Community Building, Community Development, Personal Development

What We Should Learn from Simone Biles: Redefining the “Gold Standard”

I remember the first time I watched Kerri Strug’s one-leg vault, I felt sick to my stomach. The conversations around me were centered on how “brave” she had been. As a fellow teenager, I was terrified that she was encouraged to injure herself for the sake of Olympic gold. Why would her coach, who I… Read More What We Should Learn from Simone Biles: Redefining the “Gold Standard”

Empowerement, Personal Development

We Have The Power: Lighting the Entire World, One Small Candle At a Time

I always get such a surge of messages when I write about the power I believe that good people have.  It’s interesting to note how many believe in the power of good, but not in their own power, although they are, themselves, good people. I mean, I highly doubt one of those super greedy CEOs… Read More We Have The Power: Lighting the Entire World, One Small Candle At a Time

Personal Development, Planners and Planning, Tools

New Year’s Resolutions: Printables for Easier and Less Wasteful Planning

Planner systems are meant to change a lot to adapt to your needs, to follow the changes in your style, and to absorb any changes either internal (new phase of your life) or external (new stuff on the market!)  My personal planning system didn’t involve washi tape until only a few years ago, but has… Read More New Year’s Resolutions: Printables for Easier and Less Wasteful Planning

Personal Development, Tools

Five Techniques To Make a Big Change Less Daunting

{ This guest post was written by fellow joy-seeking blogger, Jennifer. } Last month, my sister Meredith and her husband went through a big change: they moved their 6 and 8-year-old sons across the globe to China, where they will live for the next two years. Her husband was offered a great job, and so… Read More Five Techniques To Make a Big Change Less Daunting

Faith, Family, Personal Development, Religion, Virtues

The Powerful Experience of Death: Guest Post by Katie Danner

In the last few years, I have experienced four deaths that were very close to me. It has not been easy, but I have learned so much about this very sensitive yet private and delicate topic. I decided I would write out some of my thoughts about death, and maybe it might even help some… Read More The Powerful Experience of Death: Guest Post by Katie Danner

Bullet Journaling, Personal Development, Tools

Back To Basics: Getting Over the Unnecessary Burden Placed on Bullet Journaling

It’s halfway through January—how are your resolutions holding up?  The previous two posts discussed the use of mantras in helping you stick to your resolutions; this post is focused on the second of two amazing tools for personal development that I use all the time: journaling. While journaling in general is a fantastic tool, one… Read More Back To Basics: Getting Over the Unnecessary Burden Placed on Bullet Journaling

Mantras, Personal Development, Tools

Refreshing Your Mantras: Some Print Suggestions

So, how are your New Year’s resolutions going?  I sometimes feel like the battered and bruised trees, bushes, and grass around this time of the year: after a grueling winter, I am not quite sure if my resolutions are ever going to spring back into a vibrant part of my life again, however many mantras… Read More Refreshing Your Mantras: Some Print Suggestions

Mantras, Personal Development, Tools

Achieving New Year’s Resolutions With The Help of Mantras

Happy New Year! I hope you rang it in with more degrees in your weather—we are freezing cold, here!  My newest mantra: “It’s worse on Hoth.” Then again, it could mean that a larger part of us are staying home these days, which is perfect, since it’s the time of the year when resolutions are… Read More Achieving New Year’s Resolutions With The Help of Mantras

Community Building, Personal Development

Taking Advantage of the Many Benefits of Gardening

Community and personal development go hand in hand.  While we can feel powerless to make a significant contribution to our communities, we thankfully always have the power to make a change in our personal lives. Gardening’s Powerful Effect on Personal Development Personal development can be, to say the least, pretty intense.  Thankfully, it does not… Read More Taking Advantage of the Many Benefits of Gardening

Personal Development

The Balance of Being Kind to Yourself Without Being Lenient

The process of refining one’s character is a highly exciting one, but isn’t always easy.  While there are a lot of great tools that help us along, there are also many pitfalls we can get stuck behind, such as being lenient. The Challenge with “Self-Empowerment” There seem to be a lot of self-empowering messages in… Read More The Balance of Being Kind to Yourself Without Being Lenient