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They tried to bury us but they didn’t know we were seeds. Mexican proverb

As a woman entrepreneur in the ’80’s, a single mom, a motherless daughter raised by a dad, a sudden widow, a board chair leading mostly men, there have been times in my life that I’ve felt the pressure of “being buried”. However, little did society, neighbors, corporate men, know…I was a seed. In spite of the difficult environment, I grew, I blossomed, I thrived.

I recently heard this great metaphor from a young Mexican American, disabled woman who was speaking to her fellow graduates at a college commencement. No doubt she has felt buried many times but on that commencement day she was a seed who had blossomed.

Affirmation: I am a seed.

Coaching questions: What’s causing you to feel buried? What will help you bloom?

In Japan, broken objects are often repaired with gold. The flaw is seen as a unique piece of the object’s history, which adds to its beauty. Taken from Facebook post

A green vase with a large crack repaired with gold is a lovely visual. Rather than hidden, the crack is accentuated, giving the vase character and a beautiful design. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could visualize our lives like this vase? Rather than hiding or concealing the “cracks in our life”, our loses, our mistakes, our injuries, we turn them into something beautiful and useful…renewed resilience, greater empathy, strength of character.

Becoming mature, joy-filled, peaceful people means embracing everything life brings us…cracks and all.

Affirmation: I embrace the “cracks” in my life.

Coaching questions: Visualize the cracks in your life filled with gold, shining bright and beautiful. How does this visual feel? What do you need to do to give up the shame, sadness, why-me, anxiety, fear in your life and turn it into “gold”?

‘Some days it’s just going to rain.’ My grandfather told me that when I was 17. He meant I shouldn’t worry about things beyond my control. Bill Vader, Saturday Night Live vet

It’s rainy season in southwest Florida which means a few hours of rain every day. In addition, a tropical storm is on the horizon for the weekend. “Some days it’s just going to rain.” It’s the essence of the Serenity Prayer….God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

Accepting what you can’t change is one of the most important aspects of living a joy-filled, peace-filled, less stress-filled life. It may take perseverance and experience to learn this life lesson but it will change your life for the better.

Affirmation: I accept the things I can’t change.

Coaching questions: What are you hanging on to that you can not change? How is that working out for you? What will you do to begin to accept the things you cannot change?

There is always a part of my mind that is preparing for the worst, and another part of my mind that believes if I prepare enough for it, the worst won’t happen. Kay Redfield Jamison, American clinical psychologist and author

My husband, Ken, is in hurricane preparation mode. The season officially starts June first here in southwest Florida and after the horrific destruction last September from Hurricane Irma, we are preparing even more diligently this year. Three levels of outdoor furniture stored in the garage, sandbags placed in front of sliding doors (even those with shutters), outdoor pots  placed in the yard away from the house, etc. Just filling the sandbags is a big job!

Ken is taking on the house preparation but, in general, I too am a person who prepares for worst case scenario situations. I think it comes from the early loss of my mother. I learned very early that bad things, not only can, but do happen. I’ve always had what I call a “contingency plan.” Even as a little kid, my plan if something happened to my dad was to “run away”. I didn’t have the details nailed down but the fact I had a plan allowed me to move forward with my life. Now, I have end of life plans. Preparation brings me peace.

Affirmation: I plan ahead.

Coaching questions: What preparations do you need to make to give yourself peace of mind? What will it take for you to make these plans?

Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light. Helen Keller

Good friends from Illinois are visiting us this week. They both love to walk so we have been getting our exercise. Walking and talking with friends makes the exercise seem effortless. I forget about the little aches and pains as we engage in conversation about our surroundings or whatever pops into our heads.

Life with friends is so much more pleasurable and effortless than going it alone. In the Blue Zones Study (where they studied clusters of people around the world who have the greatest longevity), they have documented that socialization, friendships, is one of the key components to living a long, healthy, and joyful life. So, my advice is…walk, eat your beans and greens while laughing and talking with friends. Works for me!

Affirmation: Friends are important to me.

Coaching questions: What do friends mean to you? How can you nurture your friendships? What difference will it make in your life?

Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together. Thomas Dekker, actor

Sleep, such a boring topic, something we take for granted and yet, sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke….and we haven’t even started with the psychological implications. Are you one of the 79 percent of Americans getting less than the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep each night?

If you’re not getting enough sleep you may be experiencing weight gain, irritability, depression, impaired short term memory, decreased libido, poor judgment, decreased productivity, decrease in resistance to viral infections. Whew! I’m going back to bed!

Affirmation: I take care of myself with adequate sleep.

Coaching questions: If you are sleep deprived, what can you do about it? What habits can you change? Sleep is a treasure and you are worth having it!