Get NASTY!

As if I didn't already love Louis C.K. ... he perfectly summarizes why this election is so ridiculous.

You don't need to be a Democrat, or an Independent like myself, to see that Trump is a sucker's bet.

Bottom line: Hillary might be unlikable, but maybe that's because she's had to fight for everything she's achieved and that leaves some sour tastes behind. She might be corrupt-ish, but I'd gladly take someone who's using their deviousness to get children healthcare. She might have used an illegal email system, but she used it while trying to make the world a safer place and stand up for the rights of women around the world. She might have even buried a few bodies along the way (doubtful), but The Clinton Foundation has also helped millions get AIDS drugs (not to mention other good works).

We are now living in a time where inspiration isn't enough... we need a bad-ass-get-shit-done-who-cares-if-it's-pretty NASTY Woman in the White House.

We don't need to like her. We just need to help her get in, then get out of the way and let her work her ass off for our country.  

March DADness

Quick question: Have you spent more time this week following your team's progress, your candidate's, or your kid's?

I mention this because the news, social media, and overheard conversations lead one to believe that sports and politics are the only thing adults have to focus on in their non-work hours. Sure it's way easier to divert our attention with mindless competition then to tackle the really hard work of coaching our kids to the success we really want them to have. But tough!

This is a sexist assumption so feel free to reverse if it doesn't match your situation but I'm going to go out on a limb and presume that most mothers do the bulk of the logistical and physical work to take care of the kids. This leaves fathers in the "supporting" role and I think that it's time to change that.

I'm not a huge sports fan-- truth be told I only like sports when I can be at a game and when there is an event that is centered around one-- but I do know many men who spend more time watching, bracketing for, and betting on sports then they do directly interacting with their children. And it makes me very sad :(

So how can that be turned around?

Make it more fun and PLAYFULLY competitive to get more involved with our kids. Daddy Up!

Some ways to make Daddying more sporty:

• Engage more with Teammates (other parents and your kid's friends)
• Strategize with other Coaches (teachers and coaches)
• Make Game Plan by mapping out what you'd like them to excel at this season ->
• TEAM DADDY: take on fatherhood with fun and excitement (get a family/team logo, mascot, color, cheer) 

Kids are exhausting and often annoying and a huge amount of work just to keep their basic needs covered. But they can also be the most fun, most rewarding, and best investment of our time. Turn Daddying into a sport that you invest your time in and the wins will be so worth the bet :)

Are You Well?

Last week on Twitter, Canadian phone company Bell sponsored a #BellLetsTalk day to spread the word that it's time to talk about mental health. Glenn Close released a video addressing trying to end the stigma of mental illness last week as well. And that's great and I agree! But I think there are a lot of people that don't have mental illness, so to speak, but are also not well. Let's call it mild depression. And let's talk about it. 

I'll go first... in 2001 I was super stressed at my job and had some relationship issues that were making me sad and I was just out of sorts. And when I shared that I wasn't feeling great I downplayed it so no one really took me seriously because by nature I was a mostly a happy person. I was the one others came to tell there problems to. Only after I got into a car accident did I finally start to take the issue seriously. At first I tried medication which took the edge off but wasn't really what I needed so I got a therapist and did some real work on myself. 

It snapped me out of the funk enough so that even when the next year a bunch of things started going wrong that were out of my control (deaths, breakup, job change) I was able to cope. One big breakthrough I had came during a weekend seminar I took when I noticed that if I was in a good state my shoulders were relaxed and I could breath normally and when my shoulders were off so was I. At that moment I knew I would never let myself get that stressed and exhausted again. So now whenever I catch myself getting super tense or feeling off I can reset myself because I know how to think my way through the anxiety.

Recently a few friends have come to me sharing that they are having a hard time with this issue or that and when I suggest that they either go talk to a doctor or a therapist they resist. 

We don't have to be mentally ill to kick our mental health up a notch. This can mean everything from evaluating our sleep habits, alcohol consumption, stress levels, unhealed childhood trauma... whatever it may be.

Here's the thing, depression sneaks up on you. Depression doesn't mean someone has mental illness, per se, it might just mean they are exhausted, that there is real stresses they need help with, that there might be a nutritional or hormonal issue that might be wearing on their body. Who knows?  

What I do know is that people die if they don't take care of themselves. If depression goes untreated it can lead to physical illness and further mental issues and for a couple people I've known even suicide. It's not something to just ignore. 

So how are you? Really?

If you haven't been your best please at least get some more rest. If that doesn't help tell someone you aren't doing great and see if you can get some advice from a professional. 

Don't live your life numb or sad or not well. People who care about you are busy with their own lives but I assure you they would want you to stop them and ask for help because they want you well. The burden on your friends and family doesn't come from getting you help it comes with dealing with someone they care about who won't get help. 

And if someone is caring and brave enough to share that they are concerned about you please don't brush them off or be embarrassed or ignore their concerns. If they notice you're not you lately take that as a cue to check in with yourself and see if now might be a good time to get a physical and maybe reassess where you are with other life matters. 

We all deserve a good life! That won't always mean sunshine and rainbows but if you're not good-- get help. I want us all to be well so we can partake in the joy of life :)

Creating 2016!

Wishing YOU a fabulous 2016! Cheers to creating your Best Year Ever :)

ME Mapping: Creating Your Year from Joy Meredith

The ThanksGiving List

It's that time of year! Gobble Gobble up the Love. XO

Happy Thanksgiving :)

FINDING JOY: The ThanksGiving List: Over a decade ago I started my favorite tradition ever:  The ThanksGiving List . It is a list of my closest friends and why I am thankfu...

What I Love About You...

Today at lunch a friend shared that her and her love randomly do The Top 10 Things I Love About You to each other and not only does it immediately shift her mood it has brought them closer. Although she confessed she limits it to 5 so they're really good ones. She gave me full credit (which you know I love!) and it reminded me that next week is Thanksgiving so some thanking and some acknowledgment is perfect timing.

The Top 10 is a little thing I started in my twenties with my best college friends. We would go around the table at dinner and count down 10 things- a la David Letterman- we loved about the Birthday Girl or if someone was having a particularly hard day we would do a special one for them. Instant lovefest!

The funny thing about The 10 is that occasionally it winds down to things that might not be huge compliments but are still amusing things that people notice about you. There have been mention of great eyebrows, wonderful magazine subscriptions, nice feet, and actually one year I was "loved" for how I give her the best compliments.
I'll take it ;)  The thing is to have fun and be kind.

The ThanksGiving List is a tradition that was actually a branch off of The Top 10 which is where I call my closest friends the morning of Thanksgiving and thank them for specific moments in our friendship that year. It is my favorite two hours of the year and it literally makes my life filled with happiness. It is like I am the thankful-fairy getting for give out little bouquets of love. I know it sounds gaggy but try it and I dare you to prove that it doesn't completely change your life and your friendships.

The world is a little extra scary lately so whether you count them down or serve them up with cherry turnovers- the next week is a great time to dish out some love. Cheers to a fabulous Thanksgiving and I hope your gravy boat overflows with gratitude and love. XO

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Brittany Maynard's Legacy Of Love

Brittany Maynard, 1984 – 2014

Brittany Maynard is a hero. 

She, her mother, and her husband have done an amazing thing: given end of life planning and rights a face and a voice. The lengths her mother and husband went to to comfort her when she was alive and fight for her legacy and last wishes, by getting the California’s End of Life Option Act passed, is truly inspirational. 

Today Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill that will go into effect starting January 2016 and will likely change the momentum going in other states and also the way the topic is addressed in political campaigns and around family tables. 

I keep thinking of her and how courageous, so open and vocal she was about her advocacy when she had so little time left in her life. That she spent her last months fighting for this right for others is awe inspiring and so generous. Her family obviously loved her and she took their strength to champion this cause and then they took her strength and continued her march. What a circle of love.  

Please take this as an opportunity to make your wishes- whether you agree with her personal decision or not- be known to your family. There is no greater gift to our loved ones then knowing what our final wishes are.

Thank you Brittany!