• Deliberate Living By Mom Sayings

    Mom sayings: there are certain things that all moms seem to say. I don't know where they started, but I know that my mom said them (or variations of them), and they can all be looked at in the light of deliberate living. Here goes:

  • Reclaiming Small Pieces of Time

    A mindset shift and a timer can help us in reclaiming time in small pieces, yet most people will tell themselves that they can’t possibly get anything done of worth and will fritter it away. A large part of managing time is to use the time that we have. Small chunks of time can be used effectively if we shift our mindsets and use tools to help us stay within the bounds.

  • From A Pile of Pens: An Earth Day Challenge

    I have a lot of pens. And most of them don't work for me. Even though I have a few that work, I keep buying, hoping for better. This is giving me a lens to examine my consumption; and to give you a challenge for Earth Day.

  • Things I’m Not Doing Anymore

    "Life is too short to fold socks." There are so many wonderful things in life. And there are things that really don't need to be done. Here is a list of things I'm not doing anymore.

  • The Value of Direction

    The Value of Direction

    It's no secret that I like to plan. It's isn't just about the end result which is working on the best activities (when I stick to the plan). I also enjoy the planning itself. Most of my life is driven by plans and lists. And it works for me - for the most part. But new years is more about direction for me.

  • define goals

    Define Goals with 20 Questions

    There comes a time in every examined life where you have to stop and say "What am I trying to do?" Here are some questions to help you answer that.

  • zero

    In Pursuit of Zero

    Getting my inbox down to zero means that I can approach my inbox each time without the dread of all the leftover email waiting for me to do something about it. It makes email much less stressful. I wondered if I could apply the concept of Zero to other areas of my life.

  • Gratitude

    The Importance Of Gratitude

    In the US this month we have Thanksgiving. I find that being thankful, or having gratitude, is one of the things that helps keep me on track, both in how and what I am doing.

  • mothers death

    Things I Learned From My Mother’s Death

    I had a really rough August into September. Two days after we took my only child to college and became empty nesters, my mother passed away. My husband and I made the drive to Wisconsin. I came away with some profound lessons. These are things that I am trying to incorporate into my life.