QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Let your focus be on the journey, not just the destination; each small step is a milestone in itself.”
– Author Unknown

IDEA OF THE DAY 

We are in the final stretch of January, and I’m curious how it’s panned out for you so far. What lessons and discoveries have you made along the way?

In reflection of my own, I learned a lesson in patience- by resting and taking pause while recovering from a lingering cold. During most of January, if I tried to do anything active (like take a walk)- I’d feel so fatigued that I’d need a three hour nap! (Which is not usually part of my productive normal daily routine). 

What a frustration this caused me! Here I was, all geared up to start my year strong, yet my health was telling me to rest and take a break. So, I slowed WAYYYYYYYYY down, and during this time, took up a new hobby.

Needle Felting.

I mean, what’s not to love of taking tufts of wool and stabbing it repeatedly with a needle? (It’s quite therapeutic, I must say!) 

With the silliness aside, I was always intrigued by how people could take wool and shape it into such beautiful creations. So I thought there’s no better time to give it a try then when you’re stuck at home resting!  Looking through my recently purchased felting guidebook, I was so excited with the masterpieces I was about to create. How hard could it be, right?

Well, things started off kinda bumpy. The felt didn’t quite morph into the shapes I was attempting to create. I poked myself a few times along the way (and those little needles sure can HURT!). And my first creation looked nothing like the pictures in the book (sigh).

After my first few attempts, I laughed and put it aside, recognizing that this new hobby is yet another wonderful example of strengthening our goals and resolutions. ANY new resolution or habit that you take on will have moments of being bumpy, and may sting as you rush too fast in trying to speed things up. By taking a slower pace and learning to explore the process, rather than the outcome, the bumps will smooth out over time. Consistently putting a small amount of time towards your new habit will help build confidence and experience, and eventually, the final outcome will no longer be the ultimate reward, it’ll be the stories you can share along the way!

And I must say, two weeks into my newfound hobby, I’m enjoying the creative exploration of figuring things out as I go, one poke at a time!

QUESTION OF THE DAY

What aspects of your life would benefit from a shift in outcome to a shift in process?

Lessons from 13.2 Miles

QUOTE OF THE DAY "Comparison is the thief of joy."– Theodore Roosevelt IDEA OF THE DAY  This past weekend, I ran a half-marathon with my brother and a friend. Well—jogged might be the more accurate term, as I’m by no means a fast runner. But with this being my third...

On Less Control and More Peace

QUOTE OF THE DAY "To build a mindset that allows happiness in, you need to develop the quality of non-reactiveness. Life is generally uncontrollable, and it is not possible to live without challenges, so eventually unwanted things and tough situations will appear."–...

On Being Grounded Despite Uncertainty

QUOTE OF THE DAY "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."– Theodore Roosevelt IDEA OF THE DAY  There’s no denying that the world feels heavy right now. With constant changes, unexpected challenges, and an overwhelming stream of information, it’s easy to...

On Today in History

QUOTE OF THE DAY "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."– Søren Kierkegaard IDEA OF THE DAY  One of the most incredible things about living in the present is that whenever curiosity strikes, we have a world of information at our...

On a Little Silliness

QUOTE OF THE DAY "Mix a little foolishness with your serious plans. It is lovely to be silly at the right moment."– Horace IDEA OF THE DAY  Last week, we explored how our critical mind can be labeled as a "Saboteur"—those voices in your head that generate negative...

Let’s go to the (Mind) Gym

QUOTE OF THE DAY "If you’re mentally fit, you can handle life’s great challenges without mental stress or other negative emotions."– Dr. Shirzad Chamine, Author of Positive Intelligence IDEA OF THE DAY  As a coach, I'm always searching for mental tools and...

On Getting Distracted

QUOTE OF THE DAY “The shorter way to do many things is to only do one thing at a time."– Mozart IDEA OF THE DAY  As I sit down with a hot cup of tea to draft this newsletter, a few text messages ping on my phone. I answer them and return to writing. Then, my inbox...

On the Middle Path

QUOTE OF THE DAY “The middle path is the way to wisdom."– Rumi IDEA OF THE DAY  Let's talk about change.  Change is a constant in life, often filled with beauty and possibility. Milestone moments like earning a degree, landing a new job, getting engaged, or welcoming...

~On A Little Kindness~

QUOTE OF THE DAY “It is a beautiful experience being with ourselves at a level of complete acceptance. When that begins to happen, when you give up resistance and needing to be perfect, a peace will come over you as you have never known.”– Ruth Fishel IDEA OF THE DAY ...

On the Final Questions of 2024

QUOTE OF THE DAY "A year's end is not just a closing chapter; it's a mirror reflecting your growth and resilience, a reflection of the strength you've found within."  -Unknown IDEA OF THE DAY  As the year comes to a close, some of us may find ourselves holding on to...