Wednesday Coaching Tip

There is a park near my house, lively in the summer with concerts, festivals and family gatherings.  Until recently, I thought of the park solely as a place for events.  When I decided in January to increase my walks to include the park’s lake, my perspective changed.  The shift was slow at first, I was so focused on how many steps I was clocking in.  The lake only came to life when I started to bring my 35mm camera.  Taking pictures expanded my view from a place to exercise

The other day, I was coaching a senior leader who described herself as a perfectionist, and I could sense the weight of that word. It carried frustration, pressure, and self-criticism. So, I invited her to pause and explore: How is this trait impacting you? Without hesitation, she said, “It’s not serving me very well.” Then I asked a different question: How has it helped you? At first, she resisted. But as she reflected, she began to uncover small ways this drive had shape

In many organizations, gratitude season can look like a flurry of thank you notes, appreciation lunches, or end of year awards. Those gestures matter, but sustainable gratitude, the kind that fuels energy and trust year round, goes deeper. At ithrive31, we see gratitude not as a moment, but as a mindset. Real gratitude lives in action — in how we listen, how we coach, and how we show up. It’s the daily discipline of seeing people, hearing them, and recognizing their impact —

I’ve never considered myself a risk taker. I like the familiar, the routine, the things I can count on. I tend to stay close to what I know—where it’s comfortable and predictable. For a long time, my walks followed the same paved paths near my home. They became my ritual, quiet time to clear my head, soak in the sunshine, and reconnect with myself and with God. There’s something grounding about being among the trees. I often look up and feel a deep sense of calm and perspec

Recently, we took a vacation to Colorado. Now, it’s not the first time we’ve been there—our son and daughter-in-law live in Colorado, so we spend a fair amount of time visiting. But we don’t always make it up to the mountains. This time, we did. We spent a few days in Glenwood Springs, tucked away in the canyon area, and it was breathtaking. It's a small, quaint community that follows the Colorado River, past the busyness of the popular mountain towns of Breckenridge, Dillon,

Summer is a great time for memories. One of my favorite memories from when my kids were little was something we called a “kidnap breakfast in the park.” The moms in our neighborhood coordinated a surprise morning adventure—we woke our kids up at the break of dawn, didn’t tell them where we were going, and took off on a stroll in their pajamas. As the sun was rising, we arrived at the park pavilion where orange juice, donuts, and games were waiting. They still talk about how f

I signed on to coach two new mid-level leaders last week, both facing a familiar challenge: Sound familiar? This isn’t a new phenomenon. In fact, it’s one of the most common developmental themes I see with mid-to-upper-level leaders. As professionals move up in their careers, they increasingly want, and are expected to, operate at a more strategic level. But despite their best intentions, they often get pulled back into daily problem-solving and task execution. Why does this

Just like a garden needs water and sun, relationships need care and attention to grow, and communication is the lifeblood that makes it all happen. Whether you’re leading a team, having a tough conversation, or simply trying to connect more meaningfully, small shifts in how you communicate can create a big impact. This month, we’re sharing three practical tips to help your communication bloom. Think of them as small seeds you can plant—simple actions that lead to stronger, he

In today’s workplace, expectations are rising, pressure is mounting, and burnout is everywhere. We're moving so fast from one thing to the next that we often miss the most important moments—the pauses. The intentional moments where we stop to acknowledge others. Where we recognize effort, progress, or just say, “I see you.” A colleague recently shared something that stuck with me. She deeply respected her leader but noticed she rarely gave praise. Not because she didn’t care—

I don’t talk about money a lot, and I certainly don’t claim to be a financial expert. However, as someone who believes in whole-person well-being, I know that finding fulfillment in our personal finances is something we all need to pay attention to. From an early age, our beliefs and behaviors around money take shape. That’s why the lessons we learn about money should start in Kindergarten and serve as guiding principles throughout our lives.  Here are five fundamental truths

At ithrive31, we believe in empowering individuals to live with intentionality, purpose, and confidence. Through our unique 31-day approach, we help clients uncover what matters most, set actionable goals, and create meaningful change in their lives. Heather Lilienthal’s inspiring story is a testament to the transformative power of this process. Here, Heather shares her journey of rediscovery and finding her smile again. Finding My Smile with ithrive31 By Heather Lilienthal L

Hi all, Coach Lauren here! Have you ever thought about what types of goals set you up for success? It is the new year, and surely, many of us have New Year's resolutions on our minds. It is an unfortunate known fact, however, that these resolutions often do not last long; there’s even a “Quitter’s Day,” which falls on the second Friday of January, and research shows a significant amount of the population has already stopped their goal by that time. There are all sorts of tool

Ah, the holidays—they come with all the glitter, glam, and often far too many commitments to squeeze into a single month. As you enter December, it’s the perfect time to lean into ithrive31’s Core Principle #2: Be deliberate with your time and resources. This principle is all about setting boundaries, making intentional decisions, and choosing what truly matters to you. During the holiday season, it can feel like you need to say yes to everything: the parties, the gift excha

A powerful part of communicating is to let other people know we really listened and care about what they are saying. Below are 3 types of listening along with tips to consider… they may be especially helpful to keep in mind during upcoming holiday gatherings! The first is subjective . Everyday listening is usually subjective, and usually occurs when whatever is said is heard through the experiences of the listener and/or as it relates to the listener, e.g. answering based on

Leadership isn’t just about what you do for others; it’s also about managing your responsibilities. It’s a lot, and you’re not alone in feeling it! Supporting others starts with supporting yourself—but what if the work you are responsible for can’t be delegated? Consider Rachael, juggling an overflowing list of responsibilities that only she could manage, all while supporting a team that needed her guidance. She felt stuck, but she found a way through by taking a few key ste

Even if you’re not from the Midwest, you may be familiar with the term “Minnesota nice.” It’s a phrase that implies polite friendliness and an aversion to open confrontation. To be nice is about people pleasing in service of being liked.  So, what’s the difference between being nice and being kind? Being kind is behavior that’s thoughtful, caring, and considerate, but also strong, confident, and self-caring,” says Dr. Marcia Sirota, a psychiatrist and author of “Be Kind, Not

Recently, I found myself at a crossroads while attending a conference. Hurricane Helena was hitting the U.S., and travel disruptions were inevitable. I faced a tough choice: Should I stay for Day 2 and risk getting stranded at the airport, or forfeit my airline ticket and catch a ride home with a friend, Ann Wright, who was leaving early to avoid the storm? The decision wasn’t easy. I wanted to stay, and I didn’t want to lose the value of my airline ticket, but the thought of

Hi all, Coach Lauren here! We're just a few weeks away from November, and November and Thanksgiving bring some well-deserved attention to gratitude practices and today I wanted to share one of mine: thank you letters. I’m fortunate to have had great parents who taught me the value of writing thank you letters. After every birthday I had less than a week to get all my thank you’s written and mailed. Admittedly as a kid this felt like a chore, but in adulthood I can definitel

Hello friends, We are doing our Wednesday Coaching Tips a bit different today.  We asked three of our Coaches to answer this question: “What are 10 Ideas to bring energy into your life ?” Read the 30 ideas they list below then add your favorite to make it a magical 31!  Use these ideas to make it a great start to your 4 th Quarter of 2024! From Coach Dorene 1. Listen to an uplifting podcast . My favorites:  Mindset Mentor- when I need a mental boost, Mel Robbins - when

Do you find yourself trying to do more with less? Is it challenging to find a healthy work/life balance? Can you manage to do all the things while also carving time out for self-care? And is it really possible to juggle it all? And, even if we could, should we? A lot of us try to be hyper-productive and we work harder and faster than ever before. We rely on our “surge-capacity” to sustain us for the long-haul. Many of us also subscribe to the idea that staying busy means we’