Give the Time You Have Left More Life
Even in the Hospital, He Found Joy in the Now
“Don’t let the sadness of your past and the fear of your future ruin the happiness of your present.” ~Unknown
Back in the day when I was a stay-at-home mom, “mindfulness” wasn’t even a word in my vocabulary. The only mindfulness I was aware of was my own mind-fullness just trying to navigate a busy, full schedule with three children. It wasn’t until later in life that mindfulness was brought to my attention through the examples my oldest son Sean exhibited.
Sean was my mindfulness teacher. He showed me how to be in the sweet spot of the now. He …
How to Live a Life You Love (Even If Others Doubt You)
“Not all those who wander are lost.” ~J.R.R. Tolkien
I will always remember those words.
I had just decided to ditch my old life. Instead of pursuing a cushy career as a lawyer, I wanted to create a business as a freelance writer because it felt like a fulfilling thing to do.
“You’ll never make it work. You’ll regret your decision,” a loved one told me.
Those words pushed my buttons. I felt scared.
What if I would regret it?
Was I stupid, even delusional, for thinking there was an alternative to living a pre-planned life with a secure nine-to-five …
Free Up Your Space: Two Simple Questions for Easy Decluttering
“Owning less is better than organizing more.” ~Joshua Becker
There are lots of reasons to declutter—to free up space, to pare down belongings in advance of a move, to release any possessions that weigh you down emotionally, and to make room for new things to come into your life. And there’s another reason, though people don’t usually realize it: to reduce stress and overwhelm.
The more stuff you have, the more time, energy, and money you need to devote to maintaining it, and the more likely you feel anxious in your cramped and potentially disorganized space.
I declutter two …
It’s Not Selfish to Want to Thrive, and I Now Know I Deserve It
“To create more positive results in your life, replace ‘if only’ with ‘next time.” ~Celestine Chua
I’m twenty-nine-and-a-half and I’ve finally committed to pursuing my dreams of becoming a singer/musician/songwriter, actress, and screenwriter.
But most importantly, I finally feel allowed to live the life I want to live.
I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression on and off since I was fifteen. My coping mechanism always looked the same: isolating myself in my room, listening to music, and making up stories or music videos to go along with songs. I loved to refine these little scenes, repeating the songs over and …
My Life with an Alcoholic Parent (and 6 Addiction Myths)
“Be the person who breaks the cycle. If you were judged, choose understanding. If you were rejected, choose acceptance. If you were shamed, choose compassion. Be the person you needed when you were hurting, not the person who hurt you. Vow to be better than what broke you—to heal instead of becoming bitter so you can act from your heart, not your pain.” ~Lori Deschene
Take a moment to look around where you are right now. Look at the people surrounding you, whether you’re in your office, a waiting room, or the line at the post office.
Statistically, one out …
Why I Won’t Just “Let Go” of the Hurt in My Heart
“It’s not a matter of ‘letting go.’ You would if you could. Instead of ‘let it go’ we should probably say ‘let it be.’” ~Jon Kabat-Zinn
I’m not good at heartbreak. I wrestle the circumstances, hate it, and can’t let go of the hope that the relationship could be transformed.
Aren’t there people who do heartbreak well? Aren’t there folks who sit in heartbreak for just a little while, then shortly fold up their hands and accept the situation? Sometimes it seems there are those who even flip a switch—”It didn’t work, we tried our best”—and that’s that, and they …
10 Things You Need to Know to Maintain Strong Friendships
“A friend is someone with whom you dare to be yourself.” ~Frank Crane
Studies show that feeling connected to other people is a core human need. A sense of connection impacts not only on our mental health but also our physical well-being. It reduces our risk of disease and increases longevity.
While the research is clear, statistics also suggest that our level of social connectedness is declining. Social media might help us be more widely connected, but it doesn’t usually replace the connection we experience in offline friendships.
It seems that as adults we aren’t that good at friendships. People …
How to Journal Away Your Disappointment in Yourself
“Forgive yourself for not knowing better at the time. Forgive yourself for giving away your power. Forgive yourself for past behaviors. Forgive yourself for the survival patterns and traits you picked up while enduring trauma. Forgive yourself for being who you needed to be.” ~Audrey Kitching
“I can’t do this.”
“Why do I look so fat? I’m disgusting!”
“I haven’t done enough today. I am so useless.”
“I shouldn’t have said that. I shouldn’t have said that. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Oh my god, why did this happen to me? What am I going to do …
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