Sharon L. Mikrut - Empowerment Coach

Honoring Honesty - How Honest Are You?

Honesty is one of those virtues that most people say they possess. When you look at your interactions with family members, friends, colleagues, and others, how honest are you? To what extent are you truthful? When you say you will do something, do you actually do it? When someone asks for your opinion, do you provide an honest one, even if you know it may hurt the person’s feelings? Do you strive to be honest but back away in fear of retaliation? This article provides some tips on what honesty is and how to be honest in a way that is not offensive to others.

Are You Hearing What I'm Saying? - 10 Tips That Will Help You Improve Your Listening Skills - Video

Accepting What We Can't Change & Embracing What We Can

One of my favorite quotes comes from Reinhold Niebuhr. He said “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” I think that most people have seen or heard this quote at some point in their lives. It is extremely powerful and life changing once you understand, embrace, and implement it. The purpose of this article is to offer advice on how to implement this philosophy in your life.

Is Your Glass Half Full or Half Empty?

We often hear people talking about whether someone's glass is half full or half empty, which is really a metaphor for how someone views their life or the world around them. If someone is negative or pessimistic, people might regard them as seeing their glass half empty. When people view their glass as half empty, they are looking at what they don't have instead of what they do. If someone is positive and optimistic, people would say they see their glass as being half full. Half of their glass may be empty, but they choose to look at it as half full. They are seeing what they have instead of what they don't. Which type of person are you? Do you see your glass as half full or half empty?

Six Tips For Loving The Fabulous Person You Are

Throughout my life, I've encountered scores of people who don't appear to love themselves. They say negative things about their appearance, their lack of success at work, not being a good parent or child, or not making the right choices in life. While it is true that we all grapple with issues related to any of these items, we should spend more time on itemizing and being grateful for our positive attributes and successes, and less time on what we feel is wrong with us, negative experiences, or perceived failures. This article provides some tips on learning to love ourselves for who we are.

Six Tips For Turning Negative Thoughts Into Positive Ones

No matter how positive you are, there is probably at least one negative feeling or thought that creeps into your mind on a daily basis. Negative thoughts have many origins. They can develop from not feeling well, experiencing low self-esteem, or doubting one's self. Considering the fact that this happens to everyone, how do some people appear to be more successful at turning negative thoughts into positive ones before the negativity grows and becomes counterproductive? This article provides some tips on squelching negative thoughts before they have a chance to fester and erupt.

Five Tips for Creating a Healthy Balance in Your Life

My mother once said that “The older you get, the faster time will fly.”How true that is! Perhaps this is why people try to cram as much into their day as possible. However, when you become too busy and forget to set aside adequate time for yourself, it will take its toll on you physically, mentally, and/or emotionally. Signs that you should slow down can include, but are not limited to, frustration, anger, a short temper, exhaustion, depression, skin rashes, and illnesses. This article provides five tips on how to create a healthier balance in your life.

Battling the Bully - Standing Up for Yourself with Confidence and Assertiveness

When I was young, there was a girl who was a year younger and a foot taller than me. She bullied me for approximately two years. One day something inside of me snapped; I decided I wasn’t going to take her abuse any longer and stood up to her. Unfortunately, our confrontation ended in a fight, which I won.  She never picked on me again. I learned at an early age that if you allow people to bully, harass, or cut you down, then they will do so. If, on the other hand, you make a decision to stand up for yourself and not allow the bully to take control, then s/he will move on to someone or something else.

Where Are You In Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs?

As a social work and psychology student, Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs was a theory in which we focused a great deal of time. According to Maslow, there are five levels of needs, ranging from physiological to self-actualization. It is difficult to move from one level to the next without first meeting your needs at the lower level. If you can identify where you are currently at in the hierarchy, it will give you a better understanding of where you are coming from and what you need to do to reach the fifth and final step, self-actualization.

Coach Sharon's Stress Busters - #81 - #100

In four previous blog pots, I listed the first 80 stress busters from my "Top 100 Stress Busters" list.  This post provides the final 20 stress busters (#81 - #100).

81. Play solitaire.

82. Create a home environment that is inviting, warm, and happy.  Create a home that is YOU.