Not being blessed with the gift of a green thumb, there are currently no live plants in my home; and those outdoor plants not planted firmly in the ground, those potted on my front and back porch, are barely hanging onto survival. Even with the best of intentions to nourish those potted plants so that …
Author: Julie Powell, Ed.D.
With over 30 years in higher education, I have a passion for seeing people, not only succeed at life, but to flourish in their God-given space personally, professionally, and spiritually.
50 Yards
For the readers who enjoy the game of American football, there is excitement in the air as I compose today’s blog post. It is the first week in September and college football has kicked off its season to the delight of many sports’ fans around me. And as I pore over the numerous articles detailing …
Reflective Practice
Recognizing that some personalities find Reflective Practices to be more enjoyable than others, I comprehend that not everyone will engage frequently in deeply reflective activities; however, I do imagine it to be an essential skill in the development of the Habits of a Flourishing Life. The challenge becomes, especially in this world of distraction, to …
Words Matter
Having always been intrigued by law enforcement procedural shows, it should come as no surprise, especially in these days with the ability to binge-watch a series, that I noticed myself viewing a docu-drama surrounding the Unabomber case from the 90s. For several consecutive hours, I became engrossed in details that had not previously held my …
Flourishing Culture
Perhaps it comes too easily to add flourishing to everything I encounter as a descriptor; yet I remain confident in my experiences as shared in What’s Your Word? that the Lord is offering me a gift when it arises in research, fictional reading, Scripture, and in conversation. Until the flourishing fountain runs dry, I will …
Are You Contagious?
Since March of 2020 when the COVID pandemic hit America with force, we’ve all had to make lifestyle adjustments including the wearing of face masks and shields in efforts to slow down the spread of this highly Contagious disease. Nearly eighteen months later, we are now facing the reissuing of mask mandates in response to …
Get Low
Not too long ago, a friend and I were engaged in a conversation that somehow managed to snake its way into a discussion about actors we thought were extremely gifted. Character actors with a talent that allow you to immerse yourself in a story—like Robert Duvall, an actor we both agreed fit this definition. As …
Dead People
Sitting in a theater in Jackson, Tennessee, back in a past millennia, I encountered a very rare experience—the feeling of “I didn’t see that coming!” at the conclusion of a film. Other than an elusive thought that one of the main characters was still wearing the same shirt, the ending escaped my typical plot-uncovering skills. …
Enjoy the Process
As your eyes examine this post, another year will be coming to a close, and a time when many choose to Enjoy the Process of reflecting and evaluating the last 365 days; however, for most educators, I believe this contemplation occurs more often in August, in what Christina Bieber Lake coins “the month that shall …
Stealing the Pen
Have you ever been on a mission to find an object or answer? You know that feeling where absolutely nothing and no one is going to prevent you from fulfilling a mission? And I’m not talking about essentially important missions such as finding a life calling or Habits that lead to a flourishing life…no, my …
Flourishing @ Life 