COACHING WITH

Tammy Barnett

Category: Spiritual Life

How Much Is Enough?

Giving to others, creating life balance, and setting healthy boundaries
(4 minute read)

Yesterday, I had a conversation with a kind and beautiful friend. It had been several months since we spoke and when I asked how things were going, my friend replied with a big sigh and said, “I am exhausted!” In addition to working full time and taking care of her home, she is raising two young children and a teen. This is enough to exhaust anyone.  Then, 6 months ago, her mom moved in and the thought of having some extra help from her mom immediately landed on my friend’s wish list. Unfortunately, the opposite has come true. My friend is now taking caring of her mom who has several health issues that demand more time than is available.


Temporary Relief or Restoration

Last week I had a really difficult day….     (2 minute read)

After arriving home, taking care of dinner and all the other evening tasks, it was time to relax. The problem was, I found myself not able to relax. Instead, I heard the little snack size Snickers candy bars calling my name. Then I heard a glass of wine calling my name. I knew either one of these choices or both would offer me instant relief to the day that I had just survived. After all, I deserved whatever was calling for my attention to help me find relief, right?

But wait, there’s more! The beautiful cool evening breeze and the idea of taking my Golden Retriever outside for a long walk was another choice I could make,


I Should Have

Do you ever find yourself caught up in conversations like this?

Recently I have become more aware of a repeating phrase being used in the conversations taking place in my circle of friends, family and especially the conversations taking place in my own mind. The pattern, I call it……. The Would’ve Should’ve Could’ve Syndrome or the WSC Syndrome. It sounds something like this:

I wished I would have made that choice…….I should have done that…….I could have said that. In fact, I’m doing it right now. I should have started writing this article two days ago so I wouldn’t feel the pressure of finishing it by my deadline.

So, are these phrases helpful?

If you think back on the times you use these phrases mentioned above,


Limiting Beliefs

Recently I was having lunch with a friend. Nearby was a large table filled with a group of women. Their voices were loud, making it difficult to not overhear their conversation. As each one spoke, here’s what I heard……
“I would love to start a new career but I’m too old to go back to school.”
“I’ve always wanted my own catering business but I’m afraid it won’t be a success.”
“I missed my calling years ago and it’s too late to think about it now.”

Throughout the day this conversation remained on my mind. It made me think about my own life decisions and dreams. The ones I have acted on, the ones I did not pursue,


Laughter……The Best Medicine

My “holiday to do” list going into last weekend was very long. In addition to this list, my almost 2-year-old grandson was coming for an overnight visit. Anyone who has been around a 2-year-old knows the constant attention needed, especially when a decorated Christmas tree is in the middle of the room!

Along with abounding energy, also comes an enormous amount of laughter! Alex literally laughs at almost everything! His constant giggles are contagious. During his visit,  all the stress and pressure of the things on my “to do list” suddenly became not so important as I was more relaxed and enjoying life in the very moment. Thank you, Alex, for sharing your wonderful gift of laughter!

As I considered how this laughter made me feel,