Any time I travel, I always find myself thinking about ways I can bring aspects of the new culture I've experienced back home with me. Coming back from Italy a few years ago, my partner and I found ourselves newly committing to morning walks and savoring our evening meals - rather than sitting in front of the TV or with our smartphones. A trip to Maine made us appreciate waking up early and watching the sunrise, and reminded us to notice the little things in nature.

I recently returned from an extended trip to China, Japan, and Vietnam, and there were so many aspects of each place that I loved - including amazing new foods and spiritual practices that I want to continue to make a part of my daily life. But the overall theme I've noticed when coming home after a special trip is, the desire to remember to savor every day, and not just wait for those vacation days. A message we often think to ourselves, but may not put into practice.

On my plane ride home from Asia, I found myself thinking about ways I could bring not only some of the cultural elements, but also the unusual luxury of a whole month of vacation, back with me. I decided I wanted to live every day like I was on vacation - and made a list of small ways to do it in case I got stuck. I try to do at least a few of these every day. Here are just a few things on my ever-growing list...

The "Treat Every Day Like Vacation" List:

• Spend more time outside. When possible, work from the back patio.
  
• Read fiction and non-fiction. Get lost in books. 
  
• Have a comforting cup of tea or coffee when desired. Be present.
  
• Write.
  
• Meditate. 
  
• Set an intention for the day. 
  
• Listen to classical and jazz music.
  
• Go for morning walks...mid-day walks...evening walks.

I love Brené Brown's Guideposts for Wholehearted Living. Each time I read through them, I find a new nugget of wisdom that speaks to me and helps me re-center on what's truly important in my life.

Here are some thoughts on Guidepost #7 as we go into the weekend...

Guidepost #7: Cultivating Play & Rest -
Letting Go of Exhaustion as a Status Symbol and Productivity as Self-Worth

How often do you ask a friend or colleague how they're doing, and in reply, hear, "Busy!"

How often do you find yourself giving that same response?

My partner sent this article to me a few weekends ago (a hint perhaps?) while I was getting geared up to jump into a really busy next few weeks. I love On Being with Krista Tippett so I enthusiastically put aside what I was working on to read it.

I want to share a quote with you that spoke to me:

"In many Muslim cultures, when you want to ask them how they’re doing, you ask: in Arabic, Kayf haal-ik? or, in Persian, Haal-e shomaa chetoreh? How is your haal?

What is this haal that you inquire about? It is the transient state of one’s heart. In reality, we ask, “How is your heart doing at this very moment, at this breath?” When I ask, “How are you?” that is really what I want to know."

I've tried to be more mindful of my own haal these last few weeks. It hasn't made my to-do list any shorter or my calendar any less full, but it has helped me be more aware of the impact that being busy has on me. I've thus also been more intentional about creating space (even where it seems there is none) to connect with the people I love, to be creative, and to play. It hasn't been easy to find the space, but it's been worth it. And, it is also guiding me to be increasingly intentional about how I'm committing my time in the future.

How is your haal? If "busy" is your automatic response, how can you create more space? And if you do, what will that give you? (more room for joy, love, play, laughter, connection, creativity...?) 


To learn more about walking the path of The Daring Way™ (a highly experiential methodology based on the research of Dr. Brenè Brown) with me, click here.

Do you dare to dream?

Are you living out of your comfort zone, your learning zone, or your panic zone?

Coaching helps us find the tools that already exist within ourselves to achieve what it is we really want in life.

This video provides an excellent illustration (literally!) of how great rewards can come when we venture out of what's comfortable into dynamic learning and opportunity.

Get in touch if you feel inspired to explore what is possible for you in your life. I'm currently accepting new clients that are interested in journeying with me as I follow my own path to coaching certification. I'd love to hear from you at [email protected].

People often ask me how coaching is different from therapy.

Here's my short answer: Therapy focuses on issues from the past that keep people stuck in the present. Coaching helps people achieve what they want in the future by exploring needs and taking intentional action in the present.

A more detailed answer: There are many different forms of therapy, and some therapy modalities overlap to a degree with coaching modalities (i.e. strengths-based therapies; positive psychology; solution-focused therapy).

In general, however, therapy focuses on addressing issues from the past that keep people stuck in the present, whereas coaching focuses on helping people achieve what they want in the future by exploring needs and desires and taking intentional action in the present.

The coaching relationship is based on the premise that people are already creative, resourceful, and whole. Coaching is intended to serve people who have achieved an optimal level of mental health; it is not a form of mental health treatment nor is it meant to treat physical or psychological symptoms. Coaching may touch on deep emotion, but its emphasis is on spring-boarding from that emotion into making choices and steps towards transformational change.

My clients often report feeling energized and ready to take action at the end of a coaching session. Through our coaching conversations, they let go of limiting beliefs and fears of their inner critic and walk away with powerful new perspectives that better serve them in getting what they want in life.

Interested in learning more? Contact me to schedule a complimentary coaching consultation.

If you have questions or comments, I'd love to hear from you in the comments section below!

Photo credit: Kevin Dern

New Year's Day is a great time to create your vision for the coming year. Whether you've done a vision board before or are trying it for the first time, it's a powerful way to set intentions for how you want to live your life and what is most important to you.

I love how you can create your vision board the old-fashioned way - with scissors, glue, and magazine cut-outs- or electronically on Pinterest or your favorite graphic design program. (And the nice thing is that you can even make one in your pajamas if you're taking it easy today!)

Check out this article by Martha Beck on "What The Heck's A Vision Board—and How Can It Change Your Life?"
http://www.oprah.com/spirit/How-to-Make-a-Vision-Board-Find-Your-Life-Ambition-Martha-Beck

For some fun twists, check out:

How to Create a Vision Board for Business Ideas on Pinterest:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/224006

5 Tips for Creating Vision Boards with Kids:
http://www.mamamaryshow.com/2013/01/5-tips-for-creating-vision-boards-with-kids/

Happy crafting, and a very Happy New Year!
~Kristi

Set yourself up to be successful this year with these apps that help you keep your commitments to healthier behaviors! I've used all of these apps personally and have found them to be awesome tools, whether to help you start new habits, effectively manage your money, eat healthfully, practice mindfulness, or get organized. Best yet, they are all FREE!

Used alone, each of these apps can be very helpful in supporting your efforts to meet goals for the New Year. To really enhance your chances at success, consider working with a coach, whose mission is to help you stay on track and accountable to achieving the life you truly want. I'd be happy to talk with you about ways we can partner together to help you achieve transformation this year, in one or many areas of your life.

Lift helps you keep your commitment to starting, changing, or ending a habit. Set daily goals and track when you follow through. Lift can send you reminders as well as messages of encouragement to keep you on track. Lift also connects you with a community of other people who have the same goal(s), so that you can share successes and gain ideas from others.

FREE and available on both iPhone and Android devices.
https://lift.do/

Mint links with your financial accounts to help you track your spending throughout the year. You can set financial goals, keep and track budgets, and monitor your account activity. Mint automatically categorizes your spending and shows you charts of where your money is going so that you can make informed decisions about how to spend your money in the future.

FREE and available on multiple devices.
https://www.mint.com/

Though not advertised as a tool for healthy eating, Pepperplate can easily support you in eating more healthfully by planning ahead. Pepperplate allows you to save, organize and store recipes online, both by clipping recipes directly from websites like Cooking Light or Food Network as well as entering your own family recipes. You can create menus for the week as well as save time by adding ingredients directly from recipes to a shopping list. Minimize last-minute take-out by doing easy planning ahead for cooking at home.

FREE and available on multiple devices.
http://www.pepperplate.com/

This app delivers daily inspirational quotes, encouragement, and assignments to support you in meditation or awareness practice. The general focus is on building awareness and self-acceptance. There's also a space to journal or jot down notes in response to each day's message.

FREE and available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/transform-your-life-year-awareness/id381788004?mt=8

Get organized with Evernote, an app whose tagline is "Remember everything." This app does so many things it's hard to list them all here. Make notes to yourself, snap pictures of items you want to remember, clip articles from websites, save important emails...and sync everything across all of your devices. An amazing tool that keeps everything in one place, in close reach whenever you need it.

FREE and available on multiple devices.
http://evernote.com/

Do you have goals that you'd like support in reaching? Contact me if you'd like to set up a 30-minute complimentary coaching consultation, no strings attached. I'd love to discuss ways that I can help you create sustainable changes in your life that last beyond the New Year.