Have you ever had those moments when your heart smiles? When you really can’t help it? Over the summer, my husband and I were at a local baseball game and there is nothing that symbolizes momentum better than watching the “wave” circle around through the stands as the spectators join
Chances are we all have. Every, single one of us. Maybe we don’t care to admit it, but we know. We all know. Why do we feel guilty? Because we feel like we have let someone down or done something wrong. Guilt is self-imposed. It goes a little like this,
Ever wanted to be a part of the “next big thing?” Maybe you just wanted to have something before everyone else did. How many clothing styles have come into and out of style in your lifetime? Or even better, in the last five years? Too many to count. When school
We cannot keep holding onto the past and still move forward. The past is long gone and some of us get stuck there. We find excuses of why things happened the way they did, only to blame other people for our unhappiness. How many of us know people who cannot
Life comes at you pretty quick. Sometimes, the unexpected happens right before your eyes and you have to do a double-take, try to process what you just saw, and even ask for confirmation from someone else. And isn’t that when life becomes very clear? When nothing else matters and we
Ever been lost? I mean, lost? As humans, we are natural-born wanderers. We are drawn to the “greener” side of the grass with only curiosity as our motive. Yet in doing so, as we continue our journey, we eventually come to find that are in a place that is not
Too many times we are overwhelmed with uncertainty and chaos, believing that the whirlwind will never change. We begin to consider that our lives are the best they will ever be and no amount of wishing will change that. Yet we hold onto those wishes; because in them, we find
We get out of bed in the morning, jump in the shower, and brush our teeth. We throw on some clothes, hustle to get the kids out the door with homework and lunch in hand, and hustle off to start our day also. We get into work just in time
For many months, I have tried to solve the never-ending question… “Why do we stop dreaming?” When we were younger, we were all given an assignment on our dreams. Not on what they would be, but we had to name them. Do you remember? My teacher went around our first grade
We are given chances every day to make things different, but never take them. We are shown which way to go, but instead head off in another direction. We are extended an invitation, but throw it away. I am here to tell you… accept the invitation. Accepting the invitation frightens
Can you feel lost and not even know that you are lost? Can the life you live continuously wear you down so you don’t even feel like you are even living anymore? Can you be in such a rut that being in the rut is what almost seems “normal” to
Knock it off. Seriously. Let go. None of us like the constant spiral that we can find ourselves in when chaos and lack of order seem to follow us like a bad penny. When the room seems to be spinning out of control and nothing we do can stop it.
There are a ton of things we wish we could change. We wish we were taller, thinner, blonde, more athletic. You name…the list is long. At least it is for me. But I have learned a very valuable secret…it keeps me focused and allows me to spend my time more
When we were little, how many times were we told to, “save your best for last!” by our parents, coaches or teachers? Nothing is more dramatic than hitting a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, right? People lose interest if it is not interesting…or so we
What are you afraid of? Are you afraid of the dark? Are you afraid of failure? Are you afraid of big dogs? Are you afraid of heights? We ALL have something we are afraid of… …every single one of us… What we fear most is not what we openly admit
Which one are you? We are one or the other. Some of us are better at thinking up ideas than we are at putting those ideas into action. I know people with lots of ideas and others that do lots of things. The lucky ones are the ones that do
Every Tuesday, I upload a video blog and talk about one thing in particular. They are little snippets to get you to think about where you are and where you want to be. Some will include funny stories and give helpful hints that help you get you started on your
Some of our lessons come from life and others come from other places, like school. Our parents are our first teachers where we learn not to bite other kids when we are toddlers and to wait patiently for the toy we want. When we get into school, we learn other
Do you remember what it was like when you were trying something new and felt a little uncomfortable? I was thinking about what it was like when we first learned how to ride a bike without training wheels. Do you remember? How you were so anxious…trying to quiet your loudly
For those of you that don’t know, I wanted a different way to share my words with you other than via all of the Social Media venues (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc), so I thought it would be best to let you see them and take them home with you. To
Every day life catches up with us. Whether we want it to or not, it will always be there. Even long needed vacations eventually end and we must again head off back to our reality. Between deadlines and work, running to the grocery store, and making the eye appointment for
Today must be the day to deal with patience as the quote that I shared today also had to do with waiting. I wonder if someone is trying to tell me something. Am I over-anxious about something? Am I rushing something? Can I make myself a little on the crazy
How many times have we wished for an opportunity to change something that did not turn out the way we thought it would? How many times have we tried to forget something that just won’t seem to go away? How many times have we allowed fear and doubt to run
A few months ago, I was informed that today is Friendship Day and have thought about writing a post about friendship for some time. But I waited for this day to write a post with 1000 words in it describing the kind of friends we have and what makes them
We are in a constant state of needing to get the latest version of updates. They pop up on our computer late at night, show up as little icons on our smart phones, and even come the old-fashioned way — in the mail. But not the electronic updates we have
Sometimes, we are in the middle of history and never know it. We can be surrounded by the past, with pieces here and there, remnants of times gone by and they become something much more….something that lives a little longer. This past week, memories both that I shared and learned
There’s a tough question for you…but can you answer it? Or more importantly, would you want to know? Some people don’t want to admit who they are. There are all kinds of personality tests that will tell you why you like the color blue and how your birth order and
When I was younger, I remember watching a movie based on a book written by Ray Bradbury called, “Something wicked this way comes” and although it was not scary, the title in itself had me wondering what was coming. It sounded bad. Because of the word, “wicked”, the title
Who wants to come with me? How many of us find excitement and intrigue with this question? Does anyone really ever say, “No, I think I will pass.” Probably not. How many of you got super enthusiastic when I invited you to come with me? Not even knowing any details
Don’t ask why I am writing about a dressing room because you all know I am not a shopper. And I was not (until recently) someone who tried clothes on in the dressing room. My focus seemed to be that of someone who wanted the pain and torture of shopping
When we are asked what we do for a vocation, does it sound more like a job or a passion? Could you sell your profession to a stranger looking for something new? Do you get excited about your work? Many of us have a job, and if we are lucky,
There are times in our life when time actually stands still. When we all can’t wait for our babies to sleep through the night and then before we know it, that baby is now keeping us up at night because we want to make sure he or she is home
Some days, our emotions run high. Maybe even hot. One of the worst emotions I feel is helplessness. The utter and complete inability to do anything. Maybe I just feel like I am doing nothing. I can only stand and watch. But what I was feeling today felt like the
Ever been in the ocean and standing in waist-high water, with your back to the waves and before you know you, the water gently picks you up and literally moves you? Maybe been travelling up a steep incline on a roller coaster and as soon as you crest the top
Dishonesty hurts. It doesn’t matter where it comes from, but it is especially hurtful when it comes from people we love. I would be telling an untruth if I said not one of us has ever lied before. Maybe we told someone that we couldn’t make it to a birthday
On my never-ending list of things to do, I have a few new things to start. Not just things that I need to continue to do, but brand new things. I am terrified and nervous. But I have to allow myself to be a beginner. I cannot expect (although, very
How many of us have ever had to put a house up for sale? It is seriously one of the most stressful times ever. I never envy anyone who is in the middle of that. I think I would rather pack and unpack the same boxes for a week. I
Hide it. Don’t let anyone see. Keep the walls up. You can’t be vulnerable. No matter how hard it is. It must not escape. Nope. Can’t. Won’t. Not today. Not ever. Ever find yourself telling yourself things like the above? Maybe the words are slightly different, but essentially the words
Growing can be scary. Unless you are a kid. Then growing is a must! And every single kid will tell you that they just can’t grow fast enough. They need to catch up with big sister and do all the things she can do or be grown up like their
Guess what? It happens. To all of us. Any of you ever make a promise you couldn’t keep? Ever said words and then needed to retract them? Or wish you could? Maybe it wasn’t that you intended on breaking the promise, but it happened. Unfortunately, it happens to all of
About a year ago, I saw the best smile on someone I had not seen in sometime. His smile radiated through to everyone he greeted. Seeing him again confirmed what I had always believed about this young man…he still can change what happens next in his life. He may have
How many times have we missed chances for us to be great? Have we turned our backs and quietly told ourselves, “That’s not for me.” Does someone have to give us permission to be great in order for us to be? Nah…I don’t think that happens. Does it? Up until
Back in the early 1970’s, (yes, I am dating myself), us kids needed to find an easy way to match clothes so that outfits went together and we could dress ourselves. I think it was a way for us to be proud of picking out the “tiger” shirt that went
On July 25, 2014, The Bell Shoppes located in downtown Papillion, Nebraska will be hosting my next book signing on July 25, 2014 from 5pm-8pm. There will be some light snacks and drinks and will also showcase the talented people in this building. Address: 134 N Washington St, Suite 100,
This post will be something a little different. In some respects, it will still have some of the same underlying themes, but reality is about to come to your door — in a HUGE way. This might have a little more “bite” to it than normal. So, let’s get to
Just about everyone in the world knows by now that there was no Triple Crown winner this year with California Chrome coming in 4th place at the Belmont Stakes in New York over this past weekend. Hearing the hype and reading the stories that followed the other two races with
Here it is! The BIG game is here! No, I am not talking about the NBA Finals or the College World Series. It is not fall, so Husker Football is not in full swing, either. So, what BIG game am I talking about? The one you overlook every day. The
That’s not you. You know it. But we all do it. Even if it is to appease others — because they told you to or because they are your parents… but we know when we are not being who we really are. Seriously, let’s be honest here. I will start…
There are moments that never come again. They stay with you forever. Dates that can never be forgotten and memories that can never be erased. They flood back into the one place that they will remain — in your heart. Little, insignificant tokens are tossed around like coins into a
There are a few things that get me UBER-excited and building something from nothing is one of them! I LOVE to watch things grow and know that I had in that makes it even better. This time of year, people are planting. They are planting vegetable gardens, new flowers, or
A couple of weeks ago, I was telling the boys about a game show that we had growing up (nothing like 1970’s TV, right?) called “Name That Tune.” I explained the premise of the show that clues would be given to the contestants and they bartered against one another to
Life doesn’t come easy and sometimes we don’t get to choose how it unfolds. There are going to be times when we wish it was easier. We are going to want the layout to look different. But if you had the choice between the easy and the difficult, which would
When I was talking to a friend today on the phone, I could tell I was getting into “Homme Mode.” Although the call was spurned by another purpose, I know she left the conversation better than before she called. Why do I tell you this? Because we ALL need our
Life is tough. It will knock you down, and kick you again as you try to get up…just because it can. Last night, I watched a movie where two women, brought together by circumstances neither of them would have wished they were in, fought the good fight. One was fueled
Yesterday was our middle son’s high school graduation and this time of year is the time for speeches, by school officials and the students themselves. One of my friend’s posted on her Facebook timeline, that the quote that stuck with her was the one that reads, “There are two great
No one knows what happens next. None of us. One of my favorite movies is “Paycheck” with Ben Affleck and Uma Thurman. Where the premise of the movie is that Ben Affleck is able to go into the future and bring back the secrets so the people in his current
I often wondered what today would feel like even though I never thought this day would come. And even though this day may not be significant to others, today…this day…is something special to me. It is the first day of a new life. As I was out on my morning
I saw a quote last night that read something like, “If you continue to stare at the closed-door in front of you, then you usually do not see the open door that just opened up behind you.” And then, I started thinking about how many times do the flight attendants
We like comfortable. We like what we know. We don’t like to be challenged. We don’t like doing something we aren’t good at. The truth is that no one grows UNTIL we are challenged. When the “A’s” come too easily in school, the guidance counselors bump us up into the
Can you feel it? The excitement of newness and change invigorates me soul like my morning walk does and it becomes something that not only awakens my mind but sets me free all at the same time. Something that began as a fluke because it fit my schedule seems like
On a dark night, how many times have we looked up to the sky to see how many stars there are? Have you noticed the ones that just shine a little brighter than the others? Have you ever wondered why? When surrounded by the darkness, we are instinctively drawn to
There are very few moments that occur when I am not thinking. About something. Or someone. Seriously. My dreams probably have a message in them somewhere or an epiphany that I might have missed had I been awake. People will drive by me, trying to get my attention, and I
We all have some level of belief in the “luck” that comes our way because we do something that no one else understands. There are many college teams that have an icon or plaque strategically placed between the locker room and the playing field and the hype of touching said icon
For a long time, I kept silent. But I don’t ever remembering a moment when I wanted to say something and didn’t. For whatever reason. I guess I just didn’t think too much about how significant (or insignificant) my words would impact a situation. I mean…no one else but me
I can feel it. It is getting stronger and I can feel the trickle of a flame that wants to explode. I am doing everything I can to keep it quiet and silent. My heart races and my mind goes a mile a minute faster than it normally does. This fire engulfs
Do you believe that we are destined to live a life that has been already written for us? Do you believe that we still have a say in free will when it comes to choices? When I was a very little girl, I knew who I was and who I
There are very few moments that occur when I am not thinking. About something. Or someone. Sometimes, I consider it a burden. Never being able to sit and relax, watch some meaningless TV, and chill. For the most of my days when I am awake, I am thinking. Maybe it
Everything is up for debate. For every opinion, there is an opposite opinion. For every reason to do something, there is a reason NOT to do something. We have the chance every day to silence the questions and the doubt that may have kept us up most of the night.
What does “what” sound like? What does it feel like? What words would you use to describe it so that if someone could not see you, how would they know? Could you convince someone clear across the world of what it sounds like when you live? Not just exist, but
This country is full of women who spend thousands of dollars every year to make sure they look as young as they can. How many celebrities can you name that have had some kind of a lift here and there to make sure that gravity doesn’t take over? Or at least
Do you think you are ready? Ready for what? Is she kidding me? I don’t have time to be ready for something else! Is that what you are telling yourself right now? I know…I said those same exacts words over four years ago. As I was driving around my home
Ever looked at something and made a snap judgment about someone or something? Ever looked at an old man, sitting helplessly near a vacate building and quickly avoided eye contact as maybe his stench started to creep your way and you became disgusted with what you saw? Ever seen that
I remember growing up seeing a fast food restaurant TV ad that depicted a group of people who seemed to always be doing the same thing for lunch, and this ad wanted you to try something different. People say “go outside the box” for a reason. Are you stuck in your
Life is complicated and full of big moments…weddings, high school graduations, babies’ births. As much as those moments are to be celebrated and commemorated, they are hardly what gets us through every day life. Do we look forward to them? Absolutely! Life could not exist without them. But if we
Our family is a baseball family, but I could not find a suitable comparison to “having to punt” in baseball, so I am switching sports temporarily. There is no one that I know of that wouldn’t love to score or to win or to have everything good happen to them.
Several weeks ago, I saw the best smile on someone I had not seen in over a year. His smile radiated through to everyone he greeted. Seeing him again confirmed what I had always believed about this young man…he still can change what happens next in his life. He may
How do you teach someone to do the best they can, but also allow them to fall short when they do? High expectations are nothing to be ashamed of and should motivate us to be the best we can ever be. But we should set the bar high for ourselves,
It had been some time since I had plugged into my IPod tonight as I was making something for a potluck to take to work tomorrow, and as I scrolled through the menu I selected “shuffle” as I normally do. And as random songs came through the earphones with different moods set to
Do you remember what it was like to be young and believe that all of life was good? That your believing in something so much made it real to you? If you said, “No” to this question, then you would have to say that you never believed in the Easter Bunny,
I decided to do something different. I wanted to try something new. I chose to see it through. This video is a combination of friends and family who all remind me of what the soul of a woman looks like and watching it makes me smile. Listen to the words and
One of the things that I never really understood until a few years ago was that I was becoming someone new every day. Even before I realized this phenomenon, I didn’t really pay attention to it either. I thought I was just getting through the days, paying no mind to not
I believe every thing happens for a reason. EVERY thing. Do you believe that the choices we make influences what happens next after that choice was made? How, sometimes, seemingly insignificant moments that we have actually prepare us for what happens next? I also believe that there are signs every where
Have you ever seen dominoes fall…one after another? My favorite domino set up is the one from Disney’s “Robots” — I cannot imagine the amount of time and patience it must take to set something like that up. But how many of us have allowed one domino to fall after
How many of us never start anything new? How many of us find ANY excuse to make it “ok” that we don’t start anything new? Ok…put your hands down. Yes, I put my hand down too. Why do not start anything? Because doing “it” (whatever “it” is) doesn’t mean enough
There are not many things that are more complicated, more enduring, or makes us feel more vulnerable than when our heart comes into play. We protect it behind very high walls and pretend our heart is not fragile. We put our feelings aside and tell ourselves that we don’t feel what
Fear is everywhere, but because it is something we create, we can also choose to never give it life, too. There are people who I know that don’t just live with fear, it has manifested itself to be the only way they can live life. Once fear has a hold of
On Saturday, The Sump Memorial Library hosted an “Author Fair” to kick off their new series, “New Year – New You.” I was a participant on their panel to discuss my self-published book, along with the details of writing for aspiring authors. Click here for the newspaper article highlighting the
We all have things we do well. Similarly, we also have things we don’t do so well too. But we ALL have the ability to learn how to do things better. The difference is whether we work at it or not. Just like exercise. But this post is not about how
There are a lot of people who “collect” things. Barbie© dolls, Hot Wheels © cars, and baseball cards to name a few. I have seen something on TV where people had the biggest board game collection and the most Pez© dispensers in the world. How many of us can have something
How many of you have said, “I can’t do anything different. I am too old.” or “It is too late for me.” Sounds familiar? Maybe the words are different, but the meaning is the same. Looking around the room to see if I just called you out. Stop looking. I
Michelle captivates audiences using simple ideas to make real-life changes every day. She brings personal stories, humor, and insight to every presentation.
