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 …

Identifying Unclaimed Emotional Baggage

Beth Vogtchange, choices, courage, freedom, Identity, Life, perspective 18 Comments

Being Brave Enough to Deal with Our Stuff by @bethvogt Last weekend one of my closest friends texted me this question: When does all the baggage stop bubbling to the surface? Her question is a bit of a mixed metaphor, yes, but still it brought to mind a vivid image: a murky lake filled with suitcases bobbing to the the …

The Danger of Believing Everything We Think

Beth Vogtchoices, confidence, perspective, Quotes, Thoughts 14 Comments

Why We Need to  “Mind Our Mind” by @bethvogt Mind your manners. Chances are, we’ve all said those words before. Maybe we’ve also been reminded to mind our manners. When we mind our manners, we’re taking extra care to be polite. To remember, as I would tell my kiddos when they were younger, to use their “nice words,” like please …

How Real Life Redefines Bravery

Beth Vogtbravery, courage, crisis, Life, perseverance 20 Comments

What Happens After a Crisis by @BethVogt “Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up.” ~Brené Brown, American research professor Can I just be honest and say life went off the rails last week? The past seven days have been all about trying to find some sense of calmness in the midst of recovering …

Understanding Estrangement

Beth Vogtbrokenness, family, perspective, Quotes, Relationships 43 Comments

A Few Truths I’ve Learned Living with Brokenness                                                                                                            …

In Others’ Words: The Importance of Protecting Our Dreams

Beth Vogtdreams, In Others' Words, Quotes 11 Comments

Confronting Our Doubts @BethVogt   We all chase after dreams. During our childhood, the simplest of questions may spark a dream: What do you want to be when you grow up? Pause for a moment and let’s remember that oh-so-much-younger us. The one who didn’t hesitate to believe we could become a ballerina. Or an astronaut. Or a dolphin trainer. …

In Others’ Words: Thoughts on How to Keep Growing

Beth Vogtchange, In Others' Words, Quotes 6 Comments

Doing Better Than Your Best @bethvogt “I did the best I could.” I’ve never been a fan of those six words. Here’s how the conversation usually goes: I’m sitting across from someone who is recounting a struggle they faced where there was no resolution. No improvement. And then they sum up their efforts by saying, “I did the best I …

Choosing to be Thankful Now

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, Quotes, Thanksgiving 5 Comments

So many people are posting so many things about Thanksgiving today. So many things have already been said about Thanksgiving. About being grateful. And today is a day to be present … yes, present in our less-than-perfect circumstances and choose to be thankful for something. For someone.  Gratitude, if nothing else, is a choice. You are in my prayers today …

In Others’ Words: The “More” of Getting to Know You

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, Quotes, validation 12 Comments

Everyone has value. The trick is to take the time to discover it. Perhaps you recall the musical “The King and I.” One of my favorite songs from that Rodgers and Hammerstein musical is “Getting to Know You,” with lyrics about “getting to know you, getting to know all about you …” Sometimes we forget the fine art of getting …

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 …