This year I wanted to do something really special for my dad on Father’s Day! I was looking for the best Father’s Day gift idea I could find.

Are you looking, too?

So rather than send my Dad another tie with Yellow Labs on it or a set of golf balls…

I decided to try something different this year.

I wrote him a story!

And not just any story.

A story of a special memory of the two of us.

It’s the Best Father’s Day Gift Idea!

Rather than buying him something,

write down a special memory and share it with him!

I found it to truly be the best Father’s Day gift idea!

And my mom reported that he cried when he read it,

so you know that’s a great gift, right!

A Tribute to My Dad

My dad’s birthday is on the 4^th of July. For years we woke to the mixture of him blasting John Phillip Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever and shouts of “Turn that music down, Jerry.”

We spent all his birthdays at my aunt, uncle and grandparent’s summer cottages in Henderson Harbor, NY. The only time during the 4^th of July that I wasn’t either in the water or making tents out of towels on the lawn, was when everyone gathered around Nam and Gramp’s black and white, rabbit-eared TV to watch Wimbledon.

I remember one year, leaning back against Dad’s legs watching Chrissy Evert battle Martina Navratilova. Chrissy had just hit a beautiful winner down the line. “Dad,” I said, “I bet she could beat you.” Everyone had laughed. Confused and embarrassed, I pulled my knees into my chest, until Dad patted me on the back as if to say, it’s ok.

Then I knew my silly mistake. Of course she couldn’t beat my dad. Nobody could beat my dad.

For years I’d sat on the grass outside the courts, watching him play. His opponents would always tease, “Oh no, he’s brought his good luck charm,” and I’d wait for them to finish so I could get on the court with Dad.

Eventually I’d stand on the opposite side of the court, trying to return his serve, not mishit the ball as he charged the net, and win that promised hot fudge sundae if I ever beat him.

We’ve been playing for years and I’ve yet to win that sundae.

The summer I turned 16 was the first I spent away from Dad on his birthday. Instead, I spent the day at The Wimbledon All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

Wimbledon!

I’d traveled to England on a High School summer exchange program and a group of us spent the night sleeping on the pavement outside the stadium in hopes of securing tickets. When the gates opened on the morning of July 4th, we were tenth in line and ended up with front row seats on Center Court.

I tried to mentally record every detail to later share with my dad. The reel still plays in my head of the traditional bowl of strawberries and cream, the delicately manicured pea green grass of the courts, our Chrissy playing just yards away from me, the misbehaving fans screaming from the standing-room-only section, Jimmy Connor’s bow to Princess Diana that made her blush so deeply, and how she was so pretty in a soft, fuchsia dress that several times I ended up watching her instead of the tennis match.

So there I was. Across the ocean from both a dad and a country celebrating birthdays.

A 16-year-old girl experiencing her first true taste of independence…

all the while wishing her Dad was by her side to share it.

You’re turn!

Close your eyes and allow a special memory of you dad to show up!

Now grab a pen and paper or your computer and get writing!

I bet you’ll find it’s the best Father’s Day Gift idea ever!!!

No matter what you decide to give this year…

remember the best Father’s Day gift ideas come from the heart!

If you feel inspired to share your gift idea of the memory of you Dad, please share!!!

Either here in the comment section below or over on my Facebook Page!

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Are you a writer looking for more inspiring writing ideas?

Then be sure to check out my Book-Writing Coaching Practice!

A common question I’m asked in my work as a Transformational Life Coach is Why is Change so Hard?

I often hear phrases like, I try so hard to make positive changes, but they never seem to stick?

Does that sound familiar to you?

Understanding Why Change is Hard?

Let’s see if a recent conversation with a Coaching Client offers some insight into where you may be getting tripped up.

The conversation went something like this…

I asked her what were the changes she was working on making in her life.

And she replied:

I’m trying to exercise more.

I’m trying to set better boundaries with my employees and family.

I’m trying to focus more on self-care…

Before she could go any farther down the path of listing all the changes she was trying to accomplish, I invited her to take a moment to reflect upon the energy of the word “trying.”

Be Mindful of the Language You Use

I asked her to restate the three statements she’d just made, yet the second time, removing the word “trying.”

She paused a moment, tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and looked down at her notebook.

Then she lifted her head and spoke the three sentences again:

I am exercising more.

I am setting better boundaries with my employees and family.

I am more focused on self-care.

She smiled and sat up taller in her chair.

“I get it,” she said.

Do you get it?

Language is powerful and the energy we put out in the world with the words we speak is powerful, too.

You already know I’m a little nuts about the word FINE!

Well, Trying is another word that causes me to cringe.

It’s such a wishy-washy word. A half-in/half-out word. A someday word, rather than a right-now word.

Are you still wondering why change is hard?

Then here’s my invitation to you…

Notice, what are you “trying” to change in your life and is your language aligned in support?

I am trying to be more patient with my kids vs

I am more patient with my kids.

I am trying to lose weight vs

I am losing weight.

I am trying to take time each day just for me vs

I am taking time each day just for me.

See the difference?

One simple word changes the intention from wishy-washy to clear and certain.

Your turn!

Get clear on your desires.

Then play with them and notice how a simple shift in awareness and language has the potential for profound change!

Be certain. Get clear. And reach out if you need extra support!

If you’re trying to make positive changes in your life, only to find they never materialize, this is a wonderful opportunity to stop wondering why change is so hard, bring in awareness and make positive changes that last a lifetime!

And if you need extra support or further direction, I invite you to set up a complimentary Discovery Session today.

 

As a Transformational Life Coach, many of my coaching clients are seeking ways to discover how they can be more present in their lives.

But my work doesn’t necessarily stop with my life coaching clients!

Case in point, the moment that happened recently with my sweet husband…

Presents versus Presence aka How to Be More Present

It was Mother’s Day morning.

Hubby and I were sitting side by side on the sunporch sofa, coffees in hand.

He turned toward me and said, “Is there anything you’d like for Mother’s Day?

He and our daughter had already brought a hanging basket of pink petunias home from the garden center the day before.

I leaned my head back against the couch cushion and assured him I didn’t want anything else.

But he persisted.

“I could weed the garden with you?” he suggested.

“Nah,” I said.

However he threw out a few other ideas, but then I had one of my own.

“I don’t want any things,” I told him. “No presents.”

“But the one thing I really do want is Your presence. You, just being present with me.”

I tried not to chuckle as he ran his hand through his hair and blew out a long, slow breath.

I realized this was my opportunity to teach him how to be more present!

“Didn’t you want me to trim the apple trees?” he asked. “Clean out your car?”

“You,” I said. “Being with me. Not doing  for me. Just being with me.”

Next he started strumming his fingers on the arm of the sofa.

He smiled and looked back at me with wide, pleading eyes.

Because my husband is a DOER.

Over this past year throughout isolation, he’s worked his day job and…

built a series of mountain bike trails 

ridden those trails every single morning for over 170 days in a row

taken down a tree and is currently working on the stump

seeded the lawn with clover in areas where grass refused to grow

built me garden beds with an irrigation system

pulled car parts out of his old 1970s convertible

cleaned and reorganized the garage

built a bike shop in the old shed

attached a hose to the leak in the furnace and ran it into the basement sump pump so there was no longer water leaking on the floor

turned my mountain bike into an E-bike (my new favorite!!! We have a lot of hills around here!!!)

And I could go on and on, but you get the picture!

So on Mother’s Day, he wanted to know what he could DO for me.

But he’d already done plenty.

I was asking him to stop and BE with me.

Pedaling, tinkering, building, raking, moving, doing…put it all aside for a day.

Now we’re getting somewhere!

“Well, what does that look like?” hubby asked. “How do you do nothing?”

So I went on to explain that I wasn’t suggesting we do nothing. That not doing, doesn’t mean doing nothing. In fact, it means quite the opposite.

It’s the act of doing something that from the outside looks like nothing, but actually feels like something, especially to me!

So he reluctantly agreed, even though I could tell, my ever-moving, busy husband, wasn’t quite sure what he was agreeing to.

But together we moved through our day, with a deliberate sense of presence.

We just hung out on the couch for quite a while and eventually made omelettes for breakfast. We took Georgie for a long slow walk. Sat on the rockers on the front porch. Spent time with both kids, one here at home, the other over the phone, and later, took a nap on the back patio.

By day’s end we were relaxed, at ease and looking forward to the coming week.

Hubby had asked what sort of present I was wishing for this year. And it turns out, presence, his being present to me was the best present I could have received.

Although I suspect come Father’s Day this year, they’ll be a lot of Doing in my future!

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And you? What sort of present is most meaningful to you?

Are you are more of a Be-er or Do-er, or somewhere in between?

Can’t wait to hear!

Sending you love and blessings,

Kasey

Looking for more inspiration like this? Check out the daily posts over on my Instagram Page!

Have you ever wondered how to slow down time?

Many people do!

As you’ll see, sometimes slowing down time requires a little magic…

My story of learning how to slow down time…

began back in March when our son came home for a visit.

I was bubbling with excitement over his visit and wanted to savor every moment of his time at home.

Under the “Intention” category on my Magical Living Daily Planner, I wrote “During T’s visit time feels expansive and moves slowly.”

He’d been home for three days and that had been exactly the case.

Time seemed to have slowed down…

and each day was full and joyous, with lots of time to play.

Late in the afternoon of the fourth day during his visit, we lit the big bonfire that’d been building over the previous year.

We anchored Adirondack chairs down in the snow and shared stories around the crackle of the fire.

My cheeks felt flushed and warm, and my Mama heart was alight.

The fire made us all sleepy and ready for an early bedtime.

I remember carrying the bag of snacks through the back kitchen door and glancing at the clock hanging above the stove.

I couldn’t believe how early it still was. There was still so much time left in the day!

My son, daughter, dog, Georgie Girl and I all collapsed, four abreast on our king-sized bed.

Hubby, with no room left on the bed, settled for a nearby chair.

Later that night, after the kids had headed off to their rooms and Georgie to the floor, we were tucking ourselves in and hubby said,“Looking at you on the bed with the kids, I could practically hear your heart singing.”

The following days carried on in that same slow, carefree way.

Yet, somewhere along the way as time seemed to be moving so slowly…

I discovered Magic had been at work!

Remember that clock above the stove?

Well it turns out, at some point in the midst of our play, the clock had slowed down and was 45 minutes slower than usual!

That clock is my daily time-keeper.

I can’t tell you the number of times a day I glance at that way and note the time accordingly.

So for the early days of my son’s visit, I was under the spell of that slow moving clock.

Yet, upon discovering the time discrepancy, you would think I’d have replaced the battery and moved the hands to the correct time, right?

Nope!

Instead, I left the clock just as it was.

And time continued to move in that slow, magical way for the rest of his visit.

The day after my son flew out, I placed a new battery on the kitchen counter, but there it sat for several days.

There were plenty of other clocks in the house that kept the correct time.

I chose, instead…

to stay in the magic of that luxurious, slower moving time.

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Are you ready to learn how to slow down time?

For the next five days, take out the Magical Living Daily Planner and set an intention for the day.

“I am so happy and grateful that time is moving so slowly and feels so expansive…” 

Or whatever works for you in your own words!

Then just notice. 

And be open to all the Magic that may be at work in your life!

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Speaking of Time…

Check out this podcast where we discuss The Role Anxiety Plays in Productivity 

 

Do you want to know how to finally stop feeling Overwhelmed?

Then you are not alone!

I hear this from so many of my clients, fellow entrepreneurs, moms, and human beings. There is no shortage of “to-do’s” on our lists. From kids to spouses to work to family obligations…

Look, I know you’re already overwhelmed, so I won’t go there any more than you already have.

Instead, how about I help you move from Overwhelm to a Place of Ease?

Are you thinking, It’s just not possible for me to stop feeling overwhelmed?

Read on, dear friend. I promise you, hope in sight.

Today I’m sharing my 3 Simple, Tried-and-True Steps so you never again have to ask – How Do I Stop Feeling Overwhelmed?

THE 3 SIMPLE STEP OVERWHELM SOLUTION:

Step One: Write it Down

Write down everything.

Every little thing that you’re carrying around. From the big stuff to the tiniest! It all adds up leaving you feeling like it’s all just too much, aka Overwhelmed!

Use the Pour It Out Page in my Overwhelm Solution Guide and let it all out:

Kids are fighting all the time.

Work demands never end.

The house is so disorganized.

There is no end in sight to this “new normal.”

I haven’t done laundry in a week.

I don’t know what to make for dinner.

I can’t make time to workout.

I don’t even know what the heck self-care is anymore!

Often the Overwhelm living in you feels big and unmanageable. By getting it out of your body and down onto the page you’re no longer carrying it within your being. Allow the page to hold it for you.

Once you’ve excavated and gotten the Overwhelm out, then just simply notice.

How do you feel?

Is there anything you missed? If so, write it down. If not, take in a nice big breath through your nose and blow it all out of your mouth like you’re blowing out candles on a cake. Sit with that.

If you feel like you need it, breathe in and out again.

Once you feel the sensation of Ahhhh arrive with the breath, you’ll know you’re there.

Ok, now you know the next time you ask How do I stop feeling overwhelmed, what to do first!

So, are you ready for Step Two?

Step Two: Feel What You’re Feeling

Sounds so simple, right? But often feelings of Overwhelm are actually just bottled up emotions swirling through your system trying to get your attention and find their way to light.

How do you get them out? Feel them!!!

You know that sensation when there’s so much going on it almost feels like you’re not even in your body?

Like you’ve kind of “checked out” and saying to yourself “I just can’t take anymore.”

That is actually you NOT feeling what you’re feeling.

If you think about all the times throughout your life you were told NOT to feel your feelings, it makes perfect sense.

Don’t be sad. Don’t be scared. Don’t be angry. Don’t be (fill in the blank)

What if there was a different way?

Instead of denying your emotions, what if you embraced them instead? You actually FELT what you’re feeling!

How?

Great question!

Simply notice the emotion you’re feeling.

I’m so lonely.

I’m feeling sad.

I’m furious

Good. Where in your body do you feel that?

Pit in my stomach.

Good. Breathe right into that area.

Awareness and breath will help it move up and out.

When you acknowledge your feelings and breathe into them, you’re validating them and allowing them to move through you, rather than take up residence within you.

When you go with emotions, rather than fight against them, you allow yourself to feel the emotions, which in turn release them and prevent them from lodging in your physical body where they show up as total overwhelm.

Make sense? I know it sounds so simple, but please don’t be fooled. I’ve witnessed over and over again how this powerful process has enabled my coaching clients to make huge shifts in their lives.

Are YOU ready to make a huge shift in yours?

You can Find Step Three – Event + Response = Outcome in my  FREE Overwhelm Solution Guide HERE 

You got this!

If you feel like you want even more support, I’d love to talk to you more about Transformational Life Coaching and whether that would be a fit for you! Schedule a Complimentary Session to Explore Here