For many of us, work is consuming, sometimes a bit too all-consuming. 

The hours are long. The work is intense. The to-do list feels neverending. The pressure is high. The client demands don’t stop. It’s all a lot. 

Overwork, overwhelm, and eventual burnout are never the goal nor should we continu...

Most of us like to have predictable schedules.

Predictable times to get out the door, get to work, get home from work, the evening routine, etc.

But are you taking enough time during your days to take a little break, recharge, refuel, and come back to your work refreshed and re-energized?

It...

Each year, on his birthday, I can’t help but think about what I’ve learned from my dad, who lives in the small town I grew up in.

One of the many things I learned from my father was that we have the opportunity to enjoy so many small, sweet, simple things each day.

But for many of us, we are so ca...

I've been thinking of traveling recently - and I’ve also been thinking about how to bring some of that learning back to you and to make it relevant to your work and your life, just as I’m applying it to my own.

Here’s one lesson I wanted to share …

On the last night of our trip to El Salvador (...

As many of you know, one of my random talents is playing the piano and church organ. I’ve been playing piano since I was five years old and organ since I was 11. Being a church organist helped me pay my way through college, graduate school, and law school. I still sub on the organ at area churches b...

Lately, I've been wanting to start forming new habits.

I wanted to:

• Have a clean, organized basement.
• Lose a few extra pounds that had crept on over our record-breaking, harsh Minnesota winter
• Get to the bottom of my overflowing email inbox.

But the problem with these habits is that they...

What is self-care, and why is it so important for your health? “Self-care is not synonymous with self-indulgence or being selfish. Self-care means taking care of yourself so that you can be healthy, you can be well, you can do your job, you can help and care for others, and you can do all the things...

Our EsquireWell community continues to grow, and I'm so happy you are here!

I love birthdays. There’s something so fresh and new about a new year - whether it’s January 1 or (in my case) July 16. I like to treat each of these milestones as a time to make a fresh start, reflect, reset, and set ne...

On the evening of July 4, we loaded the family onto the pontoon like we’ve done for the last 20 years, and we chugged across the lake at dusk to catch the fireworks that started at 10:15 p.m.

We went to our usual spot which we knew always has a terrific view of the fireworks that were going to b...

 I’ve been thinking a lot about instant versus delayed gratification. I taught a program recently for a client about mastering digital distractions, and it came down to being able to handle some emotional discomfort in service of your larger goals - literally, delayed gratification in a nutshell.

I...

It’s been a long string of hot days here in Minnesota. We aren’t known for our heat here in the Great North, so 2-3 weeks of 85+ degree days is pretty amazing (and it makes “July babies” like me very happy)!

This summer, I’ve been doing quite a bit of teaching and coaching on emotional intelligence...

I took a quick trip down to my hometown of Franklin Grove, Illinois (population: 950). The kids were occupied at various camps and activities, and my husband (Ryan) and I were able to get away just the two of us which was particularly nice because Saturday was our 23rd wedding anniversary. 

I don’t...