Posts tagged with “Love”
We Have to Own Our Part to Heal Our Broken Heart and Find a Deeper Love
āTrue love does not only encompass the things that make you feel good, it also holds you to a standard of accountability.ā ~Monica Johnson
I remember the confusion I felt as it slowly began to register to me that he had indeed read all of my messages and was indeed ignoring me. Even though my eyes were telling me this, it still didnāt make any sense.
Just the day before, heād initiated contact, called me beautiful, and wanted to know the details of my day. We’d talked all day that day, as we normally did. But this was a new …
Beyond Sorry: A Better Way to Handle Conflict in Your Relationship
āSorry isn’t always enough. Sometimes you actually have to change.” ~Unknown
When I was young I was like every other kid, always in and out of trouble. I pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in order to see what I could get away with. When I pushed, I’d often keep on pushing until someone said āstop.”
During my childhood I heard lots of:
āSTOP!!āĀ
Quickly followed by:
āSay youāre sorry.ā
Say those two magical words, āIām sorry,ā and all the pain will go away. Then I’ll be back in the good books and can go play with my friends …
10 Ways to Give the Gift of Your Presence (The Best Gift You Can Give)
A couple weeks back I shared a quote on Facebook that really spoke to me:
āA child is going to remember who was there, not what you spent on them. Kids outgrow toys and outfits, but they never outgrow time and love.ā
I love this quote because it puts things in perspective, and itās true not only for kids but for all of us. Sure, shiny things are nice and appreciated, but what we all really want is love, and time with the people who mean most to us.
For those of us who are fortunate, the holidays are all …
How Mindfulness Is Saving My Relationship
āMindfulness is about love and loving life. When you cultivate this love, it gives you clarity and compassion for life, and your actions happen in accordance with that.ā ~Jon Kabat-Zinn
I started meditating and practicing mindfulness more seriously several years ago incorporating it in to my daily routine, initially to help with my anxiety. My practice certainly helped me by leaps and bounds in overcoming my anxiety, but an unexpected side effect has been the impact itās having on my marriage.
Weāve not been married long, and as many couples before us have experienced, getting accustomed to this new …
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 ānormalā 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 specialistsāall of us fully devoted …
How to Love Yourself Through Cancer or Any Other Terrifying Diagnosis
āIf you want to see the sunshine, you have to weather the storm.ā ~Frank Lane
One minute your life is just humming along, and out of nowhere youāre hit with a devastating diagnosis. Cancer.
Believe me, I know what itās like to get the news you have cancer and to live with the trauma that follows, because Iām not only a licensed psychotherapist, Iāve been treated for both breast cancer and leukemia.
I know how that diagnosis changes everything. I know how the world around you can still look the same, but suddenly you feel like a stranger in your …
How to Recover from Heartbreak and Feel Whole Again
āBe soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.ā ~Iain Thomas
A deep heaviness and uneasiness began to pulsate throughout my body. Warm, salty tears streamed down my face at all hours of the day. It felt like all the best parts of me were gone and would never return.
Heartache can be one of the hardest things to overcome in life. …
Why I Canāt Always Be the āStrong Oneā and What I Do Now Instead
āShe was strong and weak and brave and broken… all at the same time.” ~Unknown
My mom was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder when I was seven years old. Itās a chronic condition that doctors say can be managed but not cured. The symptoms included manic high energy, depression, delusions, hearing voices, reduced need for sleep, and loss of touch with reality.
There were many times of stability for her, when she was on the right medication, taking it routinely, and attending regular psychotherapy. But if any of these elements were missing, those moments were often short-lived.
She was the …
How Social Media Is Helping Me Cope with Grief
āGrief, no matter where it comes from, can only be resolved by connecting to other people.ā ~Thomas Horn
We had just landed in Chicago. I had spent the last three hours on a flight from New Jersey sitting next to grown-ups who didnāt ask me fifty questions every two minutes, while my kids watched a movie with their dad, two rows behind.
I was looking forward to spending one whole week in Chicago, despite the freezing temps. This was my first real break in eight months, and boy, I had plans! Sleeping in, long baths, reading, and no laptop!
I …
The Difference Between Love, Lust, and Attachment: Why We Have It All Wrong
āTry not to confuse attachment with love. Attachment is about fear and dependency and has more to do with love of self than love of another.ā ~Yasmin Mogahed
The feelings we get when meeting someone new are hard to understand at times. We haveĀ biopsychosocial and even spiritual responses and interactions with people we come into contact with.
We’ve all met someone and felt like we just want to be around them. They make usĀ nervous (butterflies), we can’t think straight, we’re self-conscious, we just feel anĀ overwhelming… pull toward them.
I have (like many before me) spent my life …
What Heartbreak Taught Me About Creating My Own Happiness
āWe accept the love we think we deserve.ā ~Stephen Chbosky
A few years ago I was completely heartbroken, and I thought I would never find love. Iād gone through a string of painful breakups over a number of years, but I thought Iād finally met someone I could be with for the long haul. Iād been dating this guy for a few months, and everything seemed to be going smoothly, untilĀ one day he stopped calling. Just like that, he disappeared from my life. It was as if we had never met.
What was worse, he didnāt tell me why …
When You Reframe Your Breakup as an Opportunity, Everything Changes
āSometimes the most uncomfortable learning is the most powerful.ā ~BrenĆ© Brown
Seems impossible, doesnāt it?
How can you look at your breakup as an opportunity when it feels like someone cut your right arm off and ripped out your heart?
Breakups can be rough. When you open yourself up to another person, love them unconditionally, and compromise your own needs for the ābetterment of the relationship,ā you put yourself all-in. Itās no surprise that you feel lost, confused, and unwilling to move on when that connection is torn away from you. You gave everything to your relationship and now itās …
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