Are you setting a boundary, or actually just trying to control someone else?  In this week’s episode I share the four mistakes people make when they want to set a boundary but end up with a manual instead (hint: if you’re obsessing over someone else’s actions or speaking from frustration, you might be in the OOPS zone). But don’t worry—I’ve also got a simple acronym to help you aim for peaceful, empowering boundaries instead. Whether you’re navigating tricky family dynamics, wanting to set limits as a parent,  or just wanting healthier relationships, this episode will help you step into more clarity and calm. 

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Do you ever feel stuck in a Monopoly-style jail, waiting for someone else to change so you can finally be happy? You’ve asked, you’ve pleaded—but they keep making the same choices, and you’re left rolling the dice, hoping for doubles. What if I told you there’s a way out that isn't a game of chance and doesn't require any luck?  In this week’s episode, I’ll hand you the ultimate Get Out of Jail Free card so you can actually feel love no matter what anyone else does (or doesn’t do). Tune in and set yourself free. 

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Operating manuals for cars or printers or refrigerators can be super useful. But operating manuals for people aren't usually as helpful.  When we write up pages and pages of detailed instructions in our minds for how we want other people do things, and then get upset when they don't follow the manuals we wrote, we actually create misery for ourselves in our relationships. Tune in to this week's episode to learn more about manuals--and a different approach that leads to more joy. 

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It can be easy to criticize and judge ourselves or others. It requires a little more effort to cultivate compassion, but it's one of the most beautiful, expansive emotions you can feel. Listen in this week as I share practical ways to shift from judgment to compassion, even when it feels hard. Whether you’re struggling to show kindness to yourself, a loved one, or even a difficult person in your life, this episode will inspire you to aim for compassion—and give yourself grace when you miss.

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Pain is painful. And life is full of it, right?  But did you know that there's a type of pain that is optional? (As in, you can choose whether to experience it or not?). There’s clean pain (the inevitable struggles of being human) and dirty pain (the unnecessary suffering we pile on top with our thoughts). Tune in to this week's episode to discover new thoughts that will help you experience pain differently--and maybe even find more joy along the way. 

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What if your very best life isn’t one without negative emotions but rather one that wholeheartedly welcomes both the good and the bad? A lot of times we dream about days filled with only happiness and ease, but don't realize that those feelings wouldn’t be as meaningful if we didn't regularly experience their opposites. In this episode, I show you how believing the 50/50 rule and accepting the full emotional spectrum can actually lead to a richer, more joyul life. 

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Here's the truth:  There are gonna be a lot of things in your life that don’t turn out the way you would have liked.  And sorry to tell you this, but none of the tools I teach will prevent bad things from happening to you, give you the power to control other people, or prevent you from ever making mistakes.  What I CAN help you do is decide, when things don't go your way,  whether you end up wallowing in an experience or moving through it. Tune in to today's episode to discover the key ingredient that will help you make an emotional lasagna that ends up tasting great, rather than one that is moldy and makes you sick.  ;) 

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Being a human is kind of like being the pilot in an airplane.  Your cockpit is lined with switches and dials and buttons, and you are receiving constant input of things that need action or attention.  In today's episode, I share 2 strategies that can help you react, but not OVERREACT when you feel urgency about a situation. 

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Our brains are interpreting facts all day long...and sometimes we end up making assumptions or drawing conclusions that aren't actually true. Did you know that you don't have to believe everything your brain tells you? In this episode, I share 2 simple strategies that can help you challenge your brain a little bit when it gets carried away in lots of drama about things that happen in your life.

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Last week's episode was about noticing and understanding your thoughts, rather than trying to control them.  The next step, once you become aware of your thinking, is to give your thought a "product review." In other words, you evaluate whether the thought you are thinking is helping you create what you want in your life, or helping you create what you don't want. Tune in to today's episode to find out how evaluating a thought is not the same as judging yourself for thinking it, and get some concrete examples of how to practice this skill. 

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Some people, when they first start learning about life coaching, they get the idea that what we’re trying to do is control our thoughts. We gotta push those negative thoughts away, don’t let them in, and just figure out a way to make ourselves think positive.  What I teach, what I believe in, is actually not that at all.  In this episode, I share two words that describe what I’m aiming to do with my thoughts, and what I help others do with their thoughts when I'm coaching them.  Tune into today's episode to learn how you can notice your thoughts and understand your thoughts, rather than trying to control them. 

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My oldest son is about to turn 20. Over the years I have shifted my mindest from being frustrated that my kids have the ability to make choices I wouldn't make, more toward honoring and celebrating their god-given right to decide how they will live their lives and who they want to be. In today's episode I share a piece of my journey in the form of a letter I wrote to my son a few years ago.  If you are raising teenagers, or are in any other situation where you find yourself reaching over wanting to control other people ("just do what I want you to do, dang it!")this episode is for you.  

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Have you ever worn a sweater that was super uncomfortable?  That was too tight, or too scratchy, or that you just didn't feel excited to go out in?  Thoughts are like sweaters. Some thoughts fit just right, and you'll feel really good when you think them. Other thoughts feel uncomfortable, or downright terrible. Sometimes we buy sweaters for ourselves that we really don't end up liking, or sometimes we wear sweaters that we really don't enjoy wearing, that were given to us by other people.  Either way, if you don't like how you feel when you believe a thought, you can stop "wearing" it at any time. Tune in to today's episode to learn more. 

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If you want to set a New Year's Resolution that is guaranteed not to last more than a month, look no further for the ultimate guide--I'll show you exactly how.  In this epsiode, I'll teach you how to focus exclusively on the actions you need to take, how to criticize yourself, and and how to maintain rigidity in your plans to ensure that you lose motivation to achieve any goal in a matter of weeks.  I bet you can't wait to learn these secrets!  Or, if you want to set a long term goal and actually achieve it, I'll share 3 (opposite) tips for how to do that too. If you want a good chuckle and also some ideas for how to inspire yourself to make a positive change in your life this year, this episode is for you. 

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What is your perception of forgiveness?  When you think about the idea of forgiving someone who has wronged you, do you feel about as excited as a toddler who is being told it's time to take a nap?  If you are carrying around frustration and resentment over things that have happened in the past, you probably have some understandable reasons why you don't want to let go. And you don't have to.  But you can.  For YOUR sake. Listen in to this episode to find out 3 things forgiveness ISN'T--and how it can set you free. 

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Have you ever longed for a project, commitment or event to be over so you can finally get relief from all the stress?  A lot of people imagine the relief they will feel when their circumstances are different. But since relief is a feeling, and feelings are created by your thoughts (not your circumstances!), there are certain types of relief that are actually available to you right now, even if your circumstances don't change at all.  Listen in to today's episode to hear 3 "real life" examples of how this can be true. 

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Your life is like a musical, and you are the director. You get to choose what you shine your mental spotlight on.  It's up to you to decide what things you will think about, talk about, post about, complain about, worry about, express gratitude for, or believe in. Who or what do you want to cast as the lead in your musical?? Where do you want to give your focus and attention? Tune into this week's episode to get some inspiring advice from the Apostle Paul that can help you as you direct the musical inside your mind.  

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Did you know you can be grateful for things that haven't happened yet?  You can't know exactly what the future holds, but if you visualize what you hope for and believe is possible, you can experience a feeling of gratitude now, that will fuel you toward a future that is full of things to be grateful for. Tune into this week's episode to consider a whole new way of looking at what it means to have faith. 

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If you're looking to feel frustrated, powerless, and exhausted, I know just the thing!  It's called arguing with reality.  Most of us do it all day long, and it drains our energy and gets us nowhere. In this episode, I'll share 3 things you can't ever change no matter how hard you try, and show you how to train your brain to focus on what you CAN change. Listen in for a fresh take on what gratitude is...and isn't. 

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Did you know that when you feel stressed about the holidays, it's not caused by the gifts, the decorations, or your busy schedule? In this episode, I'll tell you about a sneaky thought (that seems lovely but is actually toxic!) that creates so much stress if you believe it. I'll also share some ideas of what you can choose to believe instead.  If you don’t feel any stress or anxiety or worry about anything related to the holidays, or if you are super stressed and uptight about a bunch of things but that doesn’t bother you at all, you could skip this epiosde. But if you feel some pressure this time of year, and maybe some resentment or dread or frustration as you plan and execute all the festivities, and you’d like to dial that down a little bit, this episode is for you!

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