Jodi Brichta-Coyne, Coach/Author/Speaker

    Every year I get photo cards done of my two kids and send them out to close friends and family for the holidays. In years past, I really enjoyed doing this. However, the cost accrued and time spent with making the cards, labeling and sending them out only to be (for most) tossed out shortly after the holidays has lost its zest for me. I for one, had always loved to get cards from others of their families and I would tape them above my molding in my kitchen and leave them up all year long. I would only take them down the following year when I got new cards and would compare the two to see how much the kids grew. Over the last couple of years I noticed little by little, I wasn't getting as many as I used to. People were just not sending out Christmas cards anymore, it made me wonder.   This year, I decided that instead of sending cards out I would do something different. I announced on facebook and tagged most of my family and friends who would have received a ...

   As a woman, mom, wife, friend, daughter, business-owner and someone juggling all the balls in the air with the endless to-do lists, the one thing that I use to think was "is everyone happy by my efforts?" You see, I am a recovering people-pleaser and was constantly looking for validation from others in return. When I would do something for someone else, I expected that they either: 1) be grateful or 2) do something for me in return down the road. It seemed the more I did, the more people expected from me. So, I kept doing and kept seeking their approval. I would do anything to feel validated, buy them things thinking they would be over the moon and appreciative. I would offer to do services such as watch their kids, or do errands or even offer and go visit them because I knew they wouldn't visit me and my family and I wanted them to like me. As the years went on and I had my own kids and to be honest, I was expecting others to just help me out. However, that wasn...

During a recent conversation with a family member, I have come to realize how silly our rationalized thinking can be sometimes.  I started talking about food and choices we all make today.   Our food choices are filled with food derived from GMO's (genetically modified organisms), wheat, dairy with hormones and antibiotics and grocery stores filled with processed food that has more chemicals on the labels that I won't even attempt to pronounce.  As I asked the question "do you know what a GMO is?" the answer was "I don't care, I am still here." As I thought about this response I wondered, is it because I am younger and have this knowledge of something they don't.. was their ego challenged? -or- is it because they really do not want to know?" Is this the same for a lot of people?   My wheels were turning, and then I thought; what are the consequences of NOT knowing this information? If people knew that animals grazed on GMO crops and were get...

    This past weekend was my birthday and my husband decided to surprise me by taking me out to dinner.  He made arrangements with my mother and it was all set for Saturday eve. We had not been out together by ourselves for so long and I was really looking forward to it. On Friday, my daughter started not feeling well and it carried into Saturday.  I was debating on whether or not to postpone our dinner.  My husband convinced me she would be alright.  I asked her and she seemed fine with it.  I got dressed up and was all excited to go on date night. We drove over to my mothers house and my husband said to wait in the car and he would drop them off.  I said "no, I will come in and say hello". Upon arriving my brothers dog (Australian Shepherd) was outside the door.  We opened the door and he ran in. I asked my mother if it was OK for him to come in and she replied "yes" (my brother lives next to my mom and my nephew is there all the time w...

Someone recently asked me what I do and I paused  for a brief moment, I replied with: I inspire moms to be an imperfectly perfect role model to their children by creating harmony and calmness in their own lives.  How does one do this in this crazy, fast paced, stressful and demanding world? Let's look at this prime example:   "There are days where I am so tired, I get so overwhelmed and can't pull it all together.  I have in my head exactly what it is all supposed to look like, but I never get there.  I get stressed and start wondering if I will ever catch up, my anxiety builds and then I take my anger out on my children. I feel guilty and horrible afterwards."   I hear this kind of example a lot. We all are rushing to get somewhere and never stop to think about the moment we are in. It is in that space, [the present], where one must seek out that calmness or see it for what it is, so as not to get overwhelmed about the future. I realize this is easie...

"Pay no attention to the little man behind the curtain." wizard of Oz I recently read an article that referred to that line and it starting me thinking....Who is behind your curtain?who's in control of your time, health and life? It made me stop to reflect and think.  As a mom, with so many balls juggled everyday, most of us are too overwhelmed to see who's in control. We put on our masks and we let overbooked schedules, day-to-day activities and energy drainers dictate when and where we should be ( let alone how we should think, act and respond to life's challenges and circumstance). When is it time to just say "ENOUGH",  I am in control.     It is very much like the line from Pretty woman when she refers to her prostitution, "I Say who, I say when, I say how much!".. It makes you think we, in a (demented) sense, are doing the very same thing.  We are losing ourselves because we are letting everything and everyone dictate to us who we a...

  As winter storm Athena draws near, I can't help but compare this goddess's qualities with the valuable lessons we have learned from Hurricane Sandy.  Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast hard and furious.  She was a large mass that covered the east coast causing devastation and leaving most of us in the dark struggling with day to day activities that we had oh so taken for granted in the past.  As each day was a struggle for most, we saw emotions flare as anger and bitterness shined its' ugly face.  People started to believe it was their right to have power as it seemed that they turned a blind eye to the ones that had lost everything.  I think as time went on and people learned about the devastation in other area's something shifted.  Hearts started opening up and people starting helping and contributing.  The attitude of most changed from "so what I have no power, these people have nothing." People in my area started donating anything and ever...

   It has been 6 days since Hurricane Sandy has come and gone.  She wreaked havoc here in the tri-state area (where I am from), and we still have a long recovery and healing process to go through.  However, It's hard not to succumb to all the doom and gloom when it's constantly in your face, news,  and at the gas stations etc.  Hurricane Sandy made it real--- it is now that NY has turned into a really screwed up dysfunctional family, (not that we weren't before).  Sandy came into our homes unannounced, caused havoc and decided to stay.  We all thought we were prepared---we weren't.  How can we blame mother nature? we can't punch her in the face but, we can turn on our neighbors and slap them.  The whole thing is so messed up.  At least when it was 9/11, we all banned together and we had an enemy to blame.  Again, can't hate mother nature.  This to me, is everyone's wake up call. Sandy is saying "NY WAKE THE F@^* UP, IT'S ...

Today was a sad day.  I found out that a local boy who had been battling pediatric cancer for the last 2 years had passed.  His brave mother had been blogging their journey and has shown unbelievable strength and courage.  She posted this blog early in the AM.  http://www.superty.org/2012/10/our-baby-is-finally-free-rest-in-peace.html   Her words have struck a chord in every mom and woman out there who's heard of her struggle.  After hearing the news this A.M. I ran into my daughters room with eyes filled with tears and couldn't stop kissing her and telling her I loved her.  I did the same with my son.  All day long as I saw and read stories of this amazing little warrior it put things into perspective.  This boy just turned 5 years old, and for the last 2 he was fighting for his life all the while "smiling". If it weren't for this little boys strength, courage and huge grin the mother writes, she doesn't know how she would of made it through...

I just came across an article that had me in tears laughing and had to share.  A man wrote to the makers of bodyform (a female hygiene company), stating that after all these years, well...THEY LIED.  There is no such thing as a happy period! period!   Well, the company's CEO came back and thanked him for exposing the myth and apologized.  Here is the link:  http://littlewhitelion.com/feminine-hygiene-company-responds-to-facebook-comment-that-accuses-them-of-lying-about-happy-periods-13390/   Make sure you watch the youtube video from the CEO, priceless.   In any event, this video holds a lot of truth as to what us women go through on a monthly basis.  Quite frankly, how does a working mom or any woman maintain peace and balance when her hormones are raging out of control?  I honestly think we should be shipped off for the week to some quiet place-- perhaps the beach or mountains, where we wait until our hormone levels have calm down and upo...