Posts tagged with “wisdom”
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 Honor Your Sensitivity (Because It’s Actually a Strength)
“The opposite of sensitive is not ‘tough.’ It’s insensitive. Sensitivity is a gift. Let’s nurture it, not squash it.” ~Glennon Doyle
I would run no matter how much snow and ice there was, no matter how tired I was or how much my joints hurt. Even if I was hungover. It didn’t matter. Sometimes I would be in incredible pain, but I wouldn’t stop.
I worked as a tree planter in the summers and got paid per tree. I would push as hard as possible, sometimes planting as many as 3,000 trees in one day. And, not surprisingly, I had …
Moving Through Grief: I’m Strong Because I Feel It All
“Grief is the last act of love we have to give to those we loved. Where there is deep grief, there was great love.” ~Unknown
It’s been almost six months now. Half of a year without my brother and the grief still visits. I’m pretty sure grief doesn’t actually go away; its visits just get further and further apart.
People continue to ask me how I am so “strong” through all of this, mistaking my happy moments as the full picture.
I continue to tell them strength comes because I feel it all.
The story in itself is my …
How Observing My Emotions Helps Me Let Go of Anger and Anxiety
“Even when in the midst of disturbance, the stillness of the mind can offer sanctuary.” ~Stephen Richards
One night my four-year-old daughter woke up crying, startling both me and my husband from sleep. He rushed into her room and I came in shortly thereafter, and I immediately got annoyed with how he was handling the situation. I’ll admit this now: I can’t even remember what he did, but in that moment I knew I would have done it differently and it made me feel irritable and angry.
I left the room and went into the bathroom. While I …
Why Moving Didn’t Solve Any of My Problems
“Wherever you go, you take yourself with you.” ~Neil Gaiman
When I had the chance to relocate to Vancouver some years ago, the opportunity also came with the distinct need to try something new and leave my comfort zone. To be quite honest, I had also become frustrated with many things in my life at the time: work, friendships, relationships including family, and the general “noise” that I felt I couldn’t avoid.
I was beginning to lose my temper more easily. I found excuses to shorten visits with family and friends or to avoid visiting in the first place. …
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