Have you ever felt like your voice wasn't being heard in the conversations that mattered most to you? You open up and share from your heart, yet still question if it made any difference. I was once there too - but all of this changed when I came upon a life-altering solution: The Solution Focused approach! It not only improved my work as an educator immensely but also deepened connections between me and family & friends instantly. In this blog post, let me tell you more about how implementing simple changes can have such powerful impacts on relationships.

Believing in yourself and others is a life-long journey. It requires dedication, patience, and self-reflection. But it's worth it! Believing in yourself gives you the courage and confidence to take risks and pursue your hopes and dreams while believing in others gives you a sense of connectedness with the world around you. Here, I will share with you the top four things I’ve learned to avoid as I practice believing in myself. Then, we will talk about how you and I can believe in our family in a powerful way.

There is a voice of reason inside of you that you can listen to or ignore. When you decide to show up for yourself, you must choose to listen to that wisdom. It may come when you are in prayer or in a time of stillness. Learn to listen to yourself.

Maria had been holding on to these fearful worries for quite some time. I asked Maria this question, "When you think about your son, what are your hopes for his future?" I asked. She stopped for a moment before answering, "I don't know. Nobody has asked me that before." She sat in the chair behind her as if to think about this question for the first time.

People have been influencing other people long before the internet was around. Parents, relatives, and siblings affect the people in their family. Religious leaders, teachers, counselors, community lessons, and coaches influence people each day. I'm here to tell you that if you are around a child for any length of time, you influence them.

So what kind of influence are you? I have discovered two basic types of influencers in a child's life. I call them the Primary Influencer and the Secondary Influencer. Both play a critical role, and both are loud in a child's mind

In solution-focused therapy, this is known as stepping into their worldview. To do this, you must be humble. So humble in fact, that you are at peace with where your child is in each moment. It takes stepping away from sharing advice at the drop of a hat and listening with a pure heart of love. Shut your mouth and open your ears! Many times kids can see right through pre-determined solution-focused questions. They can feel if you are going through the motions to check the talked to my child box on your to-do list. That will not build the hope you want them to feel and know.