Savoring Summer Sunshine

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Mary Enjoying Summer GrassGLORIOUS!

That is the best way to describe the most recent phenomenal streak of weather in my neck of the woods. The days are sunny and warm with bright blue skies and no humidity. There is just enough breeze to be comfortable in the shade. Every time you step outside, you can’t help but feel good. That summer sun just lifts my spirit.

Instead of coffee breaks, I sneak out for a nature break every chance I get. I am savoring these last days of summer and storing up plenty of summer sunshine memories for those cold, dark January nights!

How is summer nourishing your spirit?
Mary

Take a Break

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Relaxing on hammock in garden in summer

How’s your summer unfolding? My family embarked on an exciting adventure to Costa Rica this month. I hope that you are taking time off and enjoying a break from your regular routine. If you don’t have a summer break scheduled, then set aside some time for you and take a mini-vacation!

Pura vida,
Mary

Green and Growing

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organic rice field with dew drops during sunset

“June is bustin’ out all over!” Ever wonder where that came from? Check out this video link. It is almost 9 minutes long but if you like a big song and dance number, you will love this!

I am looking forward to the “bustin’ out” activity of June. It is SUMMER and that means all kinds of exciting changes. Our routines change — no school, long weekends, and summer vacation — WAHOO! Our wardrobe changes — can you say SHORTS and sandals?! Because there is more daylight, we stay up longer, hang out later, and have more spontaneous adventures at this time of the year.

Excitement is in the air for work, too.

“June is a comin’ — look around!”

Warmly, with sunscreen,
Mary

Leo Olk Miller: Our Forever Baby

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Leo

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seventeen years ago today, I joined a tribe I didn’t know existed.

  • On May 14, 1998, with broken hearts, my husband and I welcomed our full term stillborn son, Leo Olk Miller into the world.

    We were devastated. We knew that his spirit had left his body before he was born. And what a magnificent spirit it was. Before he was born, he had touched so many hearts and souls with joy, connection and laughter. So many people were looking forward to greeting this new soul.

    Despite our sorrow, we were eager to touch him, to hold him, to cradle him in our arms. Our families came to meet him – to touch him. They gathered around and held on tightly to us. The love and courage of our families buoyed us as we sank into the deep sadness of losing our baby.

    Later that night, after everyone had gone home, Leo’s spirit came to visit. He washed us with love and light. He blessed us with the immense joy and happiness he was now feeling. He let us know that he was happy and well. And he let us know that in time we would be happy again too.

    We will never know why he left his beautiful, perfect body. But his powerful spirit – that joyful, playful, loving spirit – lives on in our family.

    Happy Birthday Leo, our forever baby.
    We are so grateful for the gifts you give our family.
    With love and tenderness, Mommy

    • Mary

    Busy as a Bee

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    Busy as a beeExciting news from Coach Olk HQ! My new product, Activating Your Inner Champion, was one of 3 featured products in CHOICE, The Magazine of Professional Coaching. WOW! I am speechless. I’m sure I’ll recover soon and be blabbing about it all over the place. Stay tuned and in the meantime, click here to read about it.

    May is full of all kinds of busy-ness personally and professionally. The end-of-school year events (field trips, concerts, track meets, banquets) merge with the onramp to summer activities (soccer games, picnics, graduations, vacations). In my day-to-day business operations, I am redesigning my website, welcoming new clients, exploring new training opportunities, and learning how to talk about Activating Your Inner Champion!

    With all that busy-ness, it is so easy to get knocked off center. I can get so uptight, worrying about the things I need to do, the things I am not doing and should be doing, and all the things I forgot to do!

    YIKES! Can you relate?

    That’s why I invited Rick Carson, author of Taming Your Gremlin to YOUR GROWING EDGE, my FREE TELECLASS. Rick will share his wisdom for stopping that internal churning and reconnecting to our hearts.

    Please click here to join Rick and me at the teleclass on May 14th at 11:30am CT.

    Busy as a bee,
    Mary

    Spring is Sprouting

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    Hand with sponge cleaning dirty window

    April is here and soon the signs of Spring will be sprouting everywhere! The excitement of this season puts a smile on everyone’s face and lightens our steps. I hope that you are enjoying the delights that Spring can bring — even through the snowflakes.

    I am looking forward to sharing my delightful friend and coaching colleague, Judy Zimmer, with you. Judy is going to help us breathe some fresh air into our stuffy LinkedIn profiles in my FREE TELECLASS this month.

    Hey, feeling the need to do some internal spring cleaning to connect to your inner wisdom? Then you want to check out my new product: Activating Your Inner Champion. It will help you clean out those internal cobwebs that keep getting in your way.

    Happy Spring! Here’s to a shiny, squeaky clean, new you!

    Warmly,
    Mary

    Planting the Seeds of Spring

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    flower seedling in a pot ready for planting

    Isn’t it great to have so much more daylight this time of year? Excitement is in the air and signs of spring are beginning to sprout.

    I am planting lots of seeds this month.

    1.  I am thrilled to be sharing my Inner Champion audio learning program with the world! Now that the audios and journals are finished, I am dreaming up all kinds of ways for people to use it. Look for more details from me this spring.

    2.  I am hatching plans to refresh and reinvigorate my website — new content, new photos, and a new look that works on any digital device. I even have videos I want to share!

    3.  My free monthly tele class is on March 12th and it plants the seeds for the Power of Play in our lives. Join me!

    4.  And I am looking forward to designing and creating beautiful, relaxing space inside and outside our house!

    Feels like spring fever is setting in and I am eager to see how the seeds I am planting now, flourish and grow in the upcoming months.

    Here’s to spring,
    Mary

    Mary
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    Horseman galloping at high speed in horse racing

    How’s your New Year unfolding so far?

    My year is starting out like a race horse bursting out of the starting gate and galloping away at break neck speed! It’s all good, exciting stuff that is happening.

    The most thrilling part of my ride is the release of my new audio program: Activating Your Inner Champion. It came out on February 1! You will be able to read all about it on my website soon or learn about it in my Free Teleclass this month. (Check out my Upcoming Events for more information on the teleclass.)

    I am doing my darnedest to stay firmly in the saddle and ride with grace, strength and determination. The best part of this fast pace: I stay focused on the road ahead in order to succeed on my steed. There is no room for boredom or distraction!

    Here is the question that is guiding me on this wild ride: “What is most important right now?”

    What is guiding you?

    Mary

    How did your 2014 wrap up?

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    Driving on an empty road towards the mountains and setting sun

    How did your 2014 wrap up? Did you race at breakneck pace and slide full speed into home plate at last? VICTORY; I made it! Or maybe you floated like a leaf on a soft breeze, gently landing on the last days of the year? AHHH, how sweet it is! Every year it is a different story.

    Last year went by very quickly. Even my kids were amazed that 2014 was coming to a close. I hope that means that we were so engrossed enjoying the everyday moments of life that we didn’t even notice the passage of time. During the holiday season, we thoroughly enjoyed a break in our regular routine. There was so much more time for sleeping in, cooking, sledding, and watching movies without work/school, meetings, and extra-curricular activities. I hope that you, too, enjoyed a pause in your routine.

    I am looking forward to 2015. A New Year is like a blank page waiting to be filled. I don’t do resolutions, but I do find a theme for the year. One year my theme was “Yes, bring on the best!” Another year, “The answer always there, right away, no delay!” So far, the theme that is taking shape for my 2015 is something about ever-expanding love and happiness.

    What is your theme for 2015? If you want some help crafting your theme for the year, call me for a special thirty-minute New Year coaching session for only $49. I would love the chance to help you pave the way to a fulfilling and satisfying year. (Contact me before Jan 31, 2015, for this special offer.)

    Happy 2015,
    Mary

    Your Comfort Zone

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    Mary says: “My job as a coach is to challenge you to go outside your comfort zone, to try something different to help you land in that space of what’s right and true for you.

    Sometimes the challenge is one of tenderness and gentleness. That same client can at times require the drill sergeant who says get it done and get it done now. That is what I love about coaching – it is so improvisational.”