Category: Self-Improvement
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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, “four-letter word” refers to the naughtiest words among those raised with strict rules of conduct. I won’t dignify […]
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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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A “New and Improved” Way to Tackle the New Year
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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Maybe Things Aren’t as Bad as We Think: An Optimist’s Take on Political Incivility
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 deep divisions in ideology were also largely […]
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Picking Blackberries as a Life Analogy
Recently, my husband and I were on a hunt 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 […]
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Variety: 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.
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Do More Better: A Standout Among Christian Productivity Books (It Changed My Life)
Does your life need more organization? Do you feel you could get more accomplished with a few pointers? Do More Better is a short, powerful book to help with just that.
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Planners vs. Spontaneous People: Honest Thoughts from a Planner
Published 4-7-19. Updated 3-25-23. Planners vs. spontaneous people. Like oil and water, those that like to plan their schedules in advance and those who operate with nothing but spontaneity don’t mix well, at least under natural circumstances. Planners, of which I am one, like to know what is coming up in the week or month […]
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Balancing Humor and Gospel Sober-Mindedness
I love to laugh, be silly and spread humor and ridiculum. It gives me great joy to discover or think up something funny and share it with others. If it makes me laugh, or smile, I figure it might do the same for at least a few other people. When left to my own antics, […]
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Traveling New Zealand: South Island Majestic Beauty
Published 1/20/2019. Updated 1/19/2021. The first two weeks of 2019 found my husband Mike and I making a long held dream come true: traveling New Zealand via road trip – the South Island. The how and why of our ending up there went a little something like this. 2018 marked a milestone birthday for me […]
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Update on Running Mileage Goal
At the beginning of 2018, I wrote a post outlining my plan to run 500 miles during the course of the year. As of 12/29, I have logged 505* miles! Extremely pleased to have completed one of my goals for the year. The * caveat is to denote a couple things. 1. I originally planned […]
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Personal Reflections from 2018
2018 was a year like no other. Please disregard the fact that can be said about most years. 🙂 This year was unique; this post will explain why as well as a rare backstage pass into the reflections and lessons of yours truly. I am well aware that if you are clicked on this post, […]
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To Emote or To Reason: A Primer for Biblical Thinking
“We are living in a time where people hear with their eyes and think with their feelings.” – Ravi Zacharias In a YouTube/social media driven world, the way we communicate and think has been turned on its head from ages gone by. Somewhere along the way, we’ve lost not only some valuable interpersonal skills, but […]