"Start With Why" (Part 2 of a six-part series on change) Episode #171, January 30, 2026
The Wellness Compass Podcast
What follows is our Weekly Wellness Column that is always on the same topic as our Weekly Podcast: Start With Why (Part 2 of a six-part series on change). Most attempts to make a change will fail if they are not connected to a clear "why"—a clear reason for making the change. The "why" is the root system that grounds and nurtures change. Without a strong root system, most attempts at change will wither or die out altogether. For example, if a person makes a New Year’s resolution simply because it’s the popular thing to do, there is a good chance that resolution won’t stick. If,...
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"Listening for a Change," Episode #170, January 16, 2026
The Wellness Compass Podcast
In this episode we mention our Wellness Compass Self Assessment. Here is a link to our assessment(s). Click to learn more, and/or to download the self-assessment for your own use. And Holly mentions her personal trianer in this episode--the amazing Luanne Vogel. You can learn more about Luanne, including her contact info . And if you would like to join our upcoming Wellness Compass "pop up" session on Thursday, January 22, 7:00 PM Central Time, click . There are 8 dimensions of wellness in our Wellness Compass and for this session we will focus on the Relationship dimension...
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"Sharing Light in the Darkness," Episode #169, December 19, 2025
The Wellness Compass Podcast
Sharing Light in the Darkness In the 1990’s, there was a children’s show on the Nickelodeon Network that our children and we loved, called Are You Afraid of the Dark? One thing that made the show special was that it was just scary enough, without being terrifying. We find ourselves thinking about that show now as we in the Northern Hemisphere approach the darkest night of the year. There is a lot of fear, a lot of scary things happening in the world, things that can seem dark and overwhelming at times. As therapists, we find ourselves invited into so many conversations these days about how...
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"The Spirit (and Neuroscience) of Generosity," Episode #168, December 12, 2025
The Wellness Compass Podcast
What follows is our Weekly Wellness Column that is always on the same topic as our Weekly Podcast: The Spirit (and Neuroscience) of Generosity The holidays are a time for gift giving and generosity. Nonprofits receive more donations of both money and volunteer hours this time of year than at any other time. With that in mind, we offer a few thoughts on practicing generosity—not just during the holidays, but all year long. Our Brains Are Wired for Generosity The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, in their book entitled The Book of Joy, remind us that generosity is fundamental by...
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"The Power of Enough," Episode #167, December 5, 2025
The Wellness Compass Podcast
The Power of "Enough"-Finding Contentment in a Culture of More We live in a culture that constantly tells us that we need more, especially as we approach the holidays. More success, more possessions, more activities, more social media likes, more achievements, more of everything. We don't know about you, but the constant striving leaves us exhausted, anxious, and spiritually depleted. There is another choice, though. We can embrace a different mindset, one we call the power of "enough." Here are four thoughts on what the power of "enough" looks like and how we can embrace it. How...
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"Beyond Thank You: Four Truths About Gratitude from an Unexpected Vista," Episode #166, November 21, 2025
The Wellness Compass Podcast
What follows is the Weekly Wellness Column we send by email each Friday, based on the same topic as the podcast episode for that week. You can sign up for the Weekly Wellness Column . Beyond Thank You: Four Truths About Gratitude from an Unexpected Vista The two of us went on a hike the other day. It was a beautiful late Wisconsin fall day. We had chosen a large state protected area we'd never explored before, and as we switchbacked up a ridge, we had no idea we were about to experience gratitude in its truest form. Turned around at the top, we were overwhelmed with the unexpected view...
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"Awe, Mystery, and the Northern Lights: Nature's Gift to Our Well-Being" Episode #165, November 14, 2025
The Wellness Compass Podcast
What follows is the Weekly Wellness Column we send by email each Friday, based on the same topic as the podcast episode for that week. You can sign up for the Weekly Wellness Column Awe, Mystery, and the Northern Lights: Nature's Gift to Our Well-Being This week, something extraordinary happened. People across the Northern Hemisphere stopped in their tracks, looked up at the night sky, and collectively whispered, "Whoa." The Northern Lights danced across skies where they rarely appear, and for a few precious moments, we remembered what it means to be truly awestruck. The aurora...
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"Taking Time to Reset," Episode #164, November 6, 2025
The Wellness Compass Podcast
What follows is the Weekly Wellness Column we send by email each Friday, based on the same topic as the podcast episode for that week. You can sign up for the Weekly Wellness Column Taking Time to Reset Having just reset our clocks this week, we know that this simple adjustment—moving backward by a single hour—can change our entire rhythm. For some, the change was not a big deal; for others, it is still affecting their sleep schedules (or those of their kids or pets). But here's the good news: within a few days, most of us recalibrate and adapt. This semi-annual ritual reminds us...
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"What the Day of the Dead Teaches Us About Emotional and Family Wellness," Episode #163, Oct. 31, 2025
The Wellness Compass Podcast
This episode finds Holly and Scott exploring lessons from Day of the Dead celebrations and how they can support our inidividual and family well-being. What follows here is the column they send out by email each week that is always on the same theme as the weekly podcast. You can signt up for the weekly email column . What the Day of the Dead Teaches Us About Emotional and Family Wellness While Americans are having fun celebrating Halloween this week, other countries around the world, especially in Mexico and Latin America, will be celebrating El Día de los Muertos (Day of the...
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"Making the Problem the Problem, Not the Person," Episode #162, October 24, 2025
The Wellness Compass Podcast
(Click on the player at the top to listen to this ten-minute episode) What follows is the weekly column we email every Friday that is a companion to this weekly podcast. This podcast episode expands on the content of the column. You can subscribe to the weekly column . Making the Problem the Problem, Not the Person We've all been there: a conflict starts small—maybe it's about whose turn it is to handle the dishes or a disagreement about something important you're planning together—and suddenly you're no longer discussing the actual issue. Instead, you're blaming each other for...
info_outlineWhat follows is our weekly Wellness Compass column. This column is sent out by email each Friday, and our podcast each week addresses the same topic as the column.
Making Time for Joy
We both started music lessons a few weeks ago for instruments that are new for each of us. Holly is taking ukulesle lessons, and Scott is taking bluegrass fiddle lessons. We had been saying we were going to do this for a long time, and now that we are enjoying it so much, we wonder why we waited so long. Making time for the lessons and practicing has reminded us how much fun making music is and how much joy it is bringing us.
The semi-annual practice of having just changed our clocks has once again offered all of us an excellent opportunity to reflect on how we use our time. As we shifted our clocks forward, it reminded us to also consider other shifts we might want to make regarding our time.
Much like evaluating our finances—deciding how to spend, save, or share our money—considering how we spend our time can also be a meaningful practice. Taking a moment to assess how we are using our time need not be a negative experience; instead, it's a chance to recognize what's working well and where we might want to shift. That's what we did when we realized we wanted to spend less time doing passive activities and instead prioritize time learning to play new instruments. We shifted our attention and how we spend part of our time each day and week.
Sometimes, life can feel unacceptably busy, leaving little room for relaxation and peace. Other times, we may feel like we have an abundance of time on our hands but struggle to use it meaningfully. In either case, pausing to reflect on how we choose to spend our time can be valuable.
Instead of judging ourselves, we find that one simple question can be particularly helpful: "What is one thing that you could shift by spending more or less time doing this week, something that would bring you joy?"
Take a moment to ask yourself this question with kindness and curiosity. If an answer comes to mind, embrace it and take a step toward realigning your time with what truly matters to you. For us, that means making more time for the fun of music in our lives. What might it be for you?