One of the things I find most rewarding and gratifying about writing is when someone tells me that something I’ve written has helped them or inspired them or changed their life in some way. It’s also rewarding when something I write leads to a discovery of my own that helps me or inspires me or changes my life in some way. It happened again a few days ago, as I was journaling about different projects I’m working on that seem to be going nowhere at [...]
What is your dream? That was the theme of the meeting and of my presentation at GROW last week. GROW stands for “God Renewing Our Women,” and it’s a new women’s ministry that was started at my parish last September. Because of my background and experience in helping people achieve their dreams, I was asked last August if I could do a presentation on the subject. I still remember the day I received the request. It came in an email I received while I was [...]
I was at a holiday celebration not long ago with some people I usually see only once or twice a year. So part of the time was spent catching up on each other’s family events and activities. One of the women told me about several concerts she and her husband had attended recently. It’s been years since I attended a concert, and I joked with her that I needed to get out more. That’s when she told me that going out to concerts and other [...]
A few months ago, I attended a speech contest in which one of the contestants spoke about dreaming small. She said early on that that’s what her parents always encouraged her to do. At first I thought it was a set-up for a punch line, or that she’d be talking about how she had to overcome a “think small” mindset in order to dream big and achieve great things. And since I teach, preach, and coach people about dreaming big and achieving their dreams, this [...]
“Betty, I’m ready to get out of my own way.” The words were music to my ears, even though I got them by way of a Facebook post. They were from a former coaching client of mine, and she’s someone I’ve been urging for a long time now to visit Toastmasters. She’s written two children’s books, started her own company, and is eager to get out in the world to do readings and presentations, and to promote her books and her business. Anyone who is [...]
Sometimes, a plan that seemed like a great idea at the time turns out to be not so great after all. Often, though, it just needs a little tweaking. I think that was the case with my New Year’s Resolution this year. I decided that I was going to complete a new project every week throughout 2014. My first project was to compile a list of 50 projects and goals I wanted to complete, and I’m happy to report I was able to check that [...]
“You never cease to amaze me with your over-abundant life. Wow! You are living the Dream!” That was the message I got last week in an email from a cherished friend whom I’ve known since high school. She reads my column online, and was commenting on one I wrote a few weeks ago about attending a Hollywood red-carpet event: a Book Launch and Gala for “Fearless Women, Visions of a New World.” In the column, I also mentioned my trip to Uganda last fall – [...]
A few things I did last week that I have never done before in my life: I walked – and was photographed on – the red carpet at a Hollywood Gala; I attended a baby shower at the home of a Ugandan family living in California; I flew on an official “red eye,” leaving LAX after midnight and returning to Minneapolis just after 6 o’clock on Monday morning. Something I did last week that I have done before – and, in fact, have been doing [...]