Deb Sofield

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Encouragement for Your Life

Harness Your Power

Recently, I was reading a review about Laird Hamilton’s life that will be seen in an upcoming documentary called “Take Every Wave.” Laird is a legendary big wave surfing star who, according to the write-up, is as polarizing as he is acclaimed. I know a bit of who he is from magazine articles and his one-time marriage to volleyball star Gabrielle Reece, so in reading the write-up I was curious about how he pushed himself to set aside his fear of the water and waves and sharks and whatever else lurks in the ocean to become the master of the elements. […]

If you can look up…you can get up!

If you can look up…you can get up! I heard this phrase a while back and it keep nagging in my mind, because, while I am sure it is true, I also know how hard it is to get up when you’re feeling down. But isn’t that what we need to be looking for, the light to find our way, the path to go where we need to go or the unlocking of the door to our future? Even when it is hard, Yes is the simple answer and How is another story… I’m not sure what you are going […]

Fearless or Fearful

You’ll notice that over time they become fearful of speaking up–in case they are wrong–or they become fearful of putting in extra hours in case no one notices (so why give it more than the basic requirement) or, for many, I see that they are fearful to step out of or away from the comforts of their home, their job or their group of friends. I find it curious that so many once-fearless people now seem to make a place for fear at their table and allow fear to eat every meal with them in their ever shrinking world. It’s […]

Who Is Modeling You?

I would be interested to know who you model your life after, if anyone? Most of us grew up, I am assume, with a role model that we eyed sometimes with awe and wonder and sometimes with suspicion and regret; either way, we watched someone live their life and we either said, “I’m going to be like them,” or “I’m never going to be like them,” making the choice to model ourselves in a similar fashion but separate enough to maintain our sense of dignity, pride and individuality. I have always loved the artwork of Norman Rockwell. He seemed to […]

Leaving Greatness in the Graveyard

A while back I saw a motivational video about pushing through the pain to achieve the goal of greatness. It was a video of famous and not-so-famous athletes who worked hard day after day, night after night, to be the best, understanding that success is a mixture of blood, sweat and tears. Today they are recognized sports figures who are greatly rewarded by their abilities. As the video is playing you can hear voices—sort of sounds like preachers in the background giving the message of determination, power, fight and success—and there is one section of the video where the words […]

It’s not what happens to you

It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters. Epictetus There is no easy way to say it and no need to sugar coat the truth that for many could be life-changing, so I’ll hit you straight up and remind you that “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” You know this to be true, and yet it is so hard to let offenses, real and imagined, go without a fight or at least a great put-you-in-your-place-amazingly-smart-aleck comment. Recently, I was speaking at a leadership luncheon, and I […]

Is your life a grand adventure?

I’m reading a great book about a lady’s travels throughout the world, and each page takes me to another outdoor café or museum or cathedral. I have walked alongside this lady as she tries new foods, buys tiles and trinkets and smells the scent of the city where she and her husband are exploring. I can get lost in a book pretty easily, and I have found that I tend to like books that have an element of education for me and not just a sappy story. I admit I spend a lot of time reading, and it’s a habit […]

My Goal in Life Is to be Filthy Rich

My goal in life is to be filthy rich. Now, before you wonder what happened to me, hear me out because I am truthful when I tell you that I really do want to be rich. I want to be rich in knowledge, adventure, laughter, health, family and rich in love. How about you? No doubt you’d like to join me in being rich in all those areas of life, wouldn’t you? Well then, let’s figure out how to do it and be outrageously successful. I don’t think it is all that hard these days to be rich in knowledge–it […]

Generosity of Spirit

Like many of you, I like to think of myself as a generous person, or at least that is the ideal I have in my mind about who I am and those I associate with. I have come to believe that we all hope and trust that we have a place inside us that realizes that it is good to be thoughtful, kind and generous to others, and it’s at that foundation of our deep moral makeup that reflects who we are at our soul level. Now I know that some people do not feel this way. While I don’t […]