Why Can We Be Hopeful When Our Plans Fall Apart?

Beth Vogtacceptance, challenges, change, choices, confidence, contentment, expectations, Faith, family, hope, Life, perseverance, perspective, Quotes, Reality, Scripture, strength, stress, trust 11 Comments

@bethvogt I love it when a plan comes together, don’t you? (Yes, an obvious nod to the A-Team.) And when a plan doesn’t? I scramble to scoop up all the falling apart pieces into my hands. Wanting to find a way to make my original plan work. It was a good plan – or so I thought. I’m not wrong. …

Do You Operate in Crisis Mode?

Beth Vogtchallenges, choices, crisis, emotions, In Others' Words, lifequotes, perseverance, perspective, Quotes 8 Comments

Learning to Balance Our Emotions by @bethvogt   “This is a deadline, not a crisis.” I woke up in the middle of the night with that phrase running through my head. I’d gone to bed a couple of hours earlier frustrated yet again. Staring down a looming writing deadline and an insufficient word count. I’d been chasing that deadline for …

In Others’ Words: Two Ways to Be Happy

Beth Vogtexpectations, In Others' Words, Quotes 7 Comments

I shared with a friend this week how my emotional margin is depleted and how, at the same time, I’m pushing to meet some self-imposed goals. She listened. This friend always listens. And then she spoke some much-needed truth to me. About how my circumstances probably weren’t going to change right now. And that maybe, instead of pushing against the …

In Others’ Words: The Certainty of Happiness

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, perspective, Quotes 12 Comments

What determines your happiness: your circumstances or your attitude? I would have to say there were times … are times … I allow my circumstances to determine whether I’m happy or not. Things go right — the way I want them to go — and I’m happy. All good. Things go wrong? I’m fighting against the drag of my emotions. …

In Others’ Words: More Gratitude

Beth Vogtgratitude, In Others' Words, Thanksgiving 1 Comment

  May you find many reasons to be thankful today. May you take the opportunity to tell others you are thankful for them. And I also hope that you hear others express their gratitude for you. Happy Thanksgiving, friends.  And if this day is woven through with some sadness for you, as can happen during the holidays, know that you …

In Others’ Words: Small Joys

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, perspective, Quotes 8 Comments

Just for today, let’s set aside the word “goal,” shall we? Just for today, let’s also set aside the word “happiness.” (Although I had an interesting discussion about happiness while I was in Breckenridge this past weekend. Another blog post.) Small joys. I want to talk with you all about small joys.  So often I laser in on the goal — whatever …

In Others’ Words: If You’re Happy and You Know It …

Beth VogtFun, In Others' Words, Life 9 Comments

There is a time and a place to be dignified. But there are so many more times and places to be happy.   Early in my novel writing journey, I met a wonderful group of women at a My Book Therapy writing retreat. We became friends, dubbing ourselves the MBT Ponderers — after author Susan May Warren warned us not …

In Others’ Words: Seeing the Small Joys

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, Life 7 Comments

I can spend my days so focused on the one big thing that I hope will ensure me happiness …  fame … or accolades … or some sort of self-satisfaction that creates an “I’m enough” feeling — however fleeting … Or I can gather the small joys that make up the every days of my life. Laughter shared with friends Hugs …

In Others’ Words: Surpised

Beth VogtQuotes 10 Comments

  “Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open.” ~ John Barrymore, American actor It’s delightful when happiness tiptoes up behind you, taps you on the shoulder, and then — when you turn around — yells “Surprise!” Yesterday that happened when … my daughter’s laughter mingled with her boyfriend’s my 10-year-old crawled into bed wearing …