thrivingmatters

Hope

This new day is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the yesterdays. Ralph Waldo Emerson I notice as we turn the calendar to a new year that my sense of hope is fortified. I am able to imagine new ways of seeing and being. I feel a faint beckoningContinue reading “Hope”

Potential & Promise

I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it. Maya Angelou Everyday brings with it potential and promise.

Go Gently

Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength. Saint Francis de Sales I started this blog to provide hope and compassion for those, like me, who emerged whole yet scarred from Adverse Childhood Experiences. Trauma leaves an indelible imprint on the souls of children. As we grow older the imprint getsContinue reading “Go Gently”

Perspective

Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it. Helen Keller I have resumed use of a simple exercise in my coaching. The exercise quickly demonstrates the power of perspective. I invite you to give the exercise a try. Raise your dominant hand, index finger pointing skyward, aboveContinue reading “Perspective”

Healing Continues

No one heals herself, who wounds another. Inspired by Saint Ambrose “We are safely on the opposite shore of another Christmas.” This is the message I sent to my sister acknowledging the emotional challenges of the holiday. Christmas is a perfect storm for survivors of Adverse Childhood Experiences. Heightened expectations for family gatherings, listening toContinue reading “Healing Continues”

Grow Whole

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” e.e. cummings Last month I bruised a rib. I went for a sail on a gusty Friday evening to celebrate the end of the work week. A strong gust dumped me, flipping the boat with “her” sail filling with water in the choppyContinue reading “Grow Whole”

Trust Your Gut

We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves. Buddha Recent changes at work caused a deep sense of uneasiness. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I felt unsettled and distracted. A colleague told me to “trust myContinue reading “Trust Your Gut”

Humor Heals

Laugh as much as possible, always laugh. It’s the sweetest thing one can do for oneself & one’s fellow human beings. Maya Angelou I haven’t laughed enough lately. I am taking things (too) seriously; work challenges and changes, friends going through tough things, children finding their way to independence. You know, life. Life, the sourceContinue reading “Humor Heals”

Integration

Now, every time I witness a strong person, I want to know: What darkness did you conquer in your story? Mountains don’t rise without earthquakes. Katherine Mackenett Conversations at work have shifted dramatically. It may be pandemic reckoning, but I think it is more fundamental. I coach and consult in a global organization where integrationContinue reading “Integration”

Growing Through Pain

When it hurts, observe. Life is trying to teach you something. Anita Krizzan, poet I’m a survivor of Childhood Sexual Abuse and a survivor of recovering from CSA’s festering wounds and their exquisite pain. Yes, recovery and healing hurts before it sets me free. The pattern in my healing journey plays out like this….I getContinue reading “Growing Through Pain”