“That sounds so selfish.” That comment is voiced regularly in my office and I’m delighted when I hear it. It shows me that there’s some awareness of a feeling that’s uncomfortable enough to examine. Usually, the “that sounds so selfish” question comes from the belief that the wishes of others should come first. That’s the […]

Ever get to that place where you “lose your cool”? The hotter it gets, it seems, the easier it is to lose it. And when you loose your cool, nobody feels good afterwards. Your target doesn’t like that kind of attention, and then there’s the guilt that swamps over you, leaving shame and embarrassment in […]

You’ve celebrated—or survived—another Mother’s Day. Whatever the day held, your experience of Mother’s Day was unique. It was yours, and yours alone. But the question I want to ask on this week after Mother’s Day is universal. Now that you’ve had your experience of Mother’s Day, how did you mother yourself? Were you kind and […]

When I think of celebrating Mother’s Day, I think of having my children here at home with me, spending time together as a family. That would be the perfect gift.   Or would it?   On the one hand, being with my kids and doing something special, like going on a bike ride together on […]

“You can do it.” I recall saying this to myself when I was going to Camp Fire Girls the first time. I loved the thought of camaraderie with a group of girls I didn’t know and who didn’t know me or my family. I felt a sense of freedom with them; I had nothing to […]

Dear Guilty Inner Child o’mine, Hello there. I see you shrinking in the corner, hiding in the shadow. Yes, it’s true: you screwed up. We’ll get to what that was about in a bit. Right now, let’s get you on your feet and back to yourself—standing tall out in the open. You’re okay. Let’s look […]