The brain's first job is to keep us safe. Important, right? Yes, of course. However, if we only spot problems but don't learn how to move through them and critically think to resolve conflicts in our lives, we get stuck.

In my first meeting with young adults, couples, or even company leaders, there is a common theme. They point out what they want to change or fix in themselves, their work, or their relationships and lives. Often there are emotional intelligence skills missing.

Until we master ourselves, nothing changes. We must commit to a growth mindset, or problems will remain. Shifting [...]

Honesty is a core value I’ve espoused for many years. I didn’t always, though. When I was growing up, I was a chameleon, telling people what they wanted to hear and wanted me to be. It was a game of sorts: fooling people and seeing how smoothly I could transition between my Shakespearean acts. This time of my life came to a screeching halt when, as a young woman, I realized that I was caught in a web of illusion, half-truths, and confusion. Here's what I did.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

As I sit waiting for my flight at the Denver airport, I am struck by the busy but disjointed scene around me. The gentleman next to me has been surfing the web nonstop for an hour. All but one person out of about twenty at United Airlines Gate B82 are hooked into computers, cell phones, iPads, or a Kindle (including me as I write this blog). No smiles, no conversation.

Estimated reading: 3 minutes

Do you find yourself saying "yes" when you really want to say "no"? Do you end up doing more than your share at home or at work? Do your needs come last—after your husband or wife, your children, work, community service, in-laws, siblings, and friends? If you answered yes to even one of these questions, you need to strengthen your boundaries.

Empathy. Tolerance. Understanding. All these key ingredients are essential in thriving families and communities. 

It was unfamiliar terrain. I walked in the early morning sun of Tucson, Arizona. One figure captivated my attention: a magnificent cactus that was 150 years old. This Giant Saguaro Cactus was home to many birds and a multitude of insects; it was a bustling beehive of purposeful activity. Single-handedly, it supported a whole community, providing shade, food, and shelter. This environment created by a cactus organically is something that we, as humans, struggle with, regardless of [...]

Everyone has core values, but how well we live by them will determine how happy we are. Values guide us to wise action, yet stress or life's curveballs can get in the way. How do we learn to align more fully to be the best version of ourselves? And how do we support each other when we fall short?

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes