When Life Gets Hard, Remember…
The Power of Compassion: How to Make Do in an Unfair World
“A good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen, then you have something very special.” ~Nelson Mandela
Ever thought, “Life is so unfair!”
Is it, really?
Has life given you circumstances that keep you in a deep, dark hole of disadvantages that seem impossible to clamber out of?
Has life decided that you need to live in abject poverty and watch everyone in your life suffer from being denied everything a human needs to be human?
Has life put you in a position where you wouldn’t dare …
How to Survive Hard Times: 5 Lessons from Volunteering in a Hospital
“Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.” ~Albert Einstein
Why do you want to do it? It was a question I was asked repeatedly by friends before I started my volunteering placement in a spinal injuries unit, the uncertainty in their eyes reflecting back their own fears around life-altering disability.
It was difficult to put into words what drew me to becoming a patient support volunteer. I was content in my job, had an active social life, hiked and swam every weekend, but still there was something missing. My own life felt sheltered, and I wanted to feel …
Dear Childhood Friends, Thank You and I Miss You
“Sweet is the memory of distant friends. Like the mellow rays of the departing sun, it falls tenderly, yet sadly, on the heart.” ~Washington Irving
Why is it that the older we seem to get the more and more we miss friendships from days long past?
You know the ones…
The friendships where you felt 100% happiness being in their presence.
Where you felt as if you could be your true self—goofy, silly, honest, and real.
Where you would get lost in conversations, imagination, and being fully present in the moment.
Where you went on adventures, told them your …
7 Awesome Things That Happened When I Started Surfing at 55
“It’s never too late for a new beginning in your life.” ~Joyce Meyer
I sat on the beach, watching the sandpipers skittering back and forth, pecking at the water’s edge. A dead horseshoe crab washed back and forth in the surf.
Finished at fifty-five, I thought. I’m as useless as that poor crab.
Several years ago I was laid off after thirty-three years at a Fortune 500 company. “Workforce rebalancing” was the term they used, but for me it simply meant a month’s severance pay and colleagues solemnly shaking my hand. Hand over your badge… there’s the door, …
How to Create a Healthy and Lasting Romantic Relationship
“You cannot create a conscious relationship with someone who isn’t committed to doing their work. But you can create a better relationship with yourself, and sometimes that looks like releasing yourself from the idea that you can change another person or convince them to grow. Choose yourself.” ~Sheleana Aiyana
What are the ingredients that make a loving, romantic relationship flow and sustain for many years? And what kind of love/relationship is best for long-term success?
These questions have been at the core of my pursuits personally and professionally for some years now, and let’s face it, these questions are at …
If You Think Contentment Will Make You Lazy and Unproductive
“To be content doesn’t mean you don’t desire more, it means you’re thankful for what you have and patient for what’s to come.” ~Tony Gaskins
There’s a thought I want to share with you that used to keep me up at night.
It’s a toxic idea that caused me stress and burnout and actually got in the way of my productivity and creativity (and more importantly, my happiness).
Nevertheless, I hung onto it, and eventually came to see that it wasn’t just me. It was actually prevalent in many developed societies.
The thought went something like this: If I accept …
How I Stopped Blaming My Ex for Our Painful Relationship
“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” ~Lewis B. Smedes
When it came to my ex-girlfriend, I had difficulty letting go.
She was a girl I’d had a big crush on for a couple of years. Funnily enough, once my crush on her began to fade, she suddenly started taking a liking to me and made it known that she was into me through our mutual friends.
I had my doubts about our compatibility from the start. We hardly shared any common interests, and I found it hard to connect with …
How to Hear Your Intuition When Making a Big Decision
“Your brain can play tricks, your heart can be blind, but your gut is always right.” ~Rachel Wolchin
Have you ever wondered why it can feel so incredibly difficult to make a decision? The pros and cons lists, the endless stream of thoughts talking us into it and then against it, the anxiety about potential disappointment, doing it wrong, or regretting it can leave us paralyzed with self-doubt.
I can very much relate to this cycle. In the past, I had extreme difficulty making decisions. I would become completely obsessed with all aspects of the process, seeking to talk …
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