As the year comes to an end, you might find yourself busier than ever, scrambling to get done project tasks at work, attending all the Christmas parties, and getting everything ready for the holidays at home.

It can either be a very stressful time . . . or a time for reflection and new beginning, depending where you’re at in your life and your perspective.

Either way, it is important to take time over the holidays to really enjoy it instead of the usual hustle and grind – it’s a chance for you to recharge from your busy life and be present with those you love most (even if you have the urge to work).

Life can often feel overstuffed and you don’t want your family to feel like this is just one more thing on the to-do list. 

Study after study shows that, when people late in life look back at their lives, they regret not making more time for their family and important relationships (not more time at the office).

So give yourself and others your presence and...

I saw the movie “A Star Is Born” this weekend. I was captivated during the first half of the movie . . . it was incredible.

And then the movie started going in a direction I did not expect . . . and I was distracted in my thoughts of how it should have or should have not gone, wanting it to speed up to see what would happen and then left disappointed because it didn’t meet my expectations.

When I got home, I reflected on how I was so mesmerized by the first half but had such a different experience in the last half.

I realized that I became distracted and critical and missed enjoying what was happening in the moment, because it didn’t meet my expectations (and who says my expectations are right, anyways?)

I rarely ever do this, but I went back a couple of days later to watch it again – and absolutely loved it in its entirety.

I realized all the little details I missed the first time when I was distracted, and even though it didn’t go in the...

If you follow me, you know I’m a huge believer in taking time to disconnect, whether you are on vacation or the weekends with your family or giving yourself some downtime in the evening.

Taking time to truly be away from the daily stressors at work, and not constantly being on your phone/checking in, can let you focus on other important matters like quality time with your spouse and kids, and a chance for you to recharge.

Even during the workday, it’s important to get rid of distractions when you are focusing on a task or conversation.

But what do you do when you can’t seem to turn your mind off, leaving you feeling scattered and constantly bouncing from one thought to the next?

When you can’t help thinking about that big presentation coming up or the conversation you had yesterday with your manager that didn’t go very well.

Or when you are in a meeting, and even though you look like you’re listening to what others have to say, you are really...

A topic I speak on with companies is “Your Best Work” and how to create motivation within.

When you shift your lens – your mindset and beliefs – you can create motivation from within to give your best self and work every day, and you can also help others around you do this too. There are far more factors within your control and small action that you can take that makes a BIG difference in shifting your mindset and your results.

Here are 5 factors to boost your motivation from within and small, effective action you can take for each of these factors to apply this into your work and rest of life so you can perform better, bring out the best in others and enjoy your days more.

CLICK HERE for this free download (no email necessary). What’s ONE thing you can put into action starting today?

Note, content comes from various resources.

I had a phone call recently with my marketing coach (yes, coaches have coaches too, to help us get out of our own way and move to a new level!)

One area I want to develop is refining my messages to share what I have to say in a way that resonates most with you.

A challenge I got from my coach (and have received from others as well) is to be more “real and raw” in how I communicate – to be more passionate and super excited, and more vulnerable and emotional when sharing what I feel.

To talk about the things that fire me up and be more dramatic in how I write and speak.

I resist time and time again. In my head, I am doing it already – I just don’t get too excited or worked up about things. And, the response I get is to let my guard down.

So, today, I’ll accept the challenge. Here’s what gets me fired up: When people tell me I should get fired up!

The bottom line — I feel like I just don’t get too excited or expressive...

Do you feel overwhelmed with everything you have to do and it’s affecting your mood? Are you short on patience with people at work or at home? Do you have others around you who are frustrated with what’s going on?

There’s a simple tweak you can make in your approach that will instantly get you better results. I was reminded of this on a trip to Mexico a few days ago with my husband.

The resort we stayed at was awesome, however it was CRAZY BUSY – we were catching the tail end of Mexico’s spring break and the front end of a three-week festival where bus loads of families would arrive at 6 a.m. creating overlap between them and when others checked out – so double the people!

The staff were busier than ever. There were longer lines, food was cold at times, it was hard to find a seat, and as a customer it wasn’t the relaxing atmosphere we had hoped for.

And, in the end we were happy customers and had an awesome trip. On the last day, I...

I can’t seem to shake this heavy feeling since the tragic Humboldt Broncos accident here in Saskatchewan. It’s so very sad.

I’ve been thinking about what the kids, families, friends and community are going through, and I can’t even imagine their pain and grief.

I’m also amazed by the outpouring of support across the world and people seeking out the positive in such a difficult time.

A tragedy like this can remind us all to be even more appreciative of life and the small moments each day – because you just don’t know what tomorrow will bring.

This can help you to find more joy and contentment in those moments and have fewer regrets.

Here are three ways to cultivate being more appreciative what’s going on in the moment and the people and things around you.

1. Be grateful for the mundane.

Each day list five things in your life you could be grateful for, but might go unnoticed.

These can be simple things like a good...