Glad you got some good ideas! Thanks for commenting!

Glad you enjoyed the ideas. We can always learn! 🙂 Thanks for commenting!

I’m so glad the interview was helpful! Don’t give up! I’m confident you will be able to figure out your next move to go forward.

Thank you for reaching out with your feedback. I really appreciate it and once again, I’m so happy it helped!

I’m so happy it rang true for you! Seems like we are always finding ways to “scatter” ourselves…there’s so much good stuff out there! Hope our discussion helped you figure out your “one rabbit”…and thanks for commenting! 🙂

I’m so glad what you are finding is helpful! Thanks for taking time to let me know! 😉

Interesting. Thank you for sharing this story. So good to learn of how others are making an impact.

Oh I’m so happy to read this Tina! I’ve been out of town, and missed this commend when you posted it. So thank you for taking time to write. Keep me posted on your progress, I’ll be happy to hear how you are implementing these ideas!

Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

So glad to hear this Linda! Thanks for commenting here. Thrilled you’re already moving forward!

Hi Theresa,
Thanks for your comments. I love the idea of a “reverse bucket list” — sounds like a practical way to be thankful every day. Here’s to being content with what we are able to do.
Happy New Year!
Christy 🙂

I read something recently about creating a “reverse bucket list”. Instead of listing all of the things that you want to do/experience in your life, you create a list of things that you HAVE done/experienced. I really like this idea and think I’m going to try it this year. I bet it will help me see that my life so far has been more than “good enough”!

Thank you so much for commenting Aura! I’m glad this was helpful. I’m working on feeding my body and brain every day – the older I get, the more I find this saying true…”Age is between your ears!” Haha. Thanks again and have a great weekend!

So happy to hear this! Thanks for listening – Kathi is wonderful and I’m glad you enjoyed the conversation. I love how easy it is to listen even from Korea!!

I totally enjoyed this episode with Kathi Lipp. Also I love the way you summarize the interview so that the readers can quickly follow the books and the websites mentioned in the program. Thank you so much!!!!

Soonuk
Seoul, Korea

Thanks Mary Lou. And I enjoyed reading about your story as well. I guess if it were easy… well, you know. I’m finding it’s almost like being an alcoholic. I just have to think “one day at a time” and sometimes it’s one minute at a time! Thanks again. So glad you enjoyed the podcast.

You probably know that I have lost and gained many times in my life. One of the keys was to not get caught up in how long it takes. I loved your attitude that you did not get sidelined by not reaching your original time frame (that causes many problems)…way to go..bless you!

Thanks so much! You guys were awesome!

Christine – thank YOU so much! You were fun to talk with and I can’t wait to see what opens up for you in the seasons ahead. Yup…we are BOTH “keeping it real”. Thanks again friend.

Anne, Yes! It’s crazy isn’t it. I was at an adoption conference for the past week and have been pretty disconnected…I just can’t focus on multiple things…so now I’m back with my “podcaster” hat on getting an interview ready to publish. It never ends. By the way – can’t wait to watch your video about kombucha! 🙂

*husband

Blessings to you on your mission to encourage working moms!
Christine

I’m so happy to hear this! You can do it for sure. And yes, the world is so hungry for that message of hope! That it comes from HIM. And I’ll pray with you for HIM to bring you the people who need to hear your message.

Yes Karrilee. You should know that writing it out is a GREAT practice. The real key is to read it over and over and over and practice it until it becomes so natural you’re not reading it – you should be able to just have a few key points on a notecard to keep you on track. Practice is so important! I’m glad to hear you are doing that and yet staying open. I know God tends to move most when we are already in motion. 🙂 …And I actually have given the speech that I did give probably 8-9 times before, (or more) so I had practiced it quite a bit before. Good luck with your program. I’m sure it will be fabulous! 🙂

Glad to be a reminder for you Tara! Go for it! 🙂

Glad to hear this resonated with you Amanda. Sometimes we will NEVER KNOW the outcome, but I think it’s still best to act on those instincts.

Tara, forgot to mention it closes for the year on Thursday, so be sure to let me know if you have any other questions before then. I did the program last year and again this year – it’s just terrific and I’ll be happy to answer your questions.

Amanda, I think you would LOVE this! When I see what you are doing – I think this would be such a great fit for you. Be sure to check out the info and if you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with me directly! I’d love to answer for you. He’s closing it for the year on Thursday the 8th, so feel free to connect with me before then. 🙂

The Webinar is the 7th and the final day before he closes this for the year is the 8th. That’s the information I have.

Wendy, So glad you liked his book too – same with me — he’s really been such a huge mentor! Yup! See you tomorrow! 🙂

Tara, You will LOVE this! Be sure to check out the links – so much good stuff there and 2015 Will BE Your Best Year EVER!! 🙂

Nancy, so very glad these have been helpful. I can’t wait to see what unfolds for you in 2015. I know great things are on your horizon. Things you haven’t even imagined! It’s going to be a fantastic year! 🙂 Love ya!

So true Theresa! I will be leaning on you for routine…and I’ll do my best to encourage you to Listen. What a great word! And how difficult sometimes to stop and wait and listen. But so very important! I agree–here’s to an amazing 2015!

My word for this year is LISTEN. It came to me through Psalm 25: 4-5. A reminder for me to listen for God’s promptings and humble myself as I await his direction.

Here’s to a 2015 filled with doing more of the things we love!!

Thank you Amy! So glad you are inspired and encouraged! I appreciate you taking the time to write. It really is all about practice isn’t it! 🙂 Merry Christmas!!

Glad you enjoyed it Mindy. It was probably so nice to get to hear her voice so well! 🙂 Hope you’re enjoying all the Christmas Markets of Bavaria! Wish I was there too.

And we are lucky to have you in our lives Sheri! I didn’t know you wanted to adopt. Now I guess you have 500 ‘adopted’ kids at school! We are all thankful for you! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Robyn! So glad you enjoyed it. And yes, adoption is such a blessing. My podcast on our journey will come out Wednesday. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for sharing!

Hi Amy, So glad you enjoyed the podcast and of course you must love Courtney – she’s just darling. And, you’re the book winner! Watch your email for more details. Thanks!

Hi Jessica, I loved reading your story. And I know you have such a heart for kids – the way you support and love all the hundreds of kids that have come through your international student hosting program shows your true passion. I hope you can adopt someday too. I think it’s a natural fit for your family. Thanks for commenting!

Oh Ray, I was just talking about you with the kids last week. Amelia remembers meeting you and your daughter by name! I can’t believe you have gone over 8 times…you’re amazing. And I agree. It really is the best thing ever! Please feel free to share our story with your friends. Even though it’s much more difficult now, it’s a journey that so many can be blessed by. Beyond words. Thanks for commenting!

Haha Wendy. Yes, sometimes silence is the best communicator of all! Often my silence will allow someone else to say something they wouldn’t have if I had been blabbing! 🙂 Where do you speak?

Good for you Caci! Does it ever get any easier?

Hi Martha, Thanks for your comments…yes, I think you might find some good suggestions to help you act more assertively when you don’t feel like doing it! It’s difficult to act contrary to your natural inclination for sure. Where did you adopt from? Ours are from Fuling and Chongyang. Love China adoption! Next Monday I’ll publish a podcast on our adoption journey in celebration of National Adoption Month. So thankful!

Hi Samantha, Sounds familiar! 🙂 How do you keep from falling into the aggressive category? It’s a daily thing for me.

Hi Mary Beth, So glad you enjoyed the post. I’m with you on the defensiveness. How do you handle it when you feel that starting to happen?

Hi Anastasia, Glad you enjoyed that advice. I know what you mean about being taken off guard and surprises. I think that’s a control thing. 🙂 I’m working on slowing down my response and then asking a question. Easier said than done. What are you finding helpful?

Hi Julie, Thanks for the feedback. 🙂 I’m with you on the defensiveness thing…it’s so easy to fall into that! I was just talking about it yesterday (with my therapist! :)) and she suggested I really practice slowing down my responses when I feel myself getting defensive. I will often react quickly with not the best response, when what I really need to do is step back, breathe and wait a moment before replying. And then reply with a question to help me understand them better. I’m going to try that. 🙂 How do you handle it?

Thanks Missy, so glad you liked the ideas and found them helpful. Which questions do you find yourself using to deepen your understanding and relationships?

Hi Britt. I love the question. I’m going to have to think about the “technical” aspect of adding energy…there are so many ways. Start with smiling and reaching out to the person you see. Be interested in them. Ask questions. Be more focused on being interested than in being interesting. Smile some more. Laugh. Find something to laugh about…I think I could go on and maybe even get a blog post out of it! ha. Thanks for the question. What do you think? Do you do these things as an energy giver?

Thanks Amanda! Yup, let’s all work to make a bigger pie. How do you think you might do that?

Oh my Cheryl. What you say is so true. I think healthy boundaries help with getting taken advantage of. (Thank you Dr. Henry Cloud for your book Boundaries!) It’s always a risk to reach out and offer generosity for the reason you said. How have you handled it when you’ve experienced that unhealthy “taking” from someone?

Thanks Kristi! What do you typically find hardest to remember in your normal day-to-day living?

Thanks Anastasia, So glad you enjoyed the post. What was your favorite idea?

Anastasia Rose
#write31days
walk-in-the-rain-with-me.blogspot.com

Anastasia Rose
#write31days
walk-in-the-rain-with-me.blogspot.com

Hi Natalie, So sorry for the delay responding. Thank you for commenting! For some crazy reason my website thought your comment was spam and I just found it! So glad you are enjoying this topic. It’s interesting how our favorite people really are the best listeners and supportive. What do they do to show support to you? We all feel support differently.

Thanks Pattie, Glad you enjoyed the examples. Real life is the best example 🙂 Which was your favorite?

Ha Ha Anung! I love it! Maybe you could just casually send her a link to my podcast. If they are working moms they would like it. (I guess it would be awkward if they were men! ha)…It’s Encouraging Words for Working Moms Podcast. You can find it on iTunes or my website. I talk about all this stuff each week plus interview awesome working moms. It’s so frustrating when the leadership isn’t on board. Good luck! When have you been most successful communicating this way?

Thanks for the birthday wishes Amanda. It was a fun one, and if you look at my FB page you’ll see the whole family celebrating. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed this advice. Today is on receiving feedback. What is the easiest part for you when giving feedback?

Hi Lisa, Yes, business application is always helpful…after all, what we do at work we will often repeat at home. Where can I find your series on communication? I’d love to read it!

Oh my Lynnae, you have a full plate! Yes, when we are direct it can be taken as rude unless we stay really focused on the message. It’s neat you’ve experience the good stuff that comes from direct talk. Thanks for the birthday greetings. I enjoyed reminding myself as I wrote the post. What’s the funniest story you have of ‘direct talk’? I’ll bet you have a bunch of them! 😉

Oh goodness Laura, I know what you mean. It’s so easy to take it personally. Glad we’re on that same journey together. Can you think of a time when you didn’t and had a positive outcome?

Yes Sarah, it’s so difficult when those who really should know better can’t seem to communicate effectively. I guess we just have to model how it’s done! What’s been the most anxiety producing situation you’ve experienced?

Thanks Robyn! So glad you enjoyed the post. Any other thoughts about it?

Happy birthday! And thanks for this post!

Thanks Charlotte. Which point did you like best?

Glad the acrostic helped Barbara. I do better when I have something to “attach” the info to. Have you ever had a big deal you had to forgive?

Yes Rachel…it’s one of those things that if you don’t think about it can get worse and worse. What’s been your favorite thing of these 31 days?

So true Melissa! How do you keep yourself in the happy mode?

Yes Laura, why do you think we take it out on our families first?

I know what you mean Lisa. It’s sometimes a challenge. Have you ever experienced getting stuck in un-forgiveness? I have, and it’s so sweet when it’s resolved (I forgive!)…what’s your story?