Musings
“Show Your Work” by Austin Kleon
Austin Kleon has uniquely profound insights on life: how to view it, how to maneuver through it, and how to own it. “Show Your Work” is exemplary in all these points. Specifically, Kleon discusses how to get noticed in this ever-changing world of technology and what it really means to be a “creative.” If you […]
The Contagion of Kindness
The most amazing consequence of Kindness is that it is IMMEDIATE! The moment you are kind to another, whether in thought or deed; the infusion of inner calm, peace and spiritual warmth is instantaneous. Kindness is contagious without the need for incubation. The feeling that comes from invoking kindness is an amazing phenomenon. It’s actually […]
The Art of Fogging
My mom died when she was 53—I was 25 years old at the time. It wasn’t her early departure from this earth that reminds me of how finite time is, it is her lasting wisdom. One lesson she instilled is that you don’t owe anyone an explanation for why you do or don’t want to […]
Competing Against Civility
I work in the world of athletics. I’ve always maintained that athletics is an amazing venue in which to learn life lessons. I’ve also always felt that athletics tends to bring out the best in the athletes and the worst in the fans. I’m guilty as charged. I become someone I don’t recognize when my […]
Inspired By Her
One of my most favorite interviews was conducted last week by Mandy Close, the woman who has produced the podcast “Inspired By Her.” Each week she interviews accomplished and inspiring woman who share their stories. In my interview she asked insightful questions that touched on how I got to UCLA, my relationship with Coach Wooden […]
Hitting the Refresh Button
When I first started coaching at UCLA, I was asked to coach balance beam along with choreographing floor routines. I had no idea what I was doing. I quickly realized that a huge part of success on beam was the athlete’s mental game. When everything was going well, there was no need to make adjustments. […]
Throwing Life a Hail Mary
So much in life is about preparation and stepping up when opportunity arises. However, every once in a while you find yourself at a crossroad of preparation and opportunity with few options available and your best chance of triumph is putting faith in the support system around you; in those people you trust to be […]
Cue Up Your Life
As a gymnastics coach, I help athletes come up with “cues” to say before each skill that emphasize finer points to achieve the result they want. Take balance beam for example, some athletes have a technical cue they say to themselves, such as “push through my legs” or “jump” before their flipping series. Other athletes […]
Bobby Field’s Barbecue Pizza
A happy marriage requires a bit of compromise. In my marriage that means consuming a bit of barbecue to indulge my Southern husband, Bobby. This week I’m sharing his recipe, the Bobby Field Barbecue pizza. And while barbecue is not my favorite, I actually enjoy my husband’s version of this cowboy pizza. It’s Super easy to […]