tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172689842012-01-25T17:47:14.136-08:00Envision Your Dreams Life CoachingHow life coaching can move you toward realizing your dreams!Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.comBlogger1011100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-26052700104821847172011-07-21T12:54:00.000-07:002011-07-21T12:56:18.783-07:00Rattled Now HmmmmmIt has been quite some time since writing my last post about my daughter leaving for college two thousand miles away. I am happy to report we all survived and, and for the most part, flourished through the transition. I am grateful she is home for the summer allowing me to soak up as much mother/daughter time as she permits. My reasons for not posting throughout the year are Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-62436699283337686692010-05-13T09:16:00.000-07:002010-05-13T10:11:13.698-07:00Doors Open and ShutI write this issue perched at the patio table, two lazy Danes snoring at my feet, intoxicated by the hypnotic duet of bubbling water and cooing doves. The flowering shrubs along the fence attest to the fact that Spring has sprung in my neck of the woods. Each Spring provides me with a reminder of the potential each of us possess for personal growth and improved self awarenessKimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-64491342238581050022009-09-05T07:53:00.000-07:002009-09-05T11:55:04.245-07:00Separation AnxietyI am the parent of an almost-18 year old. My daughter has taken to alerting me to the countdown til the day she becomes an adult (in her eyes anyway) ever since she turned 17. The growing list of things she plans to do on that auspicious day include the possibility of coming home sporting a nose piercing and a small, discreet tattoo. I am not as concerned about the nose piercingKimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-24669666142400572712009-06-05T15:42:00.001-07:002009-06-06T19:50:07.023-07:00The Flow of FriendshipThe last few weeks have been a topsy-turvy wild ride of emotion involving my heart. An emptiness surfaced a few weeks ago as I said goodbye to a long-time friend and a short time later, the ache was soothed by the the reconnection of two friends. About two weeks ago my friend and colleague, Emilie, passed away after a decades-long battle with cancer. Emilie was one of the Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-82510081155253355002009-05-07T09:44:00.000-07:002009-05-09T11:08:01.892-07:00Global CitizenshipRecently my daughter returned from a school trip to Alabama and Mississippi with her class. The focus of the trip was to provide the students a firsthand look at the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement. Over the course of one week, they heard lectures from those who were on the frontlines during the March for Freedom, visited museums and monuments in memory of the civil struggleKimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-68417278334379508222009-04-16T11:47:00.000-07:002009-04-16T14:41:13.603-07:00Lazy Days and ThursdaysAhhh, it's Thursday again, which means a lazy day of walking the dogs, catching up on email and errands, scheduling doctor's appointments, heading to the gym, curling up with a book, downloading podcasts or engaging in whatever strikes my fancy over the next hours. For several years now I have been taking Thursday off from my clinical practice to provide myself a recharge Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-90962626041677246932009-04-02T11:44:00.000-07:002009-04-02T12:55:23.695-07:00Living by 10s and Other Amazing ThingsOkay, I'm BACK to the blog-world after a lengthy hiatus! It feels good to be writing again and my hope is that I will be able to keep this up at least once a month. Since my last post, life has been hectic and exciting in a positive way. In August I took the plunge and opened my very own private practice where I see adults and adolescents, providing Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-9425364714713887162008-08-06T11:24:00.000-07:002008-08-06T11:33:15.229-07:00Map Out Your Energy This Month(The following is excerpted from my monthly ezine. If you would like to subscribe, please go to my website, scroll to the bottom any page and provide your email. You will be asked to confirm your subscription prior to your first message.) Greetings from Envision Your Dreams Ezine! August is here which means the seemingly endless days of summer will soon cease. IKimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-91020209405309541702008-07-05T11:27:00.000-07:002008-07-05T11:34:24.678-07:00Let Let Freedom Ring This July(This is an excerpt from my monthly ezine--if you would like to subscribe, go to my website and click on the piggy on the bottom of the page to subscribe.)This month cities and towns across the States prepare for their respective annual 4th of July celebration. You may be planning a family BBQ for the 4th or perhaps you are anticipating the bright fireworks in the Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-37164248201235526292008-04-07T20:59:00.000-07:002008-04-07T21:06:41.322-07:00Open Up This AprilThe trees and flowers in my yard have been engaged in silent work these past months. Internal goings-on within the structure of the limbs and stalks have made the timing right for the leaves and flowers to burst forth. Over the past few weeks, the oak trees in the back have transformed from barren, crusty limbs to full, bountiful leaf-covered branches. The mountain laurel made Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-35055650851590347142008-03-18T16:30:00.001-07:002008-03-26T08:03:11.416-07:00The Art of ApologySometimes in my work as a psychologist, themes appear to emerge in the treatment of my client population. For the past few weeks, the theme currently playing out in the lives of many of my clients seems to focus on the difficult art of how to ask forgiveness after intentionally or unintionally causing psychological pain to another. I know this challenge is not confined to Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-27611103036505498822008-03-08T14:23:00.000-08:002008-03-08T18:06:23.964-08:00The Backbone's Connected To the...Ouch!I have just returned from my first day at the gym in nearly a month. Yesterday I completed my second trip to rehab, err, I mean physical/therapy. My teenage daughter snarls when I use the word "rehab" as she doesn't want her friends to think I have joined up with Amy Winehouse et al. And the reason for my absence at the gym and new membership to Club P/T? Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-81086513860829780772008-03-01T15:17:00.000-08:002008-03-01T15:27:00.199-08:00Manage Your Monkey Mind(This following is an excerpt from the March issue of my free monthly ezine. To subscribe simply go my website and register at the bottom of the page.)March heralds the coming of Spring: the winter cold begins to thaw, brightly colored flowers peek through the ground, the Easter Bunny may hop into your backyard soon, and basketball fans are excitedly planning their Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-38546448556096933182008-02-14T13:55:00.000-08:002008-02-14T14:56:58.344-08:00Surfing on Thoughts Happy Valentine's Day, blogfans! Hope the day provides you with opportunity to express your care and love to those important to you. Earlier today I was engaged in reading and came across a Buddhist saying which piqued my interest: "Surf on the waves of your thought." This saying speaks to the alternative to letting yourself become engulfed and dragged down by your Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-53533495787125751172008-02-03T09:08:00.000-08:002008-02-03T09:18:16.930-08:00Lock in Some Love This MonthThis is the month when thoughts turn toward love and romance. Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14 and it is the day on which lovers express their love for each other, sending cards, flowers or candy. My local grocery store displays gifts-galore for the occasion: From bright red, cellophane-wrapped heart-shaped boxed chocolates to tiny boxes of conversation Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-23577823168872543852008-01-22T11:57:00.000-08:002008-01-22T13:43:31.525-08:00Wag More, Bark LessSitting in traffic, while attempting to run several errands between clients, I noticed a small sign on the rear window of the car ahead of me. It was a timely message, particularly since I was beginning to feel my patience draining as I sat through a second round of lights while trying to navigate across a busy intersection. The sign offered a simple command: "Wag More, Bark Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-31144629135577161162008-01-01T17:54:00.000-08:002008-01-01T18:01:22.642-08:00Reach For It(The following is excerpted from my monthly newsletter. If you would like to subscribe and receive the ezine in your email, simply log on to my website and sign up.) Today marks the first day of the new calendar year. This is the day folks around the world voice their declarations and resolutions for everything from achieving greater health to finding a new job. In case you don't Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-39735427977659274192007-12-27T15:14:00.000-08:002007-12-27T16:53:09.087-08:00The Eyes of the World Are Watching NowThis morning I logged onto the computer before heading out for my morning run. I was stunned and saddened to learn of the tragic assasination of Benazir Bhutto today. I felt my heart plunge into my gut as I imagined the chaos and grief flooding the streets and hearts of the people of Pakistan. I do not claim to be a political guru, savvy to all the latest Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-66128590265433103752007-12-13T17:02:00.000-08:002007-12-19T05:44:23.536-08:00Laughing All the WayEvery once in a while my husband goes on a business trip and we typically spend time on the phone with each other in the evening catching up and sharing with the other the adventures or thoughts of the day. My husband is a neuroscientist (i.e., he studies the brain and how it stores memory). His scientific meetings are often held in beautiful and tropical locales and this one Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-25029367376647877722007-12-02T14:09:00.000-08:002007-12-02T17:24:17.827-08:00Got Squirrels?Yesterday morning I took Zeebo and Suki out for a morning walk; wait, let me rephrase that—my two great danes took me along on their morning walk around the neighborhood. Usually I do not endeavor to take them both out at the same time since their combined weight is about 250 lbs, easily outweighing me by over 100 lbs, but my time was limited and they needed to be exercised, so I Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-60320320430181209222007-11-07T18:59:00.000-08:002007-11-10T10:35:41.785-08:00Ow Di Body?"Ow di body?" is the way folks greet each other in Sierra Leone. The appropriate response to the inquiry is "Da body fayne." This special greeting appeals to me in that it seems a much more personal inquiry that "Hi, how's it going?" Also it made me think about how we often forget about how the bag of bones below our neck may be faring. When things heat up in our heads (i.e., our Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-61799216150415006762007-11-01T14:43:00.000-07:002007-11-01T14:48:50.065-07:00Attitude of AppreciationFor those of you who read my blog, you know that my Great Danes, Zeebo and Suki, are two of my best teachers about life, patience and joy. Observing their recent interactions offered me fodder for today's entry. Last week I brought home two identical brontosaurus-sized rawhide bones, one for each dog so there would be no arguing. Zeebo, the male, quickly made his choiceKimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-45060589433950906752007-10-12T04:23:00.000-07:002007-10-12T04:38:29.134-07:00Friends for All SeasonsThis was sent to me by Kathleen, my friend for life, and I am passing it on to you. Read it, think about it and pass it on to another. People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-8491460765145415172007-09-24T15:48:00.000-07:002007-09-25T10:02:26.046-07:00Growing PainsOver the past couple of weeks I have engaged in some testy interactions with my teen daughter. It all started a little less than a month ago when I suggested we spend a bit more time together. If you have a teen in the house, you may have been the recipient of a similar look to the one I received if you were to make the same suggestion. I'll put it this way: it was not the Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-11982838818360531302007-09-13T07:33:00.000-07:002007-09-13T16:14:05.170-07:00Open Arms/Open HeartThis week I spent time with several clients listening to their descriptions of dissatisfaction in their personal lives. As a therapist I am honored by the trust my clients show me through their disclosure of painful secrets, feelings or fears. In the safety of our respectful relationship, my clients are able to work through their troubled histories in order to heal and then Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-15710116567403405962007-08-31T15:54:00.000-07:002007-08-31T16:00:16.006-07:00ABCs of a Great LifeThis month the beach towels and fun in the sun gear will be stashed away til June in order to clear the way for a brand-new academic year. Even if you don't have children in the house, flipping the calendar page over to the month of September marks the beginning of a new season. If you do have children still at home, the first weeks of September can be quite hectic and Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-32644288748349022212007-08-13T06:26:00.000-07:002007-08-15T16:02:50.109-07:00Little Help From FriendsYesterday I along with some 8,000 folks participated in the annual Falmouth Road Race, a 7.1 mile course which winds it's way from Woods Hole to Falmouth, MA around a lighthouse, and along scenic views of Martha's Vineyard. The race started 35 years ago as a bet between a few friends as to who could run from one bar in Woods Hole to another bar in Falmouth in the fastest Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-79119855862065994052007-07-30T09:36:00.000-07:002007-07-30T12:04:53.819-07:00Climb Any MountainThis weekend my family left the Cape and drove up to Vermont to visit my sister-in-law and her partner for a couple of days. They rented a house in a little town in Vermont and as soon as we made the plans to visit, I began to envision rolling green pasture lands picturesquely dotted with black and white cows, thick slices of Vermont cheddar cheese accompanying a crisp glass ofKimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-56890076614601993002007-07-20T11:46:00.000-07:002007-07-21T12:21:58.170-07:00Salad DaysToday was an awesome day and the first day my back felt pretty normal as I am now off pain meds. As you read from my last post, I wrenched my back pretty well by lifting a huge bag of dog kibble into the back of my car. Lesson: Lift with your legs and not your back. More importantly, forget about being independent and ask for help. Over the course of several days last week, my backKimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-2172250685914663092007-07-11T14:02:00.000-07:002007-07-11T15:21:11.874-07:00Life in HorizontalI am writing this entry laying horizontal with the computer in my lap, two snoozing danes sprawled alongside me, and a heating pad on my back. A few days ago I made the enthusiastic, but not so bright, decision to hoist the dogs' 32 lbs of dog kibble into the back of the car by myself. The repercussions of this act did not become evident immediately; it was the next day, Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-75151565624590916042007-07-05T10:53:00.000-07:002007-07-05T11:23:32.039-07:00Gems from the SeaI am finally settled into the peace and quiet of our little place on the Cape. The family and guests have come and gone and hosting the 4th of July BBQ for my husband's students last night went without a hitch. I am looking forward to some leisurely strolls on the sandy beaches close to home in search of whatever gifts the sea offers up to me today. One of my most favorite Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-76177044168589789332007-06-06T08:03:00.000-07:002007-06-08T08:26:06.701-07:00On The Road (Again)It's the time of year when my family and I pack up, load the dogs and luggage then point the car in the general direction of the east coast for our annual summer pilgrimmage to Cape Cod. The past few weeks have been filled with last minute appointments, repairs, shopping and other forms of bustle. And yesterday, after one false start (i.e., making it partway down the street Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-23178124127674984122007-05-30T14:50:00.001-07:002007-06-03T07:30:08.890-07:00Giving It A TriFor the past four months I have been running, biking, and swimming in sweat to prepare for the Capital of Texas Triathlon in Austin this past Memorial Day since I made the commitment to join the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training to raise money and awareness for the cure of these blood cancers. My mom died nine years ago after a valiant fight against non-Hodgkin's Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-42697844956541837542007-05-14T11:45:00.000-07:002007-05-14T20:15:42.254-07:00Mother's Day RevisitedHappy Belated Mother's Day to all you moms, grandmas, stepmoms, soon-to-be moms, and someday moms! This year's Mother's Day was to be an unusual one as our family planned to spend the weekend celebrating my nephew's wedding in NM. The day before we were to leave one of our Danes became suddenly ill with fever. I teased my husband that Zeebo, the dog, suddenly grasped the Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-83205884582075753732007-05-07T11:44:00.000-07:002007-05-07T12:43:07.822-07:00Breathing Room"I need breathing room"..."I felt suffocated"..."I am finally coming up for air"..."I just need to catch my breath"..."I need to catch my second wind." These are just a few of the statements I hear from my clients as they speak about their feelings of overwhelm or stress with regard to the happenings in their personal or professional lives. Perhaps you have thought or uttered the Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-181626369148183802007-04-30T14:12:00.000-07:002007-04-30T14:31:31.186-07:00Avoid a May Day Mayday!Tomorrow is the first day in the merry, merry month of May. I think of May as a slyly hectic month what with all of the special days occurring over the next 31 days: Mother's Day, Memorial Day, school coming to a close for the year which means helping one's children prepare for final exams or end of the year recitals, and perhaps attending a wedding or graduation or two! Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-59173676808181965842007-04-22T14:57:00.000-07:002007-04-23T10:52:07.116-07:00Love Your MotherHappy Earth Day all! My hope is that you spent today doing something kind for your mother earth and you were able to step outside and enjoy some fresh air and beautiful sights in your neighborhood environment. There is not much in terms of Earth Day celebrations here in San Antonio but I remember when I lived in CA I would attend the Earth Day Festival in the Bay Area each year. Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-73159500439854512722007-04-07T07:42:00.000-07:002007-04-07T09:33:02.678-07:00Everybody Needs A Hug--Even a Life Coach!Recently I have been feeling a bit down in the dumps. It's been a series of weeks where I couldn't quite put a finger on a reason--just a string of feelings that didn't quite add up to an all-out cryfest, but instead a feeling of blah-malaise. Recently I made the connection that my down in the dumps feeling stems from the culmination of a bunch of thingsKimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-80453347108353998632007-03-19T18:58:00.001-07:002007-03-26T14:35:46.491-07:00Can You Spare Some Change?Recently I listened to a radio show interview with Oprah's trainer, Bob Greene, and the topic of the hour was the effect of making small changes in one's daily habits to create huge changes in health. This is something I teach my clients about as well. So often when someone decides to finally give up smoking or losing their spare tire, they approach the change from theKimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-84469063468199340692007-03-07T17:29:00.000-08:002007-03-07T17:34:09.289-08:00March MadnessAhhh...March, the mad month to experience agony and ecstasy. March Madness is the concentrated hype of 65 invited teams (64 for women) vying for college basketball's biggest prize--the National Championship. This is the month when millions of American sports fans remain glued to their television sets beginning on March 11 aka "Selection Sunday" through the first week in April when Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-74992995849491195052007-02-26T11:01:00.000-08:002007-02-28T09:11:53.105-08:00Granting WishesI just bid a fond farewell to my daughter and husband as they are on their way to a flight to Dallas to see my daughter's favorite singer, Ben Kweller. She was so excited she could barely stand still and I believe her excited energy will help the plane get there before it's scheduled arrival time. The two are having a fairly rare father/daughter bonding experience and I couldn't Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-78364620803921988592007-02-19T10:10:00.000-08:002007-02-21T12:30:31.686-08:00Laugh Til It Hurts So GoodThe other night I met my husband, daughter and stepdaughter for dinner after the track workout for Team in Training. Famished from "hot potato" drills, where we ran for one minute taking fast, little steps, focusing on increasing our cadence, interspersed with 200s, and repeating the two drills for an hour, I convinced the family to meet me at a local Tex-Mex place for Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1171310719067581602007-02-12T11:01:00.000-08:002007-02-12T18:37:02.559-08:00Taking the PlungeAs I drove, bleary-eyed, to the pool this morning at 5:30 am, I must admit that I spent a number of minutes wondering what I was doing out on this dark, foggy soup of a morning instead of curled up in my warm bed putting the finishing touches on a dream or two before my usual morning alarm-time. A couple of weeks back I signed up to participate in the Lymphoma and Leukemia Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1170002691584026082007-01-28T08:36:00.000-08:002007-01-29T17:52:20.203-08:00Everybody Needs a FriendA few months ago a coach forwarded a link to me for a most unlikely pair of friends, a 130 year old Aldabran tortoise named Mzee, and a 600 hundred lb. baby hippo named Owen. The story of how the two met is both heartwarming and true and goes like this. Once upon a time there was a baby hippo who lived with his family on the coast of Africa. At the same time, there was Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1168977544532569052007-01-16T11:57:00.000-08:002007-01-16T12:08:58.133-08:00Marching the DreamYesterday my daughter, her friend, my stepdaughter and I braved an unusually bitter-cold morning to join several thousand people to walk nearly three miles in unity and to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. My husband wanted to join us, but a water leak in a bathroom the night before had him chillin’ with the plumber all day. Last year’s march became one of the largest in the Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1168287066468047912007-01-08T11:49:00.000-08:002007-01-08T15:53:22.626-08:00Opening UpI am in the midst of reading a new-to-me book entitled "Opening Up--The Healing Power of Expressing Emotions" by psychologist James Pennebaker. This book was recommended to me as required reading by Barbara Woods, the psychologist from whom I am receiving training in biofeedback. For the past couple of months, I have been immersed in reading about the benefits biofeedback, meditation, Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1167671139934381122007-01-01T09:02:00.000-08:002007-01-01T09:13:20.483-08:00Pay it Forward in 2007The promise of a New Year offers us a clean slate to renew vows and declarations of change. Now is the time when just about everyone is thinking about the changes they want to make in their lives over the coming months--some will be successful while others will revert back to their old habits and behaviors before it's time to flip the calendar over to February. The Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1166127905207148212006-12-14T11:58:00.000-08:002006-12-14T13:48:36.273-08:00What's Happenin'?First off--let me apologize for my month-long absence from the blogworld. Several of my readers sent me concerned emails wondering if all was okay with me and my family. I appreciate your notes of concern and can assure everyone that things have been going fine--just extremely busy, but all in a good way. My blog-writing took a place on the back burner for a bit while my Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1163180392507399412006-11-10T09:19:00.000-08:002006-11-10T12:26:25.646-08:00Butterfly LessonsHere in South Texas we are experiencing an invasion of sorts--butterflies of various kinds have been swarming, floating, alighting and flitting around town over the past couple months. In my view, this is one of the perks of living in Texas: With our warm and mild autumn, San Antonio falls directly in the path of several spectacular migration routes. It's a magical experience Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1162840800903823202006-11-06T11:10:00.000-08:002006-11-06T11:37:56.566-08:00Home for the Hellidays--Not!Over the next weeks families will begin to plan to migrate to each other's homes to gather in celebration of the holidays. There is so much expectation around the holidays: Everyone is supposed to be happy and jolly and all family members are supposed to love spending time together. The reality is that it can be an extremely stressful time. I have heard the Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1162229405895191652006-10-30T08:33:00.000-08:002006-11-01T09:00:58.616-08:00I've Got A Friend This weekend my best friend from high school escaped the cold and wet Fall of Illinois to soak up the warm sun and sip some margaritas here in sunny San Antonio. Kathleen is my oldest friend--she would want me to point that she is not to be confused with "oldest" in terms of chronological years! We met and instantly bonded in 9th grade Home Economics class nearly 30 years ago.Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1160842327958634502006-10-14T08:52:00.000-07:002006-10-19T10:15:27.636-07:00Love Needs A HeartToday my family and I are safely on the other side of a health scare. A week ago my husband was referred to a cardiologist due to an increasing number of arrythmias (erratic heart beats). After a stress test, the doc urged him to undergo a cardiac catheterization to determine if there were any blockages or narrowing of the arteries. We spent a nervous week waiting for Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1160411401001162512006-10-09T09:23:00.000-07:002006-10-09T12:04:04.166-07:00Paint By MemoryThis weekend was an industrious one for me as I decided the spare bedroom could not go another day without a fresh coat of vibrant color on it's walls. After much consideration, I finally settled on a warm pumpkiny-cinnamon color with the puzzling name of "Chivalry Copper." It's been a really long time since I undertook a painting job on my own and my aching back reminds me this Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1159574792620771222006-09-29T16:35:00.000-07:002006-10-01T12:34:57.326-07:00It's My First Birthday! Today marks the first anniversary of the birth of this blog! (Can you hear the honk of the horns, cheers from the crowd, and the blast of the whistles?) When I first began this blog 12 months ago, I had no idea whether I would burn out after a few months of writing, or if the fountain of inspiration would run dry. Would I still enjoy writing and sharing my thoughts andKimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1158967657893602812006-09-22T16:15:00.000-07:002006-09-22T17:28:35.026-07:00Ricky RaccoonYesterday I headed out the door for a run to clear my head. I was feeling in a bit of a funk and I spent the first few minutes silently grumbling about stuff that had happened during the morning. Zeebo was upset not to be accompanying me on the run, but at 93 degrees at 5:00 pm in the afternoon, it was just too hot to bring him along. My neighborhood run consists of a series of Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1158603497937067572006-09-18T10:31:00.000-07:002006-09-18T13:26:13.700-07:00Play That Funky MusicI smile a sleepy smile as I write today's post because yesterday I spent 12 hours with my teenage daughter boogeying and grooving to the awesome sounds at Austin City Limits. What a blast! My daughter received two tickets from a friend who was not interested in attending the last day of the three-day musicfest and my daughter invited me to accompany her. Okay...the Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1158017224691993522006-09-11T16:12:00.000-07:002006-09-11T17:19:01.840-07:00Resilient LivesToday is the five-year anniversary of 9/11. The newspapers, radios and tv have been saturated with recalling that awful morning when the world gasped in horror while bearing witness to the loss of thousands of lives. Movies on tv and the big screen reenact the events leading up to the imagined last hours of those people trapped in the doomed planes or in the burning buildings. IKimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1157394021732898552006-09-04T11:17:00.000-07:002006-09-04T12:54:48.963-07:00Labor Day ReflectionsHappy Labor Day to one and all! Today is the day to reflect upon and celebrate the American and Canadian worker. This holiday is much more than BBQs, watermelon, and back to school--it was founded in the late 1880s to honor the spirit and dedication of workers, providing them a day off to spend with their families enjoying parades and speeches in their honor. Today I have Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1156695251511499782006-08-27T09:11:00.000-07:002006-08-27T10:47:38.460-07:00Living By 10sEarlier this week I received sad news about the deaths of two people close to members of my family. One was a mother, recently diagnosed with brain cancer, who left her young adult children and husband much too soon. The other was a kind and well-respected graduate student who drowned while heroically saving his girlfriend who had been pulled into a rip current. As I think about Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1155947738945888722006-08-18T16:57:00.000-07:002006-08-18T17:45:31.373-07:00The Power of the QuestionIt's likely you have experienced the endless curiosity of a 4 year old: "Why is the sky blue? What makes cars go? Why don't dogs have horns? Do fish drink water?" These are a few of the questions posed to me by daughter way back when. If my response to her query wasn't sufficient, she would place her hands on her hips and launch into the equally well known chorus: Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1155599695133018402006-08-14T16:25:00.000-07:002006-08-15T16:20:01.216-07:00Raring to Go Toward An Inspiring Life! Checking in with this entry from the comforts of home. After a thankfully uneventful, but long, drive back from Cape Cod, our menagerie cruised back into San Antonio Friday evening after a four-day land-voyage. The return home each summer is always bittersweet--I experience a bit of melancholy to be leaving my friends and the beach behind in August, Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1154710602059037452006-08-04T09:19:00.000-07:002006-08-04T12:23:07.253-07:00Bowled Over By LoveIf you are a regular reader of this blog, you have shared in my life lessons taught to me by my two great danes, Zeebo and Suki. My latest lesson has been about the power of love and gratitude. Some lessons are learned easily while others require a bit of suffering and pain. Unfortunately, this lesson involved the latter. The opening chapter of my lesson began three weeks Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1154113533998805112006-07-28T11:22:00.000-07:002006-07-28T13:19:36.456-07:00Be the Change and the Power of PurpleWednesday evening I ran into a former client whom I hadn't seen in a long time. K beamed as she hugged me and began excitedly to fill me in on all that has occurred since we last spoke. K hired me last Fall to help her flesh out an idea she had for a merchandise line. During this last presidential election and the ragged, red and blue patchwork display of Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1152711569512772022006-07-12T05:57:00.000-07:002006-07-21T17:21:58.516-07:00On the MoveTo my loyal readers I offer an apology for my blog-absence. It has been a crazy month of moving. If you remember reading back in March, my husband and I took a quick trip back east during Spring break. During that visit we fell in love with a little place on a pond, took the plunge and became Cape Cod homeowners! When we arrived on the Cape in June we stayed in our usual place untilKimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1150470779694713012006-06-16T07:26:00.000-07:002006-06-16T08:28:22.250-07:00Walking on the Wild SideAfter a week-long trek with dogs and family in tow, I am now settled in on Cape Cod. This is the 20th summer my family has made the cross-country pilgrimage and it seems to only get better each year--each of us has our "favorites" we look forward to with anticipation during the academic year...For my daughter it is the beach and her friends, for my husband it is the clam Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1149345635209605822006-06-03T07:36:00.000-07:002006-06-03T07:40:35.223-07:00It's Vacation TimeHey there blogfans--I will be taking a 2 week hiatus from writing. I am preparing for my annual trek back east for the summer and all my attention is now focused on the Joy of Packing! Have a great two weeks and tune in soon.Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1148658822417148942006-05-26T07:31:00.000-07:002006-05-26T18:35:19.173-07:00Twisted and TangledThis morning's walk with the dogs offered yet another mini-course life lesson. Who knew the added perk of having two slobbery, giant-pawed, club-tailed, great danes in my life would provide me with so many opportunities to write about life and life coaching? The dogs have come to expect a walk once I return from dropping my daughter off at school and after I have enjoyed my Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1148227707952873712006-05-21T08:12:00.000-07:002006-05-22T14:42:08.830-07:00Graduating to the Next PhaseThis time of the year the air is filled with excitement, hope, possibility and no small sense of relief! This is the month when women, men and children foray into new territory through the rite of graduation. Stores display gift ideas for the graduate, bunches of balloons sail toward the heavens upon release at commencement, car windows on the roads profess words of Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1147449756038069992006-05-12T08:10:00.000-07:002006-05-14T10:53:48.280-07:00Taking Care of MomThis Sunday we celebrate our moms, stepmoms, surragate moms, adoptive moms, and wish-you-were-my moms. It's the weekend which strikes fear in some family members' hearts as they scurry about, pulling together last-minute gifts, ordering flowers and begging restaurant hosts and hostesses to "please find one more table" for the Mother's Day brunch. Mom's Day is also tinged with Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1146884699999058132006-05-05T19:43:00.000-07:002006-05-05T20:05:00.016-07:00The Power of DreamsThoreau encouraged each of us to go confidently in the direction of our dreams and live the life we've imagined. I use his words as one of my guiding principles when working with my clients. Each of us has dreams--some have been misplaced and are growing dusty, while others are in the process of being realized. As you have read already, the symbol I use to capture Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1146250089540723242006-04-28T11:01:00.000-07:002006-04-28T12:09:57.800-07:00When Pigs Fly!This week was a great week in terms of educating more people about the philosophy of my logo and products emblazoned with the flying pig. I received several orders for my plush piggies and t-shirts and had a number of opportunities to speak to groups about the concept of allowing one's dreams to take flight toward possibility. "So what is with the pigs," you ask? I view the Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1145667126642787792006-04-21T17:39:00.000-07:002006-04-21T19:55:40.680-07:00Combating a Clutterbug InfestationTell me if any of these comments strike a familiar chord in your heart: You cannot recall what your teen's bedroom carpet looks like because it has been so long since you last viewed it with your own two eyes. You cannot fit your car into your garage due to the Christmas decorations sitting in the middle of the space as well as innumerable Hefty bags of things Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1145207332651141862006-04-16T09:13:00.000-07:002006-04-16T10:55:40.746-07:00Mind GamesEarlier this week in my "Get Off the Couch and Hop on Board" group I introduced a mindfulness exercise to the group members. I gave each member a small box of raisins and asked them to observe the box, open it and select a raisin to place in the palm of their hand. We looked at the raisin through new eyes and lifted the raisin to our noses to smell. After a few moments I then asked Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1144444907474717912006-04-07T13:43:00.000-07:002006-04-12T13:57:57.340-07:00Traffic Snarls/Unexpected GiftAfter dropping my daughter off at school I was on autopilot as I exited the freeway heading back home. On the way to my daughter's school I noticed the traffic jam on the opposite side of the street and I made a mental note to not take my usual route home in order to avoid the repercussions of a morning fender-bender. But my mental note must have fluttered out the Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1143656045747462302006-03-29T08:54:00.000-08:002006-03-30T17:52:14.366-08:00More Life Lessons from ZeeboI've just returned from an ever, exciting walk-tangle-stumble with my big-guy Dane, Zeebo, and four month-old little Dane, Suki. Today marked our 8th group-walk on the trail. Zeebo, being a mature and stately 2 year old, tried to maintain a restrained, but curious, approach to the smells and scents on the trail, while Suki was a wiggle-bum and skirted from right to Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1143242220729320782006-03-24T14:06:00.000-08:002006-03-24T17:07:29.416-08:00Maintain the Course, Captain!While on a hike this week with my friend Claudia, we started talking about how difficult it is to maintain our commitment to health. Even though we recognize the benefits of eating a healthy diet and staying away from junk food as much as possible, we all struggle with staying the course at some point or another. This same subject matter was brought up by several Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1142643024652433272006-03-17T15:32:00.000-08:002006-03-25T19:41:47.336-08:00Breaking the IceToday I gave my first speech at my local Toastmaster's Club. In a January post (Breathe, Stretch, Shake, Let it Go) I spoke of how I am stretching myself beyond my comfort zone by seeking out opportunities for public speaking. In December I joined a local group which meets each Friday at lunchtime. Today was my big day: The Icebreaker Speech--speech number one of 10 in my Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1141862902393912532006-03-08T15:29:00.000-08:002006-03-08T18:19:42.123-08:00Cape Cod-AholicThis post comes a few days early as tomorrow morning, dark and early, my husband and I will board an east-bound plane and jet on over to the beautiful city of Boston for a 2-hour drive down to Cape Cod. This is a spur of the moment weekend getaway and, am I psyched! My husband has taught a course at one of the research institutes in Woods Hole for nearly 20 years and the quaint Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1141358376260621872006-03-02T17:47:00.000-08:002006-03-03T09:02:01.126-08:00Spring Is In The AirI write this entry after a great run with my dog, Zeebo. One of the definite perks of living in San Antonio is running in early March in a t-shirt and shorts. A friend of mine lives in Duluth and I have thought of her each night this week as I watch the TV weatherman circle his arms and gesture animatedly over the arctic weather still swirling about in the crazy-cold regionsKimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1140834953157170392006-02-24T17:20:00.000-08:002006-02-24T21:20:27.970-08:00Babies Do Grow UpLast night another milestone was crossed in my life as a mom--I registered my daughter at the high school she will attend this Fall. As I sat in the room with the other parents of the Class of 2010, half-heartedly listening to the information about credits and lockers and extracurricular sports, I couldn't keep my mind from playing a slo-mo recap of the developmental milestones Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1140191019158402052006-02-17T07:23:00.000-08:002006-02-21T09:54:57.773-08:00Salsa in San AntonioWednesday night I took my first lesson in a series of salsa and merengue classes, a birthday gift from my stepdaughter. I love to dance and I am usually the first one to bop to the dance floor in any place with live music. I learned to groove to the rocking beat of the Stones, Grateful Dead and CSN&Y and if you are familiar with these bands, then you know there are no set Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1139529251145986552006-02-09T14:17:00.000-08:002006-02-10T10:00:03.060-08:00Helicopter RidesA few months ago my husband and I vacationed in incredible Kona, Hawaii (see previous post titled: Air Guitar) and splurged on a helicopter tour of the island. This was the first helicopter ride in my life and I admit to experiencing no small degree of anxiety as I climbed into the cockpit with my fellow passengers, wondering about our sanity in paying a stranger to provide us Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1138913313433333372006-02-02T12:25:00.000-08:002006-02-09T10:37:51.053-08:00Puppy LoveAs I write this entry, my mantle dane, Zeebo, is asleep to the left of my chair. His big black nose twitches and his tail languidly wags as he cavorts through his dreamscape. To my right, crumpled in a gray and black heap, lies our newest dane addition, an 8 week old merle female named Suki, twitching, grunting and yelping in response to her own puppy-dreams. Suki arrived via Delta Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1138574518594369482006-01-29T13:57:00.001-08:002006-01-29T15:01:52.213-08:00It's the Simple ThingsThis morning I enjoyed a wonderfully simple breakfast. I ate two perfectly toasted pieces of cinammon raisin bread with my yogurt and morning coffee. It was fantastic! The reason I am sharing my breakfast with you is that recently I made a new purchase that has, surprisingly, made a huge impact in alleviating my morning stress. What could it be you wonder? Drum roll Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1137805512659966442006-01-20T16:56:00.000-08:002006-01-21T09:33:32.860-08:00Breathe, Stretch, Shake, Let It GoNot that I listen to rap music very often, but there is one song I downloaded on my mini ipod which I listen to nearly everyday as I exercise. The title of this blog shares the title of the song performed by a rapper named Mace. This song deviates from the typical rap message in that it encourages people to not get worked up and angry about interactions with Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1137118808041066332006-01-12T17:56:00.000-08:002006-01-16T12:23:02.263-08:00Birthday BabblingsOn January 15 I will wake up one tentative, but inevitable, step closer to living for one half a century. Holy cow--could that really be happening to me?! I don't feel that I could possibly have been walking around this earth for nearly 50 years, but neither the numbers, nor the crow's feet around my eyes, lie. I am now balanced exactly halfway between 45 and 50--another "Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1136419647319822512006-01-04T15:07:00.000-08:002006-01-06T16:50:24.650-08:00Slow Down, You Move Too FastJanuary 1: The day to turn over a new leaf...start with a clean slate...wipe the board clean...start a new chapter. This is the time of year that everyone and their brother jumps on the bandwagon, proclaiming their commitment to a New Year's resolution. Everywhere I look there is information about resolutions: in the newspaper, on TV, on the radio. While at the Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1136255545770283192006-01-02T17:03:00.000-08:002006-01-03T10:26:48.060-08:00Air GuitarRecently my husband and I took a trip to Kona, Hawaii. Trips to exotic places like this are the positive perks of being married to a neuroscientist. Even though most scientists want to spend all their waking time talking about the latest findings in gamma amino buturic acid, they want to hold such discussions in tropical locales. And I, as the non-scientist partner, am more than Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1135143306365779842005-12-20T19:42:00.000-08:002005-12-20T22:29:45.633-08:00The Ghost of Christmas PastHere it is a few days before Christmas and I am experiencing some holiday sadness. As a psychologist I am familiar with the topsy-turvy feelings that can arise around the holidays. I have helped many grieving families cope with the loss of loved ones and navigate through the sadness and loneliness that can surface during significant holidays. As a coach, I have Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1134148832140655942005-12-09T08:16:00.000-08:002005-12-09T11:35:22.180-08:00Stepping Out of the (Shoe)BoxI just returned from a great run with my dog, Zeebo, while wearing my brand-new and comfy running shoes. It was an unusually brisk morning for San Antonio. The temperature gauge told me 37 degrees as I stepped out the door this morning. It is a rare day in Texas to be able to wear leggings, gloves, a windbreaker and ear muffs; I look forward to such days as a Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1132951594196511082005-11-25T12:08:00.000-08:002005-11-27T12:58:11.790-08:00Milestones, Memories and MealsWhat makes some places--restuaurants, camping spots, vacation destinations--stand out in our memories and hearts? I believe it is the experiences and the company we are with in those places that create the lasting attachments. The setting allows space for connection and communion with friends and loved ones. It is often over food and drink that we share our Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1132432341513471532005-11-19T07:15:00.000-08:002005-11-19T14:10:28.916-08:00Horsing AroundI write this new post while sitting gingerly at my computer. Several days ago I had a riding lesson on a new horse (to me) after not riding for a month due to a hectic schedule. My daughter accused me of loading up my schedule after Carin, my riding instructor, cheerfully informed me that at the next lesson I would be cantering (gulp!). I have to admit that there may have been a Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1132186449022186332005-11-16T07:55:00.001-08:002005-11-16T16:30:38.380-08:00Look It's a Plane, No, It's a Pig!I am so excited to announce my new website "Envision Your Dreams" is up and soaring! Thanks to the hard work of my graphics/web designer, Jeff Heinke, my dream of bringing the flying pig to "life" has come true!Okay, I am sure you are asking yourselves, what is with the flying pig?Well, the idea came to me about a year and a half ago. I began to take notice of Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1131228431069079702005-11-05T14:00:00.000-08:002005-11-14T06:56:32.673-08:00Flip That Switch!While at my local copy center this morning, I overheard bits of conversation between two college students at the next machine. One was bemoaning her performance on a recent exam. She complained to her friend that this professor was "out to get her" and wanted all classmembers to fail the class. Her friend nodded sympathetically and launched into her own story of evil Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1130633651589322642005-10-29T16:53:00.000-07:002005-10-29T18:26:12.866-07:00Running Lingo/Life LingoReading through this month's Runner's World magazine--one of the few magazines I read cover to cover--my attention was grabbed by an article written about Deena Kastor, the fastest American woman in history (she won the 2003 London Marathon in 2:21:16, can you even imagine running that fast for 26 miles!?). In the article Deena offers her Recipe for Success: How to run Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1129829663939176192005-10-20T10:27:00.000-07:002005-10-23T17:38:37.656-07:00Look Ma! It's an Angel! This morning I had an amazing opportunity to be on a local radio station to share with the listening parent-audience how to broach the uncomfotable subject of talking to your kids about sex. It was alot of fun and I hope to have the opportunity again to reach a broad audience to educate folks about navigating the rocky road of parenting, life transitions and life in Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1129134246435209242005-10-12T08:34:00.000-07:002005-10-14T13:01:34.120-07:00 A Real Person in Make Believe. Earlier this week I attended a community fundraiser with my husband. It was a "black tie affair" which always makes me feel a bit like I am playing dress up in my mom's "fancy" clothes. I love the pomp and circumstance around such events as everyone in attendance always seems to be transformed into glamorous and debonair beings. Plus, it's always fun to have a Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1128965648482335952005-10-10T09:38:00.000-07:002005-10-10T15:22:52.373-07:00Go Ahead, Just Ask!This past weekend we entertained a group of folks from my husband's workplace. I really love entertaining and having people over to our home. I think this stems from growing up in a household in which my mom was always on the lookout to invite someone home for afternoon coffee and cake or Sunday dinner. On the weekends, our house was often filled with my parents' friends--my Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1128649469449723612005-10-06T18:23:00.000-07:002005-10-06T18:55:23.820-07:00I spent today thinking about how it is so easy for us to get swayed or distracted from pursuing our purpose or fulfilling our dream. The day to day stuff can creep in and leave little to no room (or energy) to stay motivated and moving forward toward fulfillment of our goals, whether the goal is to get to the gym today or begin writing that long awaited, first chapter of a book. Covey (The 7 Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17268984.post-1128386025389335062005-10-03T17:21:00.000-07:002005-10-03T18:27:38.706-07:00Today was one of those "catch up" days--I had the day planned as to what I would accomplish, but in spite of my best intentions, day-to-day life crept in and swamped me. From having a Sleepless in San Antonio Night due to the air conditioner going on the fritz (not a fun thing as the temperature here is still hovering in the 90s), to my husband hobbling around on a swollen knee from too much Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Life Coachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14814783371050041136noreply@blogger.com2