Posts tagged with “wisdom”
Why Social Media and My Addictive Personality Don’t Mesh
Twitter didn’t give me the flu or bronchitis, but it made me sick. Unhealthy. Ill-feeling. And it could have been any social media platform that did it, I just happened to have chosen Twitter.
For years I avoided creating any sort of social media account. I complained to companies the old-fashioned way: calling or emailing customer service. I didn’t need to know what people I wasn’t in touch with in real life were doing.
As someone who was married and not dating, there simply wasn’t the requirement to be on any kind of social media. With two kids, I spent …
How Failure Holds the Key to a Meaningful, Successful Life
“Perfectionism doesn’t believe in practice shots.” ~Julia Cameron
Within each of us lurks a perfectionist. And perfectionists set themselves up for a lot of pain in life.
How so? I’ll come to that.
First let me describe how our first child took her first step. She was less than ten months old. A very bright girl, who wanted nothing less than my approval at all times.
On one occasion, a few months previous to that, she was crawling on the carpet and picked up some small thing. As she started to put it in her mouth, I called out loudly …
Why “Focus on the Bright Side” Isn’t Helpful Advice
There are so many memes and quotes out there that say, “Be positive, not negative. Focus on the bright side.” I’ve never been very good at ignoring the negatives and focusing on the positives.
Call me a critical, over-analytical over-thinker if you want, but at no point in my journey of self-love and self-discovery have I learned to ignore all my flaws, all my mistakes, all my regrets. At no point in my journey of compassion have I learned to ignore all the times that someone has hurt me or all the destruction caused by abuse. That never felt right …
Why No One Else Can Make Me Feel Insignificant
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt
Significance.
A phenomenon most of us only notice once we lose it.
If you’re like me, you’ve had (and could still have) a love/hate relationship with significance. Simply because it often seemed so elusive. Just out of reach.
Our journey together started as far back as I can remember.
As the youngest of three siblings, I often felt unheard. Overlooked. Ignored. Insignificant.
I thought it was normal. Didn’t all little sisters bear the same cross? Apparently not…
As a young adult, I looked to my friends to …
Why Introverts Feel Drained in Groups and How I Preserve My Energy
“In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.” ~Deepak Chopra
When I was younger, I was always referred to as “the quiet one.” I didn’t mind it; I knew I was much quieter than most people I met. Not speaking and spending time on my own was natural for me.
Friends and workmates recognized this but would still often ask me if I wanted to join them when they were going out, even though they knew I would usually say no. They understood me as quiet, but they didn’t really understand just how much I disliked …
Loving Yourself When You’ve Become Addicted to Self-Improvement
“Whatever purifies you is the right path.” ~Rumi
I’m tired of being good. It’s time to be deliciously free.
How I wish I could say that without rushing in to assure you that I promise I’ll still be good.
The truth is, I worry. Less than I used to, but still, I do.
I’ve probably had every kind of worry you could imagine. There’s the kind about things that haven’t happened yet, things that didn’t but very nearly could have, things that are highly unlikely if not impossible, things that are commonplace; I’ve worried about the things I want and …
Maybe It’s Not All Good or All Bad
“You are the sky. Everything else—it’s just the weather.” ~Pema Chödrön
A farmer has a horse for many years; it helps him earn his livelihood and raise his son. One day, the horse runs away. His neighbor says sympathetically, “Such bad luck.”
The farmer replies, “Maybe. Who knows?”
The next day, the horse makes its way back home bringing with it another horse. The neighbor says with a smile, “Such good luck.”
The farmer replies, “Maybe. Who knows?”
The following day, the farmer’s son rides the new horse and seeks to tame it. In the process, he breaks his leg. …
How to Be Less Anxious About Things You Can’t Change
“One of the happiest moments is when you find the courage to let go of what you can’t change.” ~Unknown
Over the last few years, I’ve had to deal with a frustrating problem.
It’s something that’s not uncommon, but it can be debilitating, and it has affected me every day. Some days have been incredibly tough, and they’ve tested my tolerance and my patience.
The problem is chronic back pain.
Every day I get up, knowing that throughout the day I’m going to have a discomfort that could oscillate between a mild annoyance and an intense burning. At some point, …
Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just as meaningful as mine. 