Today I interview former Animal Care Director and Life Coach Kelly Mullins. Kelly and I met at Catskill Animal Sanctuary (CAS) where at times she was responsible for the lives and wellbeing of over 300 animals, the animal care staff and the buildings and grounds. She has her own unique experience of burnout and grief associated with both her personal life and her work in animal welfare. Now she's coaching others to help them find joy and meaning in their lives and perhaps some teeny, tiny frogs! 

You can find out more about Kelly at www.kellymullinscoaching.com

Reasons and excuses may by definition appear very similar but there's one thing that vastly separates them, their consequences. Understanding whether something is a reason or an excuse can change what you do next. 

Text REKINDLE to 66866 to join my Monday and Friday e-inspiration list! 

This episode was inspired by a simple quote of Mother Theresa's. She said, "I'm not against war, I'm FOR peace." Every since I heard that quote I can't stop thinking about it's application to work, life  and basically everything. Do you know what you're FOR vs. AGAINST? I didn't until a really thought about it. Join me for this insight. 

To join my email list text REKINDLE to 66866

Perhaps the most important element of emotional intelligence is self-awareness, the ability to understand our feelings, actions, triggers, limitations and strengths. The more self-aware we are the better humans we are, it's that simple. Check out this episode where I dive into the what, why and the how of self-awareness. 

To join my email list, text REKINDLE to 66866. 

10 years ago I decided to invest in a Peloton bike. It was before anyone had one, I'm an OG! How could I believe in something and be willing put down hard-earned cash on something that wasn't even out on the market yet? Faith. Believing in something without any evidence. You can choose to either believe it will work out well or you can choose to believe it won't. I'll always choose the former, even if I'm wrong. 

When faced with difficulty and challenges we can either be the victim of our circumstances or the hero. And there may be time you truly were the victim but we can always change the way we tell our story. You survived what happened in the past and you're surviving now, that's heroic. This is powerful work that you can do on anything you're struggling with now or things from your past. 

We all react sometimes when unexpected things happen. It can be very valuable to think about what could go wrong with a big event or important situation you might have going on in your life. It's important to think about it not to fixate on all the "bad" things that could happen but to make space in your mind for all the possible outcomes. Because if you do, you give yourself the ability to respond vs. react. And responding almost always has a better outcome for you and everyone involved. 

Your self-concept is a collection of the perceptions you have about yourself. What you think about yourself informs who you believe yourself to be. Confidence and self-confidence are all based on what you tell yourself repeatedly. Our self-talk if not steered toward the positive can lead us to a negative self-image, lots of anxiety and lack of belief in ourselves. 

The Self-Talk Jar is a tool you can use to shift and change your self-talk. 

Here's the handout to help you make your own Self-Talk Jar. 

Does this sound familiar? When I finish this class/lose the weight/hire the associate/the kids go back to school....then I'll be happy, feel relaxed and be able to chill. The problem with this way of thinking is that 1.) it relegates your emotions to the circumstances of your life (which is not true) and 2.) it delays your joy to the future that keeps it perpetually out of reach. 

In this episode I will teach you how to stop postponing the joy that's available to you right here, right now. 

The book I mention in this podcast is Microjoys by Cyndie Spiegel. Available wherever books are sold. 

This week I had a birthday and while I'm so grateful to be alive and in good health, I also feel so much gratitude for you. Those that give of themselves and make many, many sacrifices to improve animals lives or deaths are what I call unsung heroes. 

Please allow me to just express a little of what is in my heart. I even have a poem for you and about you. Listen in!