The Problem of Letting “What If?” Lead Us into Our Future

Beth Vogtanxiety, Beth K. Vogt, choices, emotions, Faith, perspective, Quotes, trust 8 Comments

@bethvogt   Most mornings I wake up and wander into the bathroom down the hall, step on to the small electronic scale, and start the morning off with a quick check of my weight. Some mornings it’s an “all good” kind of day. And some mornings it’s an “uh-oh” kind of day. My reaction is directly related to my actions …

Choosing Our Anchors Wisely

Beth Vogtacceptance, Beth K. Vogt, challenges, change, choices, emotions, Faith, grace, In Others' Words, One Word, perspective, Quotes 11 Comments

@bethvogt I own two anchor necklaces. My husband gave me one last Christmas. The other was also a Christmas gift from my dear friend, Angie. I’ve worn one necklace most days this past year. The other one hangs from the rear-view mirror in my car so I see it most days, too. Why are these two necklaces so important to …

The Fallacy of Doing Our Best

Beth Vogtchallenges, confidence, expectations, goals, In Others' Words, Life, lifequotes, perseverance, perspective, Quotes, Reality, success 9 Comments

KLowering the Bar to Achieve More by @bethvogt Success, my friends, isn’t always about giving our best effort. Sometimes success is doing a little bit less. Can I get an “amen!”? Over the years, my family has learned to ask, “What’s the wise choice?” And sometimes the best, wisest choice is to stop trying so hard. There are times when …

In Others’ Words: My One Word for 2019

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, One Word, perspective 19 Comments

  Let’s talk about choosing One Word for the coming year.  2019 is just over a month away, but if you’ve been reading this blog for awhile, then you know that I gave up New Year’s resolutions thirteen years ago. All my good intentions — the “I wills” and the “I won’ts” — faded so quickly, and I always misplaced …

In Others’ Words: Choose Your Weapon

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, perspective, Quotes 6 Comments

Our thoughts are powerful forces for good or evil. And no, I’m not overstating this truth. Think about a time when you were juggling some important tasks or facing a major deadline, but still having a good day. And then, for some unknown reason, you found yourself discouraged. Frustrated. Overwhelmed by all you had to do. You’re not sure how …

In Others’ Words: Are You Interested?

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, Quotes, Relationships 14 Comments

Take a close look at the graphic for today’s blog. Do you see what I see … the shape etched in that insignificant stone? When I saw it during my early morning walk a few days ago, I stopped and stared and yes, took a photo. There’s a heart shape outlined in that stone. It’s not perfect, but it’s there. …

In Others’ Words: It’s Not About Luck

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, opportunities, Quotes 5 Comments

  I’ll skip over luck, thank you very much, and go for opportunities every time. Even those “lucky breaks” people talk about? Those were just opportunities in disguise.  Think about it: That time you met someone who knew someone … and that other someone helped you along the path to your dream. Or that part-time, temporary job that somehow helped …

In Others’ Words: Decide What It’s About

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, perspective, Quotes 9 Comments

  Perspective changes everything. As my husband and I wandered through a local park early one morning before my daughter’s day-long volleyball tournament, I paused in front of this wire bench. The surrounding trellises were mostly bare. What few leaves remained were brittle and brown. The landscape was awash in grays and browns. And it had its own certain beauty. …

In Others’ Words: What’s Your Main Thing?

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, perspective, Quotes 5 Comments

I’ve attended hundreds of volleyball games since my youngest daughter started playing back in fifth grade. And I’ve also taken thousands of photographs.Yes, of my daughter, but of her teammates, too. The setters. The outside hitters. The liberos. The defensive specialists. The middle blockers. The right sides. One of my favorite photos? When the team huddles up. The girls do …

In Others’ Words: Living Expectant

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, opportunities, Quotes 4 Comments

How often do we look for our big opportunity somewhere out there — expecting the thing we’ve been waiting for to show up tomorrow, or next month, or even next year? With a “somewhere out there” focus, what kind of right-here-right-now opportunities do we miss? The danger? Being so intent on tomorrow’s possibilities we overlook what’s happening today. Lessons to learn.Relationships …