The rules Rule Number 1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period this time round. Rule Number 2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called Life. Each day in this school you will have the […]

  What I learned Here are my girls waiting for our turn to tour Wind Cave in Custer State Park. We stayed in “camping cabins”, just beds and tables inside. We did all of our cooking outside under a pavilion. It rained a lot, the only good day we had was the day we went to […]

  I agree to resolve conflicts directly It’s not a problem that we have a problem. It’s a problem if we don’t deal with the problem. Mary Kay Utecht Remember the Revolutionary Agreements? I know it’s been a long summer, but hopefully you remembered the first six. Agreement Seven is a tough one. Really they all […]

Happiness, even in tough times, is very much under your control. The past year has been hard and we have learned that we can’t always control our circumstances. But humans have an amazing ability to overcome challenges that may seem insurmountable. Experts say that 50% of our happiness is genetically determined and 10% is due […]

One of my clients was telling my about a book he found called Heroes for My Son. The book tells you little known things about famous people. For example, we all know that Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. But did you know that it was 25 years before he took the credit for […]

These agreements are really a pain, aren’t they. In one morning I managed to break every single one. It started Sunday after Malaika’s concert. She was determined to go to her friend’s house to work on a project. Since it was already almost 8:00 pm, I was not very happy about it, but agreed. Then […]

  I am having a lot of trouble finishing this newsletter simply because I am not present. I’m watching the clock, thinking about all the things I have to do between now and 3:30. Go shopping, do laundry, pack. I am so focused on where I want to be (in Estes Park by 5:30) that […]

Agreement Three is tough, don’t you think so? To look inside yourself when you react. Have you ever had a strong reaction to something someone said to you and stewed about it? I have, especially having a teenager in the house. Or did someone’s behavior offend you? When that happens, it usually has more to […]

Today is 8th grade graduation.  It’s on to high school.  Where has the time gone?  What happened to my little girl?  She has grown into a young woman before my very eyes.  And Happy Birthday, Mom.  I miss you.

Do people ever really change? On the one hand, of course we do! We grow and mature, we learn new skills, and our perspective and lifestyles change over time. But, on the other hand, intentionally deciding to change habitual behavior can be extraodinarily difficult. How many times have we tried to change our way of […]