An Ode to June
June is my birthday month, and it’s right around the corner. It also includes my father’s birthday, my honey’s birthday and my best friend’s anniversary. It’s the summer solstice, the end of the school year, and month number 6 (my very favorite number). That might seem like more than enough for one 30-day stretch, but…
Coffee and Course Correcting
I just recently started drinking coffee. You might find that unremarkable. Coffee is the most widely enjoyed beverage/drug/hobby in the world. What’s remarkable, or maybe just interesting, is that my behavior change comes after a lifetime of finding the smell, taste and effects of coffee completely unappealing. I grew up in a coffee household, a…
Devotion. Full Stop.
Full stop. It’s the British term for period. (The kind at the end of a sentence.) Beginnings and endings are featuring large in my life these days. In addition to the (obvious) New Year, there are starts and stops all over the place. Here’s what’s stopping: My crazed travel binge is coming to a…
Thailand Tales – Slaying the Dragon
Just after Thanksgiving, I traveled to Thailand. Nearly a year ago, I gladly accepted the invitation to one of my favorite countries on the planet, but as the time approached I found it hard to tear myself away from my loved ones, celebrating my favorite holiday. The journey was long and challenging, an exercise in…
Help! I Need Somebody…
Are you humming? I’ve never been the biggest Beatles fan (blasphemy, I know) but their tunes sure are catchy. Back to the topic at hand. How good are you at asking for help? How often do you default to the toddler’s battle cry: “I can do it BY MYSELF!” Hmmm… I thought…
The Gift of Confusion
No one likes to be confused. (I took a poll… it’s unanimous.) A very famous motivational speaker and teacher would have his large audiences clap vigorously whenever someone said the words, “I am confused.” It was confusing. Eventually, I (and the rest of the observers to his life-changing methods) figured out that the state of…
Perspective
Perspective is life changing. It’s in my core beliefs here, and I write about it here and here. That lesson is perhaps one of the most consistent aspects of my life. It reappeared just recently as I sat on a cross country flight in front of a little boy who was having a hard time.…
Into the Heart of It: Tales from Alonissos
In the past 36 hours I’ve traveled through New Jersey, Zurich, Athens, and Skiathos (a large Greek island) to get to Alonnisos (a small Greek island). I’ve been on a large plane, a medium-sized plane, a small plane, a boat and several taxis that ranged from a Mercedes sedan to a beat-up Fiat. I’ve climbed…
What is Spiritual Coaching?
I am often asked if I am a life coach. The answer is no. And kind of yes. Although life coaching is currently used to describe an incredibly wide variety of activities, it primarily deals with actions and events. Things like clearing away clutter, creating a sustainable budget, or learning time management skills. Spiritual coaching…
Small Waves, Big Waves, Tsunamis
Sometimes, when your feet are firmly embedded in the soft sand, the ripples can feel like a tickle or stroke. You and the wave, moving almost imperceptibly together. Sometimes, when you can see a big one coming, you have time (and forethought) to duck down, so that the turbulence passes right over your head, and…