic will be diluted. My hope is that it never truly disappears. 

I know this December might seem a little less than magical to most. The world has been turned upside down with news about the virus, political unrest, and division and hate in humanity. But, there have been just as many positive stories about love and change and encouragement if you looked for them.  I challenge you during the break to turn off the news for a bit and find ways to connect to some sort of “magic” in your life. Not sure how to create magic? Here are a few ideas: 

-Buy a gift card at your favorite coffee shop and tell the cashier to pay for the next few cars with it. Park next the window and watch people’s faces. That’s magic.

-Send an email or text message to an old friend you haven’t talked to in a while. You’d be surprised something so simple can spark a smile and conversation. That’s magic.

-Put on some headphones with your favorite music and take a walk (yes, even in the cold). Breathe in the sweetness of having the crisp air in your lungs and movement in your feet. That’s magic.

-Make something from nothing. Paint, write, knit, craft, bake, sing, dance. That’s magic. 

I hope these few ideas help get you started!  I wish you a magical holiday break and start to the new year! I will be taking a pause from these messages over the break, but I would love to hear any stories of finding your magic!