Yep, it sounds like a prop from a gothic novel. And in a way, it is. Here’s how it works: You’re going to fill a big glass jar with a bunch of marbles. Each marble represents one month out of the (estimated) time you have left to live. - If you’re 50 years old right now, then I want you to optimistically shoot for living to 100. That leaves you with 600 months. So purchase 600 marbles. - If you’re 30 and equally hopeful to live to 100, you’re looking at 840 months to go. So purchase 840 marbles. - Or simply do the math for whatever age you are! Whatever your age, you’ll need a big jar for this. - If you’re a 600-marble person, get a jar around 32 fluid ounces. - If you’re an 840-marble person, aim for something like 42 fluid ounces. - Based on those numbers, estimate the jar size for whatever age you are. Each month, I want you to take one marble out of the jar. Then, as the months go by, watch as the marbles gradually decrease. What’s incredibly powerful—and kinda scary—about this jar is how it will make the abstract concept of time very painfully real. You will literally see your months slipping away, decreasing one marble at a time. Let me tell you, nothing makes you reconsider your life choices quite like watching your allotted marbles disappear. But this jar isn’t just meant to be a reminder that time is passing. It’s meant to be a catalyst for action. So I want you to make removing each marble a ritual. Maybe do it over a glass of wine on the first evening of every month. Or over a coffee during the first morning of a new month. As you remove each marble, think about how you spent the past month. Take time to ask yourself: - Was this month well spent? - Did you waste it on the crap and clutter? - Or did you invest your time in things that enrich your life? This jar of marbles will be a powerful wake-up call. It will poke you in the ribs, gently or not so gently, every time you remove a marble. Because you’ll begin to realize just how much every action—or inaction—truly counts.

Today in group coaching we talked about shrinking negativity with STOP & SWAPS. Here's a NEW one for you... - Every time you wanna say "I’m too old for that," you’re putting up a roadblock on a road you haven’t even tried to drive yet. - Flip the script. Replace “I’m too old’ with "I'm a lifelong learner. I love discovering new things.’" Plus here are the ones we spoke about today... - STOP thinking: “People don’t like me.” SWAP IN the reframe: “The right people appreciate me.” - STOP thinking: “I’m not reaching goals fast enough.” SWAP IN the reframe: “Everything has its process. I’m right on time.” - STOP thinking: “Everything is going wrong.” SWAP IN the reframe: “I focus 20 percent on the problem, 80 percent on the solutions.” Feel free to brainstorm your own STOP & SWAPs - and share them in the comments below!

I’m now sixty-four years old. So I recently did some basic math that blew my mind. Let’s assume I live to 100. (Note: I recognize this is optimistic, but this was the negotiated age settlement I reached with my son, who originally demanded I live to 200.). If I live to 100, I only have 36 Februarys left. - 36 more chances to complain about Valentine’s Day commercialism. - 36 more chances to pretend groundhogs have meteorological expertise. - 36 more chances to get this whole “living” thing right. Thirty-six. That’s it. Knowing this number changes everything about how I show up in February. It becomes my personal procrastination-buster. For example… - I don’t let myself postpone that visit to my 93 year old mom in Pennsylvania. - And I stop putting off those deep conversations with my teenage son, that we both awkwardly avoid, but desperately need to have. This limited number of “36” makes every choice I make in February feel more real, more urgent. It makes me aware that “later” isn’t guaranteed. And I don’t just do this with February. I’ve got my countdown going for every month of the year. Now, you might think that sounds depressing, but it’s not. It’s clarifying and motivating. Because when you know you’ve only got 36 remaining of anything, you start treasuring it far more. Right now you might be wondering: “Hey, Karen, what’s with this death countdown thing?” Well, the quick-ish answer is found HERE in my ARTICLE ON MEDIUM! Click to read!

Excited for our first session tomorrow at 11am EST! ❤️