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Articles by Bonnie McFarland

Browse published articles attributed to Bonnie McFarland, with full-archive search.

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By Bonnie McFarlandJun 5, 20081 topic

How To Keep Doubt From Destroying Your Dreams

"I can't make any money doing this." n"This is too good to be true." n"Maybe I just don't have what it takes to do this." n"I'm never going to figure this out." n"I guess I'm not going to find something I'm passionate about." n"I'm not sure any more that I really want to do this." nnI've heard these doubts and many others from my clients as they follow their dreams, desires, and passions. Doubt seems to be a normal part of the busy human mind, one of Monkey Mind's favorite fl

Primary topic: Happiness

2,174 views

By Bonnie McFarlandMar 31, 20101 topic

5 Steps to Loving Your 60s (even if you're dreading them!)

Are you bothered about turning 60? If youâre like many women âin the neighborhoodâ of 60, you are feeling apprehensive or concerned about being in your sixties. You might even be dreading it. Yep, some women just sail through 60 but many other arenât feeling good about their future and donât know what kind of future they would feel good about. If you want to live with joy, passion, and purpose at 60 and beyond here are five steps to help you move from dread to delig

Primary topic: Baby Boomers

2,117 views

By Bonnie McFarlandOct 4, 20071 topic

Healthy Selfishness: Put Yourself On Your To Do List

******************************nAre You Last on the List?n******************************nWhen was the last time taking care of yourself or doing something just for fun made it to the top of your to do list? If your answer is a "long time ago" or "can't remember" or even "never," you're not alone.nnFrom the time we were children, many of us were taught "don't be selfish" and "think of others." We may have learned these lessons a little too well. Most of us spend all the hours o

Primary topic: Happiness

1,899 views

By Bonnie McFarlandNov 3, 20071 topic

How To Calm Yourself In Stressful Situations

Has something stressful or upsetting happened to you recently? Maybe it was a fender bender car accident, or telling a friend she did something that hurt you, or being triggered by something your spouse said, or stepping on stage to make a presentation. nnEven when you are following what lights you up and creating more of what you truly want in life, not every moment of every day will be filled with ease, joy, and pleasure. Each of us has moments, situations, and experiences

Primary topic: Happiness

1,465 views

By Bonnie McFarlandMay 20, 20081 topic

Critical Voice? How To Stop Your Monkey Mind

"That will never work." "What is wrong with you?" "Who do you think you are?" "That's a stupid idea." nnIf a friend talked to you this way you probably wouldn't be friends for long. Surprisingly, though, most people do have someone who talks to them like this. It's their Monkey Mind! nnMonkey Mind is that inner voice jabbering away at you, criticizing, judging, blaming, doubting, and worrying. Everyone has some Monkey Mind chatter going on. It's part of being human. In fact,

Primary topic: Happiness

1,401 views

By Bonnie McFarlandApr 24, 20081 topic

Savoring Life's Sweetness

Who isn't busy these days? Our lives are filled with responsibilities, obligations, family, work, friends, volunteer commitments, and "to do" lists. A few of us even try to squeeze in a teensy bit of time for ourselves. But what if, in the midst of all this busyness, you're missing your life?nnPerhaps you, like me, sometimes get lost in busy, busy, do, do, hurry, hurry and miss the joys that life is offering. Perhaps we need an occasional reminder to savor the sweet moments.

Primary topic: Happiness

1,187 views

By Bonnie McFarlandSep 14, 20071 topic

Gratitude Improves Your Attitude

In the 1980s, I started a daily practice that I still maintain today. I was attending an intense personal growth workshop at Deerwood, Minnesota. One night, as I lay on the top bunk in a rustic dorm room filled with a dozen women, someone mentioned her practice of gratitude. nnAware of my natural tendency to focus on the half-empty cup, I decided to try it that night. I did it again the next night and the next. Now, more than 20 years later, I still continue with a gratitude

Primary topic: Gratitude

1,035 views

By Bonnie McFarlandSep 27, 20071 topic

Three Keys To Successful Change

Is there a change you want to make in your life but you're stuck and stymied by it? nnPerhaps you're at that point in midlife where you long to find something entirely different to do with the rest of your life but you're not taking action to discover what that might be. Maybe you already know what you want to do in the next chapter of your life but you're not doing it. You might want to exercise more or eat healthier foods. nnWhatever the change is, it's one you've not (yet)

Primary topic: Happiness

999 views

By Bonnie McFarlandOct 18, 20071 topic

Are You Focusing On What You Really Want

Imagine you're happily driving down a country road on a clear, sunny day. Suddenly a semi truck crosses the center line and is heading right at you. Heart pounding and adrenaline rushing, you react. Will you avert disaster? Maybe. Maybe not. In this moment, your life depends on where you focus.nnProfessional driving instructors tell us that what people usually do in emergency situations is to stay focused on the object they are trying to avoid. In driving, where your eyes and

Primary topic: Happiness

981 views

By Bonnie McFarlandOct 26, 20071 topic

To Do List Draining You? Brighten Up The Tasks You Dread

******************************nVampire Tasksn******************************nEveryone has at least one of them. Something you hate to do. Something you dread. You procrastinate about it or do your best to avoid it. When you have to do it you get crabby about it. nnWhat is it for you? Your staff meeting? Traveling for business? Working with a particular client or co-worker? Dealing with computer problems? Doing your expense report? Performance reviews?nnWhatever it is, it's a "

Primary topic: Happiness

881 views

By Bonnie McFarlandNov 19, 20071 topic

Life Transitions: How To Navigate The "In Between" Times

Have you ever been caught in the "in between" of a life transition? A time when instead of excitedly moving forward to your next chapter in life, you were stuck, confused, lost, and adrift? nnFrustrating as it can be, this is a natural and normal part of life transition and you can learn to navigate this "in between" time with less trauma and more ease.nn***************************nWhat's Going on?n***************************nA life transition is a passage from one phase, sta

Primary topic: Happiness

875 views

By Bonnie McFarlandNov 7, 20081 topic

5 Tips For Transitions

"Transitions are good and I hate them," I said only half-jokingly to a dear friend a few years ago. nnI love my life these days. I'm happily married, doing work that's meaningful to me, and living on the water. nnBut I never would have gotten to this point without making my way through many transitions: moving, changing jobs, and ending relationships. nnAlthough in hindsight, I'm grateful for the transitions that brought me to where I am today, in the midst of them I've often

Primary topic: Happiness

851 views

By Bonnie McFarlandSep 20, 20071 topic

Finding Passion & Purpose - Uncover Your Hidden Clues

Did you ever have a parent tell you, possibly after you had asked one too many questions, "Curiosity killed the cat!" nnWere you taught the story of Pandora who was given a box of gifts from the gods with instructions never to open the box? Unfortunately her curiosity got the better of her and she opened the box that released all the misfortunes that would plague mankind forever.nnThese and other childhood messages paint curiosity as bad and dangerous, something to avoid. So

Primary topic: Happiness

833 views

By Bonnie McFarlandMar 21, 20081 topic

Unsure Where Youâre Going In Life? Step Through The Fog

Imagine for a moment that you are driving into a dense evening fog on a country road. Surrounded by white, you can barely see past the front of the car, much less the end of the road or your destination. nnWith the headlights only able to provide visibility on the asphalt directly ahead, you resort to moving forward slowly, as you focus on the part of the road you can see. nnAlmost magically, each time you reach the end of the headlight beam the fog seems to dissipate and you

Primary topic: Happiness

828 views

By Bonnie McFarlandOct 11, 20071 topic

Stuck In Life? Stop Asking This Question

"Why?" seems like a good question, doesn't it? I certainly used to think so. I've asked "Why?" often in my life so I must have thought it was a good question. Or maybe I never had thought about it or noticed what happened when I asked that particular question.nnOver time, I've gone from the questions of a toddler (Why is the sky blue?) to the questions of a child (Why did my dog die?) to the questions of an adult ("Why did that man break up with me?). "Why?" used to be one of

Primary topic: Happiness

790 views

By Bonnie McFarlandApr 2, 20081 topic

Not Getting What You Want? Stop Trying

For more than a decade I yearned to know my calling. I tried many, many books, processes, and workshops to figure it out. All to no avail. Eventually, I began to despair of ever discovering a purpose for my life. nnAre you in a similar circumstance, wanting something in some area of your life yet it just isn't happening? Do you long to do work that is fulfilling, to be happily married, to know what you're passionate about, or to start a successful business?nnSometimes no matt

Primary topic: Happiness

782 views

By Bonnie McFarlandJan 24, 20081 topic

How To Choose From Life's Many Choices

Is it possible to have too many choices? You might not think so yet the many choices we have today cause us to be overloaded, stressed, and less satisfied with our lives according to Barry Schwartz, author of "The Paradox of Choice." Here's a way to be clearer and more at ease with life's many choices.nnn****************************************nChoices, Choices, Choicesn****************************************nToday we have many choices that weren't available to people 20 yea

Primary topic: Happiness

770 views

By Bonnie McFarlandFeb 1, 20081 topic

Controlling What You Can Control

One morning a few months ago, my sister called to report, "The doctor says Mom has Alzheimer's." We'd suspected this and still, hearing that dreaded diagnosis, my heart broke. I didn't want it to be true. I wanted my mom back, to forever be as she'd always been. I didn't want to face what lay ahead. I didn't want to feel what I was feeling.nnWe all have times like this in our lives, times when something disturbs, upsets, or stresses us. No matter how troublesome or trivial th

Primary topic: Happiness

768 views

By Bonnie McFarlandSep 6, 20071 topic

Discover What You Really Want - Ask This Question

****************************************nKids Know What They Want n****************************************nWhen I was a child, it was easy. I'd sit down with a cup of hot cocoa, some cookies, and a sheet of paper to write my letter to Santa. I'd tell him everything I wanted for Christmas. I had no trouble identifying what I wanted. I didn't worry about whether I thought I could have it, how much it cost, or what other people would think. I knew what I wanted and I asked for

Primary topic: Happiness

736 views

By Bonnie McFarlandFeb 21, 20081 topic

Stuck? Wouldn't It Be Nice If . . . .?

Wouldn't it be nice if there were an easy way to get unstuck, move out of a slump, feel better, and create what you want in life?nnThere IS a light and playful process you can use to accomplish all this and more. It is so simple, though, that you might not think it could do much at all for you. But it does work for many, many people and it could help you too.nnn************************************nWhat Is This Process?n************************************nThe process is "Woul

Primary topic: Happiness

735 views

By Bonnie McFarlandMar 11, 20081 topic

What Do You Really Want? How To Find Your Answers To Life's Questions

What should I do with the rest of my life? What am I passionate about? In which direction shall I head? How can I bring more meaning to my life? nnThese are the kinds of big questions my clients seek answers to when they come to me. So far, not one client has been searching for answers to life's smaller questions such as what to wear to a party, what movie to see, or where to go for dinner.nnThere is a connection, though, between the small and the big questions in our lives:

Primary topic: Happiness

734 views

By Bonnie McFarlandJan 10, 20081 topic

Skip Resolutions - Create A Life Vision

It's January, a time that many people, hoping to improve their lives, make New Year's resolutions. Unfortunately experts say that in less than a month the majority of those resolutions will already be broken. nnSo why not completely skip the resolutions and create a "lights on" vision for 2008 instead? A vision of what you truly want that can energize you and guide you as you make this your best year ever!nnn****************************************nMy Vision Became a Realityn

Primary topic: Happiness

725 views

By Bonnie McFarlandDec 12, 20071 topic

Increase Your Energy

Do you have enough energy to create the life you want? Energy is the critical, invisible force that creates your vitality and aliveness. nnWithout it, you drag through life, tired, stressed, and drained. With it, you feel good, enjoy yourself, and have the fuel to create what you want in life. nnWhen it comes to energy, more is definitely better and you can create more energy with a few simple steps. nnn***************************nYour Energy Accountn*************************

Primary topic: Happiness

698 views

By Bonnie McFarlandMar 3, 20081 topic

The Happiness Combination: 2 Keys To Open The Door

It is in our nature as humans to want to be happy. We strive for many things such as success, wealth, love, and peace because we believe they will make us happy. Sometimes though, no matter what we do or how hard we try, happiness eludes us. There is, however, a path to happiness for each of us and an internal GPS to find and navigate that path. nnn****************************************nIt Is Our Naturen****************************************nAristotle said, "Happiness is

Primary topic: Happiness

683 views

By Bonnie McFarlandAug 28, 20071 topic

What Kind of Difference Are You Making?

Do you wake up every morning and say "I'm going to change the world today!"? Most of us would feel a bit grandiose saying that, yet many of us really DO want to change the world, we DO want to make a difference. And we often feel discouraged and disheartened at our inability to do that. nnBut the truth is you DO make a difference. The question is "What kind of a difference do you make?"nn***************************************************************nPositive or Negative?n***

Primary topic: Happiness

662 views

By Bonnie McFarlandDec 30, 20091 topic

Skip Those Resolutions, Create a Vision

It's January, a time that many people, hoping to improve their lives, make New Year's resolutions. Unfortunately experts say that in less than a month the majority of those resolutions will already be broken. So why not completely skip the resolutions and create a "lights on" vision for 2009 instead? A vision of what you truly want that can energize you and guide you as you make this your best year ever! rn***********************************************************rnMy Vision

Primary topic: Happiness

661 views

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