What Really Matters
How to Keep Going When Doubts and Fears are Holding You Back
“If you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.” ~Vincent Van Gogh
I don’t think there is anything more liberating.
At least nothing I’ve experienced at this point in my life.
I’m sure it’s happened to some of you. Probably more times than you can count.
The freedom I’m alluding to here is the moment when you do something that a part of your mind didn’t believe was possible.
Interestingly, the word ecstasy comes from the Greek ekastis, meaning “to step outside of oneself.”
And when …
50 People Share What They’re Grateful to Do Every Day
At night, when you think about how you spent your day, how often do you focus on all the things you had to do?
I worked. I ran errands. I went to the gym. I made dinner.
And when you tell someone about this kind of day, how often do you do it with a less-than-enthused tone?
I suspect this is the norm for many of us, at least during the workweek.
Commitments, to work and family, can engulf our lives and seem like chores, not choices and chances.
I distinctly remember one day, years ago, when my day felt …
How Getting Dumped Before My Wedding Made Me a Better Person
“The root of suffering is attachment.” ~The Buddha
Getting dumped a few weeks before my wedding was the most painful experience of my life to date, but how I came through it is the single proudest moment of my life.
When I met with his mother four years after the breakup, she said she’d felt so guilty over these past few years. “I loved you like a daughter, and he’s my son—I never want any of my children to feel that pain.”
I told her I was glad it happened, not for the fact that the breakup needed to …
13 Insights About Relationships That Could Save You A Lot of Pain
“It’s amazing how quickly someone can become a stranger; it’s even more amazing how quickly someone can become a treasured friend.” ~Unknown
The past six months have been unbelievably difficult for me.
My “normal” life turned upside down and inside out, as my beautiful daughter continues to fight a complex pain condition, which took us all by surprise one bright and sunny Monday afternoon. And literally, in a single heartbeat, just like that, instead of a regular routine day of school, work and afternoon activities, our time was consumed with juggling doctors, hospitals, tests, and specialists—all of us fully devoted …
The Art of Saying No: Lessons from a Caregiver
“When you say yes to others, make sure you are not saying no to yourself.” ~Paulo Coelho
There it is again. Another person asks me for help. There’s a sharp pull inside of me to stop what I am doing and give.
And the internal struggle comes up.
I should just say yes and help them. What’s it take to write out a few text lines? An extra phone call? It’s not so bad, I tell myself. You are, after all, a caregiver.
My internal voice is so strong. It has been with me for a long time, this …
Life’s Too Short to Be Too Busy: How to Make the Most of Your Time
“Slow down. Calm down. Don’t worry. Don’t hurry. Trust the process.” ~Alexandra Stoddard
Heard in the offices across America…
“I’m so busy and have no time!”
“How is it almost 2019 already?!”
“I’ll sleep when I’m dead…”
We’re so focused on the next deadline, getting the next promotion, having the approval of our managers and peers alike that we push, push, push all the time.
Oh, how I can relate! I worked in corporate America commuting into NYC (two hours each way!) as the VP of marketing at a major media company. And I worked… a lot.
When I …
Acknowledging That We’re Not Okay is the Only Way to Make Things Better
“Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your own understanding.” ~Khalil Gibran
There was a time in my life where I felt like everything needed to seem okay.
I had trouble achieving emotional closeness in my relationships, I was unsatisfied in my career, and I struggled with at times severe anxiety and depression. But I was always “okay,” and actually went great lengths to hide any sign that I wasn’t.
I kept myself busy to avoid seeming “lame” by having nothing to do, or perhaps to avoid the feelings that would come up if I had …
How to Love Yourself into Speaking Up When You’re Frozen in Fear
“Always speak the truth, even if your voice shakes.” ~Unknown
You may not want to admit this to others, but I know the truth about you.
You freeze, clam up, and shut down when tensions rise and your spidey-sense detects a hint of conflict in the air. You run for cover during the storm, and when it’s over, you judge yourself for not having delivered the perfect soliloquy in the heat of the moment to convey your point and get what you need and deserve.
And then you collapse into a hot mess of blame and shame.
I get it. …
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