monday lessons with dorie: Monday Lessons with Dorie ~ The Melody We Leave Behind
- 10/11/26 08:36 AM
“The song is ended, but the melody lingers on.” — Irving Berlin
I've always loved this quote, but today it carries a little more meaning.
Today, our family gathers to say goodbye to my daughter's father-in-law, Russell Stout Sr.
Russell was a man who loved his family fiercely. He loved his dogs, his Dallas Cowboys, and his beloved TCU Horned Frogs!
But one of the things that made him especially proud was having three generations of Russell Stouts in the family!
My daughter married his son, Russell Stout Jr., and together they had Russell Stout III. Russell Sr. proudly appointed himself Chairman of the “Russell … (10 comments)
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monday lessons with dorie: Monday Lessons with Dorie ~ Courage to Continue, and Wisdom to Change
- 10/03/26 11:14 AM
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.”
These familiar words, often attributed to Winston Churchill, came to mind as I reflected on September and all the changes happening around us.
Austin's restaurant scene is a perfect example. September brought its share of closings, including longtime favorites, a devastating fire and businesses choosing not to renew their leases. Yet, at the same time, new restaurants opened, familiar favorites expanded and even a historic candymaker began rising from the ashes.
And speaking of resilience, how about ACL? The first weekend may have brought more mud than anyone … (24 comments)
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monday lessons with dorie: Monday Lessons with Dorie ~ Happiness Is in the Doing
- 09/27/26 06:35 AM
“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”……. Dalai Lama XIV
I’ve always enjoyed quotes from the Dalai Lama XIV because so many of them make me stop and think about the way we live our lives. When I read this one recently, I immediately thought of my oldest granddaughter, Hailey, who ran the Berlin Marathon Sunday morning!
Running Berlin has been on Hailey’s bucket list for some time. She tried to get a spot in 2025 but wasn’t selected through the lottery. She tried again, and this year she got in!
Of course, getting into the race was only … (12 comments)
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monday lessons with dorie: Monday Lessons w/Dorie What If We Chose Connection Over Confrontation?
- 09/20/26 07:33 AM
“The moment we choose to love we begin to move towards freedom, to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others.” …….. bell hooks
I read this quote by bell hooks recently in an article written by Maria Shriver, and it made me stop and think about how we interact with one another.
It also made me think about something I experienced this weekend at an awards luncheon in Dallas hosted by my new brokerage, Coldwell Banker Apex. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the dedication and hard work of their agents, but what struck me most was how intentionally Lori and … (23 comments)
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monday lessons with dorie: Monday Lessons with Dorie Our Reputation Is Money in the Bank
- 09/11/26 06:31 PM
I overheard a nurse talking to an intern the other day, at a coffee shop while I waiting for my appointment, and something she said really stuck with me.
She told him, “You have no credits in the bank.”
He looked at her, completely puzzled. What are you talking about?
She reminded him that he had been rude to another nurse a few days earlier. She said he could have just as easily been kind, respectful and helpful, and by doing so, he would have earned a credit in the bank.
Then she explained:
Relationships are a give-and-take.
Every time we do something kind for someone, show … (14 comments)
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monday lessons with dorie: Monday Lessons with Dorie ~ Coming Home to Yourself
- 09/06/26 11:57 AM
“At the end of the day, it isn't where I came from. Maybe home is somewhere I'm going and I've never been before.” ....... Warsan Shire
Labor Day seems like the perfect time to think about where we’re going, not just where we’ve been.
We spend so much of our lives working toward something. A career. A family. A dream. A new chapter. We work hard, overcome challenges, celebrate milestones and sometimes wonder when we’ll finally arrive at that place where everything feels just right.
But maybe home isn’t a place we eventually reach.
Maybe home is a feeling.
It’s that feeling of belonging. Of being comfortable … (15 comments)
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monday lessons with dorie: Monday Lessons with Dorie ~ Word Gets Around
- 08/29/26 04:52 AM
“Honesty is the best policy.”
I’ve been working with some buyers recently who heard through the grapevine about a home that had been under contract, but the buyer terminated after the inspection uncovered several repair issues, including a roof that needed to be replaced. The sellers were not willing to negotiate.
And that got me thinking about something every seller should remember:
Real estate is a very small world.
Agents talk to other agents. Buyers talk to their friends, family and neighbors. And when a transaction falls apart, people often want to know why.
Maybe the seller feels strongly that they shouldn’t have to negotiate. Maybe … (15 comments)
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monday lessons with dorie: Monday Lessons with Dorie: Don’t Rush Past Your Life
- 08/21/26 06:37 AM
“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”…. George Eliot
Whatever your age, don’t rush through your days.
Don’t pack your calendar so full that you fall into bed exhausted, only to wake up and do it all over again. There is a difference between being busy and being present.
For much of my life, I was always racing ahead, crossing things off lists, proving myself, planning for tomorrow, and thinking about what came next. I thought accomplishment meant getting more done.
Now, I’m learning something different.
I’m learning to slow down enough to actually be here.
To savor an ordinary Tuesday. To … (14 comments)
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monday lessons with dorie: Monday Lessons with Dorie ~ Making Room for What’s Next
- 08/16/26 08:28 AM
We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”
— Joseph Campbell
Life is filled with beginnings and endings, but so much of life happens in the space in between.
We grow. We change. We meet challenges, build relationships, discover new interests and find opportunities that can take us in directions we never expected.
And sometimes, we get stalled because we're holding on too tightly to the life we thought we were supposed to have.
Letting go isn't always easy. We may have invested years, hopes and dreams into a particular path. … (18 comments)
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monday lessons with dorie: Monday Lessons with Dorie ~ Embracing the Season You're In
- 08/09/26 09:41 AM
Embracing the Season You're In
"We do not think ourselves into new ways of living, we live ourselves into new ways of thinking."…… Father Richard Rohr
I recently celebrated a major birthday, and after all the fun, laughter, and celebrating, I found myself doing something I didn't expect...
Reflecting.
Not so much on the number of years, but on the season of life I'm living right now.
And I've realized something.
Life doesn't always unfold the way we imagine it will.
It's messy.
It's sometimes chaotic and confusing.
There are unexpected turns, difficult seasons, wonderful surprises, and moments that take our breath away.
And somehow, through all of it, we keep … (16 comments)
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monday lessons with dorie: Monday Lessons from Dorie ~ Home is More Than A Place
- 08/02/26 07:34 AM
Home Is More Than a Place
"The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned." ….. Maya Angelou
As I recently celebrated a milestone birthday, this quote stopped me in my tracks.
Home can be a place. Or a person. Or something that lives quietly inside us. It can be what we create, how we feel, or the people who make us feel completely accepted.
Home is a compelling four-letter word.
Say it out loud. Home.
Then sit with it for a moment. What comes to mind?
Sometimes, "home" is found in memories of … (12 comments)
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monday lessons with dorie: Monday Lessons from Dorie ~ The Courage to Believe in Someone Else
- 07/25/26 02:15 PM
The Courage to Believe in Someone Else
"When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid." Audre Lorde
This quote made me stop and reflect.
At first, I thought it was about being fearless.
But the more I reread it, the more I realized it isn't.
It's about having a purpose that's greater than your fears.
It made me think about the people who matter most in my life.
As a mother and grandmother (they call me Nana), I've always believed one of the greatest gifts we can give those … (19 comments)
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monday lessons with dorie: Monday Lessons with Dorie ~ 7.20.2026
- 07/19/26 09:30 AM
Celebrating the Journey, Not Just the Outcome
"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."
— Helen Keller
This quote stayed with me this week.
As many of you know, Norway lost its World Cup match to England.
But what happened when the team returned home captured my attention far more than the final score.
The entire country showed up.
Not for a victory parade.
Not to celebrate a championship.
But to celebrate a team that had given everything they had.
I learned that Norwegian fans have a tradition called the Viking Row. When their team needs encouragement, thousands of fans move their arms together as though … (20 comments)
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monday lessons with dorie: Monday Lessons with Dorie ~ 07.13.2026
- 07/12/26 06:13 AM
The Unexpected Gift of Friendship
"A friend is a loved one who awakens your life in order to free the wild possibilities within you."— John O'Donohue
This quote made me stop and think.
Before this summer, I had never watched a World Cup soccer match.
Now, I haven't wanted to miss one.
Of course, the athleticism is impressive. The competition is exciting. But what has captured my attention most isn't what happens on the field.
It's what's happening in the stands...and in the streets.
I've read story after story about strangers from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds gathering around one shared passion for the game. Complete strangers have … (15 comments)
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monday lessons with dorie: Monday Lessons from Dorie 07.06.2026
- 07/05/26 04:22 PM
Begin with Today
"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin."— Mother Teresa
This quote stayed with me after an unusual Fourth of July weekend.
Instead of spending the holiday with family and friends, I found myself on the couch recovering from COVID. While I wasn't able to celebrate the way I had planned, I had the opportunity to watch something that reminded me just how special our country is.
I watched strangers on a New York City subway, dressed in red, white, and blue, spontaneously singing the National Anthem.
I watched children lining the streets of hometown parades, … (12 comments)
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“The song is ended, but the melody lingers on.” — Irving Berlin
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