Purpose

pur·pose

/ˈpərpəs/

This is the journey to define your gifts and talents to fulfill your unique calling—embracing who you are to help determine the roles only you can fill. It is the catalyst for doing your best, imperfectly so, each day in every area of life.”

A young woman wearing a red rain jacket practices chasing glimmers by leaning her head back and laughing in the rain

Here’s Why I’m Chasing Glimmers Instead of Goals This New Year

“Glimmers are micro-moments of regulation that foster feelings of well-being.” —Deb Dana I’m over the whole ‘New Year, New Me’ mantra and the pressure of setting rigid goals for myself. It’s not that I don’t believe in personal growth or the power of striving for positive change—I do. Setting goals gives me a sense of direction and keeps me grounded. But here’s the thing—when I focus too much on chasing goals and pushing for self-improvement, I often miss something just as important: the small, meaningful moments scattered throughout my day. And I know I’m not alone in this. How many of us are living in a constant rush, juggling multiple roles, plowing through to-do lists, and running from one meeting to the […]

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Humanity Comes Alive When Disaster Strikes

Humanity Comes Alive When Disaster Strikes

Hurricanes Irma, Ian, and Helene… The outbreak of tornadoes in the Midwest… And, most recently, the wildfires consuming California… all devastating natural disasters that destroyed property and disrupted or even took the very lives of some who were in their path. The communities hit by these monsters no one can control are currently in various stages of rescue, recovery, and rebuilding. Ours is one of them. As we work through clean up, as we begin the rebuilding, we are found helping one another. In some cases, we’re meeting our neighbors for the first time. We pass their home every day on the way to work, but today is when we introduce ourselves before quickly asking how can we help. Opening Our Eyes

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5 Steps for Setting Goals, Changing Dreams into Done

5 Steps for Setting Goals, Changing Dreams into Done

I absolutely love the start of each new year! A fresh start… a clean slate… wide open horizons… Pick your choice metaphor and embrace the new year’s energy with me for a minute. Fast forward to late January, and my motivation is waning. My guess is the same thing happens to you. In fact, statistics tell us that only 8% of us actually achieve the New Year resolutions we set! Our resolutions break down because we fail to create a plan to achieve them. In fact, rather than creating resolutions, I create goals that are important to me for the coming year. Goals vs. Resolutions It might seem like semantics to set goals versus resolutions, but here is the subtle difference between

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creating a wellness vision

Why You Need a Wellness Vision and Your Guide to Creating One

I don’t remember any watershed or lightbulb moments that first prompted me to take a more proactive stance on the state of my health and create a wellness vision. However, I do remember what happened when I made the solemn vow to start treating myself with a little more TLC: absolutely nothing. Zip, zilch, nada. Because when I made that pledge to myself, I imagined willpower would be enough to align my actions with my words and that my quest toward greater wellness would unfold in a buttoned-up linear fashion. Sure, it was a bit delusional to think that the process would be seamless and easy. Instead, I did the whole two-steps-forward-four-steps-back dance. (And later learned that all my back peddling, overanalyzing,

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Starting the New Year With Grit, Grace, and Inner Beauty

Starting the New Year With Grit, Grace, and Inner Beauty

There’s something hopeful about a new year. Who doesn’t love a fresh start? A new year often incites determination to tackle big projects, resolution to make hard changes, and lofty dreams of what our renewed motivation and hard work might bring. Maybe you plan to organize every room in the house over this next year, drop some of that holiday weight, or go after your dream job. Those are all great goals that you can achieve! But have you considered focusing on the inner you—the part of you that has nothing to do with outward appearances? Here are 4 truths about inner beauty you should know: 1. You are valuable. Not because you are beautiful, funny, smart, kind, helpful, hard-working, supermom, the

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table view of a woman writing in a journal with a cup of coffee after choosing to forget new year's resolutions

Forget New Year’s Resolutions—Small Changes Are All We Need

As we start the New Year, I am reminded of years past and what I have longed for, accomplished, and have yet to fulfill. I just love the newness of a Monday or the first of the month or a January full of unrealized potential and loads of plans and goals. With each January we are given a new chance and more time and, as I get older, I am realizing that time is more valuable than money. I have a small list of resolutions this year: less sugar, less screen time, more quality in our week, more love for my husband and my kids, and leaning on my Jesus. Giving myself grace, walking daily, returning to yoga, writing on Sundays, and

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Feeling-Funky--9-Ways-to-Fight-the-Christmas-Blues

Feeling Funky? 9 Ways to Fight the Christmas Blues

It’s that time of year! We start out with such energy and excitement for the holidays! We change our radio stations to hear some Christmas tunes, we decorate our house and fill up our calendars with fun parties to attend, but by the time it’s all over, we are usually exhausted, often broke, and almost always a few pounds heavier. I’ve found that anytime I’m in a funk, there are always a few things I can do to help myself come out of it more quickly. I’ve also found there are some things that can keep me there longer as well (#netflixandbrownies)! In order to proactively avoid the post-holiday blues, I want to share with you the ones that help instead of

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7 Ways to Get the Most Out of Now

7 Ways to Get the Most Out of Now

Change. It is a certainty. It never ceases to amaze me how life can completely change in the blink of an eye. It invigorates me and leaves me a little terrified at the same time. We often go about subconsciously believing that we will live forever—that time is always there. The mind is amazing how it can trick us in that way. But we rarely fully experience the present, even though it is the only thing that is certain about our time here on earth. Experiencing the sudden death of my father and the traumatic birth of my daughter (born with a rare genetic disorder) heightened my awareness of how life can turn on a dime. I’m sure many of you have had similar life curve balls. Yet, we know

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Overcoming Shame from Abuse in a Grit and Grace Life

If you were a victim of child abuse or neglect like me, you very likely have experienced or do experience some level of shame. In my case, it plagued me for many years, yet I had no idea what it even was. Shame from abuse is hard to pin down because it assumes many forms. But it has the same message. It tells us that we are inferior, a mistake, fundamentally flawed. Shame Is Not the Same as Guilt Shame focuses on self. Guilt focuses on behavior. Shame says that “I am bad.” Guilt says that “I did something bad.” Instead of saying “I made a mistake,” a person who experiences shame says that “I am a mistake.” Think of shame as

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Grace is not weakness it requires strength

Grace Is Not Weakness; It Requires Strength

Defining Grace Grace is the anchor of our faith, the reason for the confidence we have in a God of mercy. It’s what is extended to us through a relationship with God established by the sacrifice of Christ. When we accept it from our Creator, it seems it should be such an easy thing to extend because he does it so magnificently. But for us to live our lives offering the same grace to others is anything but an easy task. Living a life of grace is very often misinterpreted. Some believe it’s an indicator of weakness. In the eyes of many, extending the truest form of grace, which is forgiveness, means giving up. Others believe grace is automatic and easy to

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Pulling Out Trauma by the Roots

Pulling Out Trauma by the Roots

Every day for nearly six years, I had to walk by a line of misshapen, horribly trimmed, oblong, and funky shrubs to get to my front door. Some years, I’d take shears and gently prune the gangly branches in hopes that the new growth would sprout forth as effortlessly and symmetrically as it appeared our neighbor’s shrubs did every spring. Other years, my frustration led me to our battery-powered hedge trimmer. At first, I was a bit intimidated by it. Me? Someone who trimmed hedges? With power tools, no less? But after I got comfortable with the safety button, I was ready to cut back any unruly branch or out-of-place landscaping around our house. “What have you done?” my husband kindly asked

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5 Helpful Tips for Loving Your Body the Way It Is

5 Helpful Tips for Loving Your Body the Way It Is

My body shaming started in fifth grade shortly after a classmate made up a “clever” little saying about my breasts. She recruited a group of boys who all chanted for days: “Rachel’s so flat a pancake would be jealous. Flatty cakes, flatty cakes!” Good one, sister. I was 11 years old… of course I was flat. As junior high came into full swing—and then high school—I noticed when friends blossomed as my own adolescent development seemed to lag behind my peers. When I finally started my period at the age of 15, I felt defective for showing up to the puberty party late. Over the years, I’ve abused, neglected, badmouthed, overworked, and shamed my body. Some of my shaming was induced by

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a mom kneels on the floor and measures her son's growth against a door frame since he's been experiencing growing pains

Growing Pains and Door Frames: A Measure of How Far We’ve Come

Whenever people asked me what was new in my life, it was easier to answer with what was new with my kids than myself. They were constantly changing: outgrowing their clothes, joining a soccer team, balancing equations, learning to read or playing the drums. We lived in the same home from the time I brought them bundled from the hospital until my son turned 11 and my daughter, 8. Every few months I’d take a Sharpie and make them stand flat on their feet and mark their height next to their initials. For 11 years, these black and red marks inched their way up the doorframe. Growing Pains My next-door neighbor and I shared a pediatrician. I was surprised one day when

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How to Create More Balance in Your Life

How to Create More Balance in Your Life

“Finding more balance” didn’t make it on my list of goals last year, but it’s near the top of my list this year. “Balance” is the oft-touted buzzword that can appear like an idealistic antidote to an overextended life. To create more balance in your life is the sought-after state of being that lies buried somewhere beneath our packed calendars, productive natures, and overstimulated selves. It’s the common prescription for what ails us, the ideal overall condition: “Stressed? Re-evaluate your work and life balance”…”High cholesterol? Try to maintain a balanced diet”…“Women should balance it all.” You can create more balance in your life! Though we may yearn for schedules and lifestyles that foster equal measures of work, play, and rest, the question

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What-My-Faith-Says-About-My-Purpose

What My Faith Says About My Purpose

I know that a woman of faith probably shouldn’t admit she thinks any book of the Bible is depressing, but there is one that I truly believe is! I realize there are some pretty troubling stories and incredibly sad scenarios written in God’s Word, but before you get all weird on me, thinking I am speaking badly about the Bible, hear me out. I find it easy to believe that God would agree the stories are both troubling and sad. Much of what is written reveals our human failure and our pursuit of selfishness and sin. These words also reveal God’s righteous intervention as He offers His mercy and grace with the goal of rescuing us from ourselves. It is when I

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sad woman in a dark room looking out the window exemplifying a widow's grief

A Widow’s Grief Doesn’t Need an End Date

I noticed an increase in my son’s acting out. He had become more defiant than normal and was driving me crazy. It didn’t matter what it was, but any minor correction blew up into full blown fights, tears, and frustration. Unfortunately, it didn’t stop there. He proceeded to get into trouble at school twice in the next week. One day, he came home from school and saw that there was a card on the kitchen counter, letting us know we were in someone’s thoughts. He brought it to me, wanting to understand what it meant since his name was listed as well. I ever so gently reminded him that the anniversary of his dad’s death was approaching. “Oh” he said, “I forgot.”

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blond woman creating art on a canvas wondering if it's bad to be selfish

Is It Bad to be Selfish? 4 Reasons the Answer Is No!

I was silent as the impassioned tone on the other end of the phone grew in volume. She named everything that overwhelmed her: the mounting bills and unyielding budget; the long afternoons with the young, napless kids; the at-home job that kept her working until the wee hours of the night; the lack of outside help and health issues creeping in. All of it was taking a massive toll on my friend. That place of feeling pulled, depleted, and drained was one in which I was familiar. While we brainstormed ways she could create more margin in her life, I suggested she devote a few hours each week to exercise at the gym while she took advantage of onsite childcare. “You could

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