When You Can't Get Motivated

Do you procrastinate? Last weekend I made a commitment to try oil painting so I bought the supplies with the intention to start this weekend. Saturday I filled my day with meaningful activities - a plant sale, visiting my mother, a long walk with Arnie and the dog, planting perennials. By the end of the day I figured I might be procrastinating.

Sunday I filled my day with meaningful activities - a work event, a long walk with Arnie and Bailey, work stuff. By 4:30 pm I was sure I was procrastinating.

I could not believe I was getting beat by tubes of paint and new brushes. So, I got out a canvas, unscrewed the paints, thinned them with linseed oil because that’s what a YouTube video said to do, started mixing colors and had one hour until I needed to start dinner.

Sometimes you just need to get started. Forget about the outcome. Just start.

I’m not sure where this painting is going but I made a determination - oil painting is more expensive and far more fun than...

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When You Want to Do Something Else

Every year at this time I ask my clients to designate one word for the year that will serve as a homing beacon for when life is confusing. This year I chose the world "ALLOW." I wrote the word in sand at our beach house, took a photo of it and put the image in a frame on my night stand where I look at it each evening before bed and each morning before I start my day. I've been doing this for years.

The word ALLOW served me well this year. I prevailed in my work on a $4.6 million capital campaign for an important project that serves under-resourced patients, supported my mother in an independent living facility, was executrix on my uncle's estate, overcame health challenges, celebrated a milestone birthday with the people I love - all while in the stress of a pandemic where people were sick and dying at the hospital where I am its Foundation's president.

I ALLOWED what was out of my control while focusing my energy on what was in my control. And for me a lot of that energy went...

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When You Are Overwhelmed and Pointing Fingers

I work with clients a lot on how mindful daily practices impact your effectiveness and happiness. Recently, I bought some water color supplies on Amazon, watched a video on watercolor painting and experimented one evening. I had fun then tucked the supplies away for another day.  

Last week, after the overwhelming and emotional experience of having to clean out my parent’s house to sell, I got out the box of supplies, threw inhibition to the wind and on the first page of my new watercolor journal painted an image from a peaceful photograph I had taken in the low country of South Carolina. It won’t be in any art contests but the experience of doing this with a shuffle of Michael Buble playing in the background calmed me.

In that space I could get curious about my emotions instead of running from them. I felt frustrated that my brother was not there to help me. I was sad going through the papers and memories of my father. I was worried about my mother who we had...

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