“Most dying people regret not the things they did but the things they didn’t do.”

                                                                                           – Olga Rickards

If you are like me, the end of the year is a time of reflection of what was completed and experienced over the past 12 months and what is to be pursued and created in the upcoming year.

Many times, the pursuits we are inspired to embark upon in the new year get quickly put to rest by our fear of possible failure.  This is especially true when we have the “evidence” of our past to rationalize our not taking risks.  It is then easier to accept playing small, because although it is uncomfortable, it is safe. 

However, what if we looked at things differently and asked ourselves another question,

What would I do if you knew I couldn’t fail?

This is a question asked frequently in the personal development and coaching world.  I have asked many coaching clients (and myself) the same questio...

“No one can do it for you, but you can’t do it alone.”

                                                            – People’s House – Denver, Colorado’s Motto

The quote above has its origins in the drug and alcohol rehabilitation world.  As an adult child of an alcoholic, this statement has particular resonance for me.  However, regardless if addiction has impacted our lives (and for most of us, it has), this adage holds just as true as a profound lesson in life.

We all encounter challenges in our lives.  Although some of these trials may seem to come “out of the blue” to impact us, upon reflection we find most of the experiences which test us are of our own making; either through our own actions, thoughts and/or beliefs. 

As much as we might want to have someone come and rescue us or find someone to blame during these times of challenge, these are aspects of our life that we need to take ownership of.  When we take accountability for each of our life’s situations and then...

“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it’s a prevailing attitude.”

                                                                                            - General Colin Powell

Each martial arts class I teach ends with the same question posed to my students, “What’s our goal?”

With enthusiasm they respond in unison, “Black Belt Excellence, sir!”

In the martial arts, the concept of excellence is a reminder that our intention is to always do our best and to show up as the highest expression of ourselves in attitude, focus and action in everything we do.  We know when we do this, more times than not, good things are bound to happen. 

To be clear, I am talking about excellence, not perfection. 

We are all human and despite our best efforts, things may not turn out as we intend.  For many of us, the pressure we place upon ourselves to be perfect, not only leads to agitation an...

“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.”  

                                                                                                      - Joel A. Barker

I believe we are all born with a vision for what we want in our lives inside of us. 

Just think back to when you were child and the numerous visions you had for what you wanted to be in when you “grew up”.  Your imagination was boundless.  I personally wanted to be a cartoonist, a doctor, an astronaut and a super-hero (Actually, when I was 5-years old, I WAS Batman).

I believe these visions exist inside of us so we have a means to share our innate gifts in the world.  This is not just available for some of us, but for all of us.  However, this begs the question:  If this is true, why is it that so many of us allow those visions to merely become dreams that fade away because we never took action to make them a reality?

Although ...

“People aren’t grateful because they are happy, they are happy because they are grateful.”

                                                                                                            - Anonymous

This coming Thursday, we will be joining our family and friends around the table to celebrate one of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving. 

In addition to indulging in an array of traditional foods like turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, we will also pause to reflect on the many blessings in our lives and share our appreciation for family, friends and the many wonderful things our life provides us.

While taking a day to remember and express our gratitude is important, I have often wondered how my life and the lives of others would be positively impacted if we made gratitude a daily practice, rather than one just reserved for an annual holiday. 

A wise person once said, “Life does not happen to us, it happens through us.”  Said another way, the filter by whic...