Author Archives: leonardszymczak
Find Your Voice
One of the common problems I’ve encountered with clients over the years as a therapist and life coach is helping them find their voice. Were you ever told, “Don’t say that!” or “Keep that to yourself,” or “That’s not nice … Continue reading
Get serious about life and rewrite your story!
At 7 a.m. I walked the beach with my friend, Daniel. He told me about a recent conversation he had with his brother who was sliding through life, not taking it seriously. Daniel strongly encouraged his brother to take himself … Continue reading
Slow Down You’re Moving Too Fast
A friend of mine pointed out that I haven’t sent a newsletter in four months. I was about to say, “I’ve been too busy,” then stopped myself. I flashed to a letter that my mother wrote to me many years … Continue reading
Write Your Way to Success
Many years ago, I worked with a depressed woman in her 30’s, who had a rare debilitating illness. Growing up, she was raised in an abusive household and kept to herself. She believed she was stupid, ugly, and without much … Continue reading
Let your dreams soar in 2014!
The best selling children’s author Beatrix Potter once wrote, “There’s something delicious about writing those first few words of a story. You can never quite tell where they’ll take you. Beginning a new year is like writing the first words … Continue reading
Prickly People: If You Can’t Stand Them; Understand Them
Many years ago, during a personal growth workshop, I participated in an experiential exercise. The facilitator of the group asked members to pair off with another person. To my horror, I was stuck with a woman who I considered the … Continue reading
The Gift That Keeps on Giving
As a young boy, I received a brightly colored Christmas present from my younger sister, Rita. Her excited face prompted me to tear open the package. Tossing the wrapping away, I found three pencils, an eraser and three comic books. … Continue reading
I forgot my wallet and had an identity crisis!
During a recent drive to a friend’s house, I panicked. Clutching the steering wheel, I realized that I had left my wallet at home. My mind whirled with anxiety, “What if the police stopped … Continue reading
Live Naked
I sleep naked. What’s more, I can’t stand it when the sheets are tucked in at the foot of the bed. And whenever I travel and stay in a hotel, I’m compelled to liberate the sheets. Surely, they desire freedom … Continue reading
Find the Treasure in Your Trash
Yooo! Crash! Those sounds excited me when I was an 8-year-old boy living on the south side of Chicago. I’d rush to the alleyway in the back of the garage and watch the blue truck rumble past the 50-gallon metal … Continue reading


