I am a goal-oriented person and I tend to get wrapped up in achieving those goals.  My kids are used to my focus and drive and often jump on board with me (or get out of the way!) but something happened yesterday that caused me to pause and contemplate how to be present in the…

The importance of forgiveness can not be overstated. Forgiving ourselves and others is like watering parched, dry soil; forgiveness softens and renews your spirit and brings you back to life. Forgiveness is vital to your spiritual, emotional, and mental health, and the foundation for long-lasting healthy relationships. Offense happens in every relationship because we are…

When we learn how to develop healthy boundaries for ourselves, it is an investment that will impact every area of our life. Boundaries allow us to function freely within the guides we set for ourselves. Understanding how to develop healthy boundaries in relationships can be more difficult, especially with people we love. The boundary lines…

Almost every day we are presented with opportunities to learn how to get over disappointment. I am an optimist by nature, and feeling disappointed is not something I particularly enjoy. But disappointment in life comes just like dirty laundry, toothaches, and other disruptions and changes. One story reminds me of the importance of learning how…

As I sat in my car crying, feeling somewhat hopeless, a thought hit me. I did not have positive, healthy relationships in my life. My relationships were shallow and a little self-serving. Realizing you need more positive relationships is hard to accept, but at 22 with the excitement of life in front of me, it…

The importance of human connection was often modeled for me when I was a kid. I recall my grandparents connecting with family and friends who they knew for decades. These were friends through the depression era, the World War II period, and into the 1950s and 60’s. These friendships had a deep history, shared struggles,…

The saying ‘a good friend is hard to find’ doesn’t seem true when you are surrounded by good friends. But during seasons of life when friendships are hollow or nonexistent, the saying feels especially painful and true. I had to grow and change to become the kind of person that could find and keep good…

Recovering from the loss of a friendship is difficult and painful. When a friend holds a special place in your life and you share secrets, hopes, and dreams, a loss affects every part of you spiritually, physically, and emotionally. In my experience, I have found there is no shortcut to healing from the loss of…

Friendships are extremely valuable in life, and it is helpful to recognize the 3 types of friendships we experience. When we understand the old adage, 3 types of friendships–reason, season, and lifetime–it explains why we meet friends, how we keep friends but also why we lose friends through change or conflict. As I journey through…

Embracing the unexpected is a difficult assignment for most of us. Have you ever had a scenario in your head (an expectation), and when the scene played out you realized it didn’t turn out as you envisioned at all? You found it difficult to embrace the unexpected. Our Expectations and Embracing the Unexpected Whether it’s…