Your resource for insights into how to create more mindfulness in daily life. I share what I’ve learned about grief, joy, and navigating a life that can feel uncertain.
Resilience is the ability to adapt to change, cope with challenges, and bounce back from setbacks. It is a key skill that can help us to navigate the ups and downs of life with grace and strength. However, it’s not something that we are born with. It’s a skill that can be developed and strengthened over time.
Read MoreI was kicking up dust, navigating rocks and tree roots, sweating puddles into my tank top. I was hiking to a lake and was pushing myself to keep up a good pace. I passed several people, always with a cheery on your left or beautiful day, isn’t it? Then I passed a woman who said to her hiking buddy, “What a showoff!”
I laughed out loud and kept going, her comment rolling around in my mind.
Read MoreSometimes I hesitate to share what I believe because my beliefs are subject to change with new information.
The more I evaluate my statement above, the more ludicrous it is that I feel any sense of shame for changing beliefs. And then I remember that I was taught from a young age to be proud that I was privy to divine knowledge, the secrets of the human condition, the one and only truth, and then it makes sense why I hesitate to share my shifting, flexible beliefs.
Read MoreFor many years, I didn’t realize I was feeling sorry for myself. Externally I touted positivity, surrender, and looking at the bright side, but didn’t really understand that in a deep part of me, I still viewed myself as a victim of many of my circumstances.
Read More“Why are you trying to block the flow of stress to them?” I asked.
“It’s like you’re standing in the middle of a river, arms out wide, trying with all your might to keep emotions like stress, anxiety, frustration, etc. from getting to them. You’re trying to absorb those emotions and you are wearing yourself out.”
One of the most difficult things to manage as an adult is advocating for yourself even when you know that other people aren’t going to like it.
Read MoreI was working on time management skills in my business with a friend and he made a simple comment that hit just right: “You have to believe that you’re worth making time for yourself.” It was a lightbulb moment that illuminated how I thought about myself, what I was willing to make time for, and my faulty beliefs about what taking care of myself meant.
Read MoreWe waste so much energy in indecision.
The sheer amount of options seem to paralyze us. We make pros and cons lists. We talk with friends and neighbors and therapists and the stranger in the check-out line, but we are left still hanging by the thread of our uncertainty, like a loose tooth that is begging to be pulled out. We somehow believe that not making a decision is the wisest thing to do.
Read MoreI’m sitting in the public library, surrounded by gigantic plants. I love this spot, next to big windows and big plants. This one to my right is twisted, huge stem resting on the windowsill, leaves pressed against the glass, gulping in the sunshine. It made me think about how we long for light. We long to be noticed, emotionally fed, celebrated and understood.
Read MoreWhaaaat is this obsession with doing things perfectly?! I’ll tell you my theory: it’s our sweet way of trying to avoid uncomfortable feelings (like failure). When we demand perfection from ourselves, we can leave our work in draft form forever, never to see the light of day (or people’s criticism). Trying to avoid mistakes is akin to trying to keep your teeth sparkly white while you’re eating Oreos.
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