Life Tools

When You Can’t Get What You Want

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Creating Success, Feeling Confident & Empowered, Life Tools, Moving to a Small Town, Navigating Life Challenges, Simple Peaceful Living / 1 Comment
can't get what you want little girl crying life coach

We all have dreams and desires that may not be possible at the present moment, but what do you do when something you really, really want can’t happen.

One of my clients contacted me because she wanted to move to a small town in the midwest, but her husband didn’t feel he could leave his high earning job at the time. The small town idea was stuck in her mind and she just couldn’t shake it. After we confirmed the reality of her situation, I asked her what she thought it would be like to live in a small town. She painted a beautiful picture of a simple life with a close-knit community that reminded me of a Hallmark movie. It was lovely.

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Quieting the Inner Bully

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Creating Success, Feeling Confident & Empowered, Life Tools, Positive Thoughts and Attitude / Leave a comment
inner bully kindness matters sign

I love garage sales and the picture above is of one of my recent finds. As I hung it on the wall, I reflected on the message of kindness. Yes. Kindness truly does matter and it’s something I work to integrate into my life. Like many of you I can be very kind to others, but sometimes it’s a bit harder to remember to be kind to myself.

Each of us has an inner bully, a voice in our head that belittles us and makes us feel bad. Many of us give it free rein and believe what it says even though it’s messages aren’t true. The strange thing is that we would go to great lengths to protect a child who was being bullied, but then let our own inner bully beat us up day in and day out.

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7 Easy Ways to Transform Your Mornings & Start Your Days Right

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Creating Success, Feeling Confident & Empowered, Journaling & Prompts, Life Tools, Simple Peaceful Living, Simple Solutions / Leave a comment
transform your mornings start day right

How do you start your mornings? It’s easy to fall into the habit of letting negative thoughts lead the way. For many, their first thoughts are about what hurts, what they “have to” do that day, or rehashing something negative that has happened. You and I are likely to fall into that trap occasionally too, but we know there is a better way. And, it begins with morning habits that help you start your day right.

After all, how you start your day will impact how you feel and perform throughout the day.

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How to Figure Things Out

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Creating Success, Feeling Confident & Empowered, Journaling & Prompts, Life Tools, Navigating Life Challenges / Leave a comment
figure things out

“Everything is figureoutable.” – Marie Forleo

While I’m not sure that I agree that EVERYTHING is figureoutable, I’m pretty sure most things are. It’s not always easy though. Whether we are brainstorming or making decisions, the process will go more smoothly when we are focused and tap into what I call, empowered thinking.

Empowered thinking is when you bring your mind and your intuition together to help you discover what you need or want to know. If you only use one or the other the process can be hard, confusing and sometimes even impossible. It’s only when your intuition and mind work together that you can be your most effective and make the best choices.

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8 Lessons I Learned from Getting a Dog

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Fun & Happiness, Life Tools, Simple Peaceful Living / Leave a comment
getting a dog

For those of you who don’t know, this is Daisy. Today is the 3rd anniversary of her adoption day and I am grateful that she has come into my life. Daisy is my first dog so I had a lot to learn. I had always wanted one, but lived in apartments and condos for years and didn’t feel I had the right space. Once I moved to a home with a yard the time just felt right.

We’ve had a lot of adventures together and I’ve learned a lot from this little girl who seems to have taken over my life.

Here are a few of the top lessons:

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I Think Covid Broke My Shopping Addiction

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Authentic Living - Being Yourself, Life Tools, Navigating Life Challenges, Simple Peaceful Living / 2 Comments
shopping addiction covid life coach

I used to have a shopping addiction. This might surprise you because I am known for being a bit frugal and living within my means, but the truth is I would often go shopping whether I needed something or not. I would shop for all the wrong reasons:

  • Boredom
  • Emotional ups and downs
  • To treat myself
  • Wanting to look good for others
  • For the high of getting something new, even if it was short lived.
  • Loving to get deals (I never met a t-shirt on a clearance rack I didn’t love.)

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Mindful Meditation – How I Integrate It Into My Life

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Feeling Confident & Empowered, Life Tools, Navigating Life Challenges, Positive Thoughts and Attitude, Simple Peaceful Living / Leave a comment
mindful meditation life coach

You’ve probably heard that mindful meditation is a good way to relieve stress or anxiety and improve general well-being, but it sounds like you have to go sit somewhere, close your eyes and meditate like a yogi. While that is one possibility, there are many other ways to practice this healing tool.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not very good at the whole meditating thing. There are times when it works for me, but most of the time I somehow get lost in the trying instead of the experience. Practicing mindfulness feels more natural and has similar benefits.

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Life as Play

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Creating Success, Feeling Confident & Empowered, Fun & Happiness, Life Tools, Navigating Life Challenges, Positive Thoughts and Attitude / Leave a comment
life as play life coach play through life

Too often, we find ourselves thinking about life and the things within it as hard, difficult or something we feel forced to do. We dread what will come next and brace ourselves for the work that will be required of us to keep up with the musts, shoulds and have tos we decide to take on.

We wonder why life is so hard, heavy and scary, not realizing it doesn’t have to be.

Not if you approach it as play.

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Simple Solutions: Feeling Too Busy

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Authentic Living - Being Yourself, Journaling & Prompts, Life Tools, Simple Peaceful Living, Simple Solutions / Leave a comment
feeling too busy busyness

When you say yes, yes, yes to too many things your schedule can become overwhelming. You may find yourself feeling too busy, stressed and spending time on things that don’t speak to your heart.

Your time is a precious commodity and it is limited. Giving yourself away to a cycle of being too busy can leave you feeling trapped and exhausted, without being able to see a way out. After all, you are the one everyone depends on. Right?

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Create Your Own Code of Honor

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Authentic Living - Being Yourself, Feeling Confident & Empowered, Life Tools, Simple Peaceful Living / 2 Comments
code of honor honor code

I was talking to a client last night about living his values and he brought up a code he was taught when taking karate lessons as a kid. It reminded me of when I created a program for teenage girls called, Living as a Samurai. A big part of that experience was to create their own Samurai code to live by.

Honor codes have been around for years, but in my generation they were mostly in the world of men. They are common in martial arts, the military and sports. Some businesses have them too, but they might call them something else.

These codes of honor can support us in feeling stronger within ourselves and committed to how we want to live our lives. Using them as a guide can reduce stress, bring clarity, make decisions easier and help us stay focused on living as our best selves.

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The Power of Thinking in Threes

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Feeling Confident & Empowered, Life Tools, Positive Thoughts and Attitude, Simple Solutions / 2 Comments
thinking in threes rule of threes power of number three brain hack productivity

Your brain loves the number three.

For one thing, it can only hold about 3 things in your short term memory at a time. The number 3 is also the lowest figure that can create patterns in your mind – and your brain loves patterns.

Productivity experts rave about doing things in threes. Keeping things limited to this amount allows for greater focus without overwhelm. That sounds good to me.

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Simple Solutions: Negative Thoughts

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Feeling Confident & Empowered, Life Tools, Navigating Life Challenges, Positive Thoughts and Attitude, Simple Solutions / Leave a comment
thoughts negative thoughts Life Coach

We are always thinking something. More often than not, those thoughts can be negative. We can get so used to them running in the background of our minds that they feel normal and we simply accept how they make us feel.

Thoughts are just thoughts, not who you are, and you have control over them. That means that you can audit them and choose ones that serve you better.

Here are some simple ways to shift your thoughts so that you can think and feel more positive.

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Simple Solutions: Exercise

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Creating Success, Feeling Confident & Empowered, Life Tools, Simple Solutions / Leave a comment
exercise life coach

Not many people know that I was once an AFAA certified personal trainer. This was back in the days when fitness training was a new thing. I didn’t plan on helping people exercise, I just wanted to learn. And, I learned a lot.

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How to Create Positive Feelings When You Can’t Seem to Change Your Thoughts

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Creating Success, Feeling Confident & Empowered, Life Tools, Positive Thoughts and Attitude / Leave a comment
create positive feelings life coach

It is commonly said (even by me) that our thoughts create our feelings. While it is true that what we think impacts our moods there are other ways to influence how we feel.

Your mind and body share energy and work together. When they are aligned toward something positive is when you feel your best. When they aren’t, you can use one to influence the other.

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Saying Goodbye to 2020

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Creating Success, Healing Your History, Life Tools, Navigating Life Challenges / Leave a comment
saying goodbye to 2020 journaling

Well, it’s been quite a year. I know my head is still spinning and will probably continue to for awhile. With all that has happened and all that is still going on, doing an end of the year process is even more important this year.

So, pick up your pens or tablets or whatever you choose to use and let’s get writing.

While 2020 may have been full of loss and distress, remember we are always learning from our experiences and there is always something to be grateful for.

Use these prompts to guide you as you remember the good and the bad and say goodbye to 2020. It doesn’t matter if you write lists, paragraphs, or even a letter to the year. Just write from your heart.

What were the blessings and magical moments I experienced this year?

What successes did I achieve?

What am I proud of myself for?

What surprised me?

What did I learn from this year’s challenges?

What did I worry about and how did it turn out?

What do I want to take from this year to create a foundation for the year to come?

What do I want to leave behind? (physical, mental, or emotional)

What am I most grateful for? Write at least 100 things.

May you have a wonderful New Year holiday that brings closure to the past year and prepares you for a great year to come.

Related Posts:

Accepting the Truth will Set You Free

We are All Souls

Create a Comfort Box for When You Feel Low

I Never Imagined

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Authentic Living - Being Yourself, Creating Success, Feeling Confident & Empowered, Journaling & Prompts, Life Tools, Positive Thoughts and Attitude / Leave a comment
imagined follow your heart hope for the future

Life is truly unpredictable and it can be fun to look back and realize how little we knew about how our lives would play out and who we would become.

For instance, I never imagined:

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3 Ways I Control Spending and Save More Money

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Life Tools, Money, Simple Peaceful Living / 2 Comments

I’ve had my ups and downs with buying online during all this Covid-19 stuff. I spend more time online and am exposed to more nudges to buy things. It’s amazing how I can feel I have to have something based on an ad or article I’ve read. Scary too.

There are 3 simple things I do that help me buy less and not get caught up in the gotta have it moments.

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A Guide to Heartfelt Living

Posted on by Linda Luke / Posted in Authentic Living - Being Yourself, Feeling Confident & Empowered, Fun & Happiness, Healing Your History, Life Tools, Navigating Life Challenges, Positive Thoughts and Attitude, Simple Peaceful Living / 6 Comments

Living a heartfelt life is one of the most peaceful and joyful ways to experience this world. It’s pretty much the opposite of what we see around us. Most people are too busy, too worried, and completely disconnected from their heart’s wisdom.

Once you start experiencing heartfelt moments you will crave them more and more. But, how is it possible to shape your entire life around them? It’s not as hard as you think and when you do it will feel like coming home to the life you were meant to live.

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