Category: Self-Improvement
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Improve 2025: How to Make the Second Half of the Year Better
Has 2025 flown by too fast? Do you feel like you haven’t gotten enough done? Here’s a simple three-question framework to improve 2025 with the time we have left.
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Summer 2024 Epiphanies and Adventures
How did my summer go? It was a mix of fabulous, disappointing, and eye-opening. I realized I have always held adventure-fueled summers as part of my identity. So when summers don’t go (enough) that way, I’m deeply disappointed (historically) because I feel I have not been true to myself. Now, as I am well into…
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A Hiker Looks Back at A Humbling Mt. St. Helens Climb
In October 2008, I endured the challenge of climbing Mt. St. Helens, but under less-than-ideal circumstances. When I read this account, originally posted on my first-ever blog, it still brings tears to my eyes. I’ll share the post below in its entirety, then end with some takeaways for those of you who are facing physical…
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Crush Excuses: A Story and Challenge
Can you think of an excuse(s) you’re making to prevent you from pursuing something you know you should do? Something that will help with your health or fitness? A move that will advance your career or extend an olive branch to a strained relationship? A problem you need to solve, but you’ve been putting it…
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Sunshine, Swimming and Summits: Why I Prioritize Outdoor Escapes in the Summer Months
Let’s talk about summer weekend priorities. One of the things I treasure most in this life is warm, sunny weather. One of the other things is being outside in said weather, enjoying my many recreational hobbies: swimming, hiking, cycling, running, kayaking, camping and the like. When you combine those two, that equals the summertime as…
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My Introversion Is In Danger
What would you think if I told you my introversion is in danger? Would you wonder what in the world I meant by that? It is, kind of. And I will. It all started at the beginning of this year. I took on a writing contract unlike any I’d ever done before. With a strong…
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On breaking a certain running dry spell …
We’re all fighting our own battles. One of mine was putting off doing a 5-mile run, to the end of the trail by my house. I’ve done it countless times, but I started slacking this spring. Over the winter, I was putting a lot of gusto into training for the 7-mile trail run I did…
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My Trail Running Story
Here is my trail-running story in all its (non) glory. I’ll recount the most recent event and its lead-up, and end with some rah-rah takeaways for all of us pursuing a goal. March 5, 2023. That day marked a fulfillment of a goal deferred for my budding trail running “career.” It was that, but it…
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My Goals as a Story: My 2023 Goal Story
“What the heck is a goal story?” you might be asking. As an example, this post will share my “goal story” with you. If you’d rather watch the video version of this, voila. Otherwise, please keep reading! But first, some context. I was scrolling to the bottom of my Google Drive to find a…
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2022 Year in Review
Do you do an end-of-year review to evaluate how you did against your goals (if you set them)? I do, and I am sharing them with you as a means to be transparent, learn from what transpired, and make an action plan to continue improving in 2023. Without further ado, my 2022 year in review.…
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Should is a Four-Letter Word
Here is a bold assertion: should is a four-letter word. Not technically, of course. I am literate and aware that there are six letters in it. Allow me to explain briefly what I mean. In polite society, the “four-letter word” refers to the naughtiest words among those raised with strict rules of conduct. I won’t…
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On Competing Against Yourself: A Runner’s Confession
If you’d rather watch this content on YouTube: The subtitle of this article is: Don’t worry about the fast girls. There’s a story behind that and a broader application to non-runners, both of which I’ll share below. As a runner out there for my fitness, I must constantly remind myself that my main competition is…
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What is the difference between tactical and strategic?
Do you know what I mean when I say, “tactical vs. strategic” as a method for getting clear on achieving goals? So we can start with the appropriate mindset, I’ll provide definitions of both: Tactical: : of or relating to tactics: such as (1): of or relating to small-scale actions serving a larger purpose (2):…
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2021 Year in Review
My idea for a “2021 Year in Review” was born from reading James Clear’s Atomic Habits. It is a practice he does and recommends in that book. I decided to transform my hand-written year in review notes to a blog post for a few reasons: It raises the stakes if I publish my thoughts for…
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How to take action when you are afraid
Let’s talk about how to take action when you are afraid. By that, I mean stalling on something you know you need to do but you are afraid to do it. Have you ever neglected to take action or make a decision based on your fear about what would happen if you did? It seems…
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5 Lessons of Being an Entrepreneur
The five lessons of being an entrepreneur, as told by yours truly. I can’t tell you the exact date I decided I wanted to start a business. The data nerd in me regrets that because I do love specifics. It was more of a gradual realization over time. Through a series of jobs where my…
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New Year Planning for Introverts
I’ve come to a realization about starting out the new year that has made a big difference for me, as an introvert. Read about it in less than 500 words!
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An Optimist’s Take on Political Division: Maybe Things Aren’t as Bad as We Think
Political division is at an all-time high. In the United States of America, we are more divided as a nation than at any time in recent history. While I wasn’t personally alive during the Civil War (despite what small children might think regarding my ancient status), my knowledge of it makes me conclude that the…
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Picking Blackberries as a Life Analogy
Recently, my husband and I were hunting for wild blackberries in a natural area close to our home. If you’ve ever picked blackberries, you know that flesh wounds are nearly inevitable as the juicy berries are nestled among sharp thorn bushes. I was reminded of that afresh as I incurred scratches all over my arms…
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Variety is the Spice of Life and Writing
Many suggest that picking a niche to blog about is the way to success. They may be right, but I decline to narrow my focus. Here is a look at my wide range of topics.