At any time in our lives, we may be living through a seasonal transition: a significant, transformative period in life characterized by distinct changes or shifts in various priorities in our lives. These may bring about substantial shifts in our thoughts, feelings, actions, and reactions, leading to uncertainty or instability.

Living through seasonal transitions impacts how we navigate our day-to-day lives, and also has implications for larger questions in our lives. We’ll touch on both here.

Imagine that you are having some knee pain. Well, not “pain” really. Just some discomfort, some of the time. It’s not a big problem, you just start avoiding the stairs unless necessary, and you cut back on how far or how long you walk or stand. You resign yourself to limping a little.

Now imagine that your other knee flares up one day: intense pain, swollen, hot to the touch, can’t bear much weight.

Which knee would you see your doctor about?

Yep, the one that’s in acute pain. Why? It’s urgent.

But what if the diagnosis is fairly benign, and that with rest and some ibuprofen, you’ll be right as rain in a week or two? And what if the knee that you didn’t see the doctor about is slowly wearing down its cartilage?

Which one’s more important to address?

What one thing could you do in your life that, if you did it regularly, would make a tremendous positive difference in your life?

Yes, I do want you to come up with an answer.

And just one answer. Resist the urge to name 5 things. Resist the urge to start action planning.

Let’s just do this one step at a time.

Assuming that you have an answer to the question above, the next question is:

We live in a world that has an urgency addiction. Every app has constant notifications and every news channel keep a scrolling feed of “breaking news.”

You might work in an organization that has an urgency addiction. Yes, even if (especially if?) you’re an entrepreneur, or work in a non-profit, or serve in a church. I’ve yet to find an industry that’s immune from this.

Sometimes, certain families and people even have an urgency addiction. Always in crisis, always rushing, always busy.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could find more time by cleaning under the couch cushions? Or if “extra time” was stored in the “junk drawer” with all the other random necessities of life? But it’s not. I know. I looked already. We really only “find” time if we look VERY carefully… at ourselves. So if you’re looking for a little more time in your days, here are four suggestions for where to look.

Everyone’s life is different. And each person’s circumstances are different. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to developing a life of meaning. So the content, form, and shape of meaning-making will vary. But I think there is a pretty reliable process and framework for crafting a meaningful life, a life with “more.” Because I’ve seen it work, I’m happy to share it with you.

I’ve gone ‘round the sun enough times to know that most of us need to hear this sometimes. I don’t care if you’re a CEO or a cleaning person, a life coach or a basketball coach, an AARP member or a kindergartener. Self-doubt starts early, and it journeys right along with us through life. It can come in varying degrees, and its volume can be turned up or down based on the circumstances in our lives, but it’s there.

When we think about our time and the way we use it, we often get trapped in some pervasive myths that do not help us actually get into a healthier mindset about how we spend our time.

Let’s take a look at some of these myths, and also examine the real truth that can invite us to a different way of thinking and behaving.

I don’t know about you, but I have a tendency to make things harder for myself than they need to be. Like my “word of the year” process.

Last year, my word came to me pretty easily. It was a word that surprised me, but it came out of a very simple process. And I really appreciated having that word to guide me and ground me last year.

2023 is nearly over. 2024 has nearly begun. Both are “almost,” “not yet” and “not quite.” At this inflection point, what do you need to do to transition from one year to the next?

Do you need to end 2023 well?

Do you need to begin 2024 with positive intention?

Do you need to hit the ground running in 2024 with a solid, focused plan?

No matter what your need is, I’ve got you covered.

If you find yourself in some darkness right now, I invite you to “look on the bright side.” Not as a distraction or avoidance, not from denial or blind optimism. But from a place of hope, remembering that “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1: 5)

The darkness will not overcome you either, friend.

As 2023 winds down, I thought I’d share about what it was like to live with a guiding word of the year. I’m amazed by all the ways that Harmony snuck into my life this year. It was typically in pretty quiet and unassuming ways… ways that I might have missed if I hadn’t been attentive. Yet, as I look back, I’m so grateful for that intentionality and for the gifts that Harmony has brought me.

What does “healthy self-care” mean to you? For me, it’s tending to what I need to show up as the best self I can be. That includes physical care, mental health, social/emotional connection, personal and professional development, and spiritual growth. When I reframe the question of “Isn’t that just indulging myself?” to “How can I tend to myself?” I see self-care from a different perspective.

All too often, we anticipate the holiday season eagerly, yet by the time it's over we grapple with exhaustion and disappointment. If this has happened to you, and you’re hoping for a different outcome this year, I’ll walk you through a simple step-by-step process for making this holiday season one that won’t leave you feeling empty or “just glad it’s over.”

Gratitude has immense power to change our perspective, open up new possibilities, and guide us in living our purpose. If we can agree on that premise, then I want to challenge us to really leverage that power.

I’m offering 5 gratitude prompts for this Thanksgiving. You might be used to “What’s something you’re thankful for this year?” That’s child’s play compared to these.

Yesterday was National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day. And I love a good analogy. So how’s the refrigerator of your life looking these days? The holidays are coming. A new year is approaching. And while there are lots of “things to do” to prepare (from cooking to baking to shopping), how will you “clean out the fridge of your life” to make a clean and healthy place for all of it?

November 9th is Chaos Never Dies Day. Because it's true that chaos never really dies in our lives. At best, it quiets down, or goes underground and perhaps lies dormant – but only for a time. It can – and will – reappear at any given moment or season in our lives. So here's 5 suggestions to "celebrate" today’s “holiday” and manage the chaos of our lives every day.

In the Catholic tradition, today – November 2 – is celebrated as All Souls Day, a special day to remember and pray for all those who have died. It’s a feast that I didn’t pay much attention to when I was younger – let’s face it, I was probably too distracted by the delights of my Halloween candy. And luckily for me, I didn’t experience any significant losses as a child.

That changes as we age, doesn’t it?

It was a fairly productive morning. A quick break for lunch. Then… a phone call that resulted in me rushing from the house and spending the rest of the day with an injured family member in the emergency room. When that phone call came, and throughout the critical moments when I was unsure about my loved one’s status, work didn’t matter. I don’t like those moments – because they are usually terrifying – but I’ll admit that they really bring home the point of Areas of Focus!

One way I’ve found clarity and direction in life is to remember the Jar of Life and put it into practice in my life. Maybe you’ve seen or heard the story about the teacher who brought a large jar, some big rocks, small pebbles, sand, and water to class to illustrate an important life lesson about priorities. Our lives are the jar, and the big rocks are called Areas of Focus. If we want to lead our lives, and not just live them, we need to put those rocks in first and prioritize those parts of our lives.