Kerri On Down The Road

How many times have you seen the slogan "Be Yourself"....I feel like it is everywhere.  Yet when I really think about it, I realize that I have never really been able to be myself as I truly did not know who that person was. I thought I did, and many times think that I came close to really seeing and acknowledging her.  But there was always a lens or layer put on top that suited the situation or perceived expectations that I felt others had for me.  In my personal and professional life this tendency to be the version of myself that I felt was expected or desired has always been there.  And being unsure and unaware of who I really am caused me to continue on with this exhausting pursuit of someone else's ideal version of me. I am feeling such a sense of release and relief lately as I am finally shedding these layers, expectations and beliefs.  I am finally looking at the real me, embracing all of the quirks, strengths and weaknesses, the good the bad and the ugl...

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately around needs and wants and the ways in which we both meet and ignore both.  On my way in to work today I decided to put my book and phone down and just take in my surroundings, and the one thing that really jumped out at me what how bombarded we are on a daily basis with information and ideas around ways to have our needs and desires met.  From ads for warm vacations, to coffee, to food, to clothing there is no shortage of options for things that will make us feel fulfilled or complete, or so the ads would have you believe. I started to think more about this and around the idea of how do we really know what it is that we do need at any given moment.  Is it the ads and seeing what others have and we don't that motivates us, is it a deep down desire or need that we listen to, or is it a whim or spur of the moment decision that leads us to our next purchase?  Then it dawned on me that we can spend so much time in pursuit of thes...

I have often felt ambivalent about setting New Year's resolutions.  I do agree wholeheartedly with the idea of setting goals and having things to work towards in your life, and think that it is very important aspect to often evaluate and ensure that you are working towards the goals and ideals that are important to you.  Where I have often had issue with resolutions is that they seem to be focused for the most part on limiting things...changing eating, drinking and activity patterns but not addressed in a way that is positive.  We seem to enter into these contracts with ourselves in more of a punitive state of mind, and despite the overall desired outcome of these changes being to improve our lives in one way or another, it is often seen as a negative activity.  Not many people will tell you their resolutions with a smile on their face.  It is often with a deep sigh and an underlying tone that makes the goal seem like it was forced upon them instead of entered i...

Today marks the beginning of not just a new year, but a new decade.  And with that comes a sense of new beginnings and also a sense of urgency around what the year and years ahead will hold, and the part that you will play in making those new beginnings come to life. As I woke up this morning and set out for a run, I was accompanied by a bunch of thoughts swirling around my head, and they are ones that I have been carrying with me recently and aren't necessarily the most positive in nature.  They were nagging and negative and focused on things that I have been contemplating in my life, changes that I wish to see happen and that I am working towards.  As with many of the things that we want the most, these changes are ones that need to occur in their own time and cannot be rushed into.  So the requirement to be patient and to trust in the process has been huge and something that I have battled with on and off for weeks now.  As I continued on my way, I saw anoth...