“Gotta pick up the kids from school.” “Gotta get this report done by tomorrow.” “Gotta shop for dinner.” “Gotta pay the bills!” “Gotta get to the gym and lose this extra weight.” “Gotta get to the dry cleaners before they close.” Gotta, gotta, gotta.

The hustle and bustle of life and the need to get somewhere are themes I hear frequently. We are seekers. We are travelers. And we are often unaware that we are reaching for something while ignoring what is happening right now—within ourselves and around us.

Habits control our lives whether we recognize it or not. If you’ve ever tried to overcome a bad habit, you’ll relate to the power of habits.

From the moment you get up in the morning, your activities are on cruise control: brushing your teeth, showering, eating breakfast, exercising (or not), checking Facebook or your email inbox, rituals once you’re at work, etc. Whatever you repeat enough and do routinely, the brain will create a habit. Why? Because the brain is a superhighway of efficiency.

Ponder for a moment how magnificent your brain is. Your unconscious mind orchestrates trillions [...]

"Forgiveness" is a term used so often that few people question its intrinsic value. You'd probably agree that asking for and offering forgiveness has become common practice. Just like many others, I was taught growing up that when you hurt someone—even accidentally—the right thing to do is to say you're sorry and ask for forgiveness. Children quickly learn when adults expect an apology, even when a child may have lacked the skill to respond differently.

Many may be surprised for me to question the long and treasured tradition of forgiveness and how we view love in the context of forgiving [...]

As I was driving on the interstate a while back, I passed a truck with the license plate EZ2LOVE. My mind tossed this little saying around for quite some time. In my line of work, I think about love quite a bit (don't we all?), but "easy" and "love" aren't words I usually hear my clients use in the same sentence. I wondered why the driver had posted this little saying for all to see. And what did it mean? Was it a statement that he or she is easy to love? Was it a general statement that love is easy? Although the latest studies show a lowering of the divorce rate, particularly with the M [...]

Recently, I've been facilitating a women's group, and the group has reminded me of how difficult it can be for people to be present to where they are and allow themselves to feel. Emotions can be so overwhelming, especially the heavier feelings. One of the hardest challenges for a person is to be burdened by a stockpile of unpleasant, charged emotions—but instead of feeling them, the person judges them, censors them, beats himself or herself up over even having them, and dutifully says, “I shouldn't feel this way; I have so much to be grateful for."

As teens plug through the high school years and prepare to leave home, parents often begin to squirm. Not only is it a gigantic letting-go process for a parent (and a teen), but the big question that plagues many parents is: “Have I prepared my child adequately?” And emotional intelligence is critical for your teenager to be successful.

There is a lot of talk about creating a life you love. The internet is a smorgasbord of information about how to change our lives from topics such as “How to Attract Your Soul Mate” to scientific articles on “Change Your Brain and Transform Your Life.” And just like overeating at a giant buffet, if you consume too much, the result is indigestion.

Often clients come to me for coaching with the indigestion of overload and confusion. Why? Because too much information often causes paralysis. Mental indigestion is a problem of too much. It’s impossible to act on everything, so an overwhelmed [...]

Are you struggling to get motivated and unable to lose weight? Does it feel like you’ve tried everything with no results?! It is discouraging at best.

You’re not alone. It’s difficult for many people, including myself, to stay dedicated to a lifestyle that promotes health and fitness. Our schedules are crazy busy, and it takes discipline and consistency to develop habits. But is that all that’s going on?

It’s common to have unrealistic and romantic ideas about love, relationships, and marriage. We grow up with a solid diet of fairytales and love stories. Nobody tells you how much work it is to love someone full-time, 24-7, seven days a week—really love someone.

After the honeymoon wears off, it hits you—sometimes gradually, other times suddenly like a ton of bricks. You’re living day-to-day with the quirks of your partner and juggling all the pressures of life and work. Then, one day, you have this pit in our stomach and dare to wonder if you married the wrong person. Relationship [...]

In my younger years, I did a lot of journaling to process my emotions and sort through my thoughts. However, it’s no longer my favorite way to process, organize, or share information. I haven’t journaled in years, but I have done a lot of mind mapping. It’s fun, effective, and it works with the natural processes of the brain.

Tony Buzan, coined the term and technique, Mind Mapping, in the 1960s. Buzan is a specialist in innovation, memory, thinking process, and creativity. The basic premise is to use pictures, words, colors, and nonlinear forms to create, remember, organize, or present [...]