Posts tagged with “wisdom”
The Power of “No”: Better Boundaries Lead to a Better Life
ââNoâ is a complete sentence.â ~Anne Lamott
When I went to counseling for the first time, my therapist told me I needed better boundaries. I had no idea what he was talking about, and although the book he lent me on the subject helped a little, I still didnât really get it.
I tried here and there to integrate the few concepts Iâd picked up from the book into my life, but mostly I stayed away from anything that could be considered boundary setting, as I still couldnât quite figure out what it meant.
A decade after my first introduction …
You Don’t Need a Guru; Life is Your Greatest Teacher
âForget what hurt you, but never forget what taught you.â ~Unknown
I read a tribute Elizabeth Gilbert wrote for Richard from Texas who features in her book Eat, Pray, Love. It got me thinking that our teachers in life can take many forms and not always an obvious âtraditionalâ teacher.
In Eat, Pray, Love Liz went looking for a guru in India but learned a whole host of lessons from Richard, who was probably there seeking out the same guru for his own answers.
We can go through life looking for gurus, trying to learn from the experts, and …
How to Stop Beating Yourself Up Over the Little Things
âYou are perfect just as you are and you could use a little improvement.â ~Shunryu Suzuki-roshi
A few weeks ago, I had a day that I felt like an utter failure.
I had eaten junk food even though I was trying to get healthy. Iâd skipped out on going to the gym for no good reason. I forgot to call my parents even though I promised them I would. I didnât meet my daily writing goals and ended up watching two movies Iâd already seen.
In other words, I slid into a lot of bad habits all at once.
I …
Why It’s Okay to Be Right Where You Are in Life
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” ~Arthur Ashe
Whenever I go see my Rolfer Jennie, I look forward to the wisdom she shares with me. As a Rolfer and Bodyworker of twenty-five years and an expert in the mind-body connection, she has it by the bucket-load.
Recently, upon visiting her, I fell into my old familiar trap of wanting to be âfixedâ or perhaps wanting her to have a simple answer for me with regards to some tension in my inner leg that had been progressing (even though I’m fully aware things are never …
Courage Is Doing What You Really Want to Do, Even When Youâre Scared
âCourage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.â ~Ambrose Redmoon
Itâs only 9:25am on a Saturday morning and I feel myself welling up already.
I know this is difficult. This might just be some of the hardest stuff heâs ever had to do.
Iâm there. On the sidelines, watching him.
I know him so well by now and all of his little âgiveaways.â His eyes looking for mine. Fidgeting.
Weâve agreed that heâll give it a chance because he really wants to do this. REALLY, REALLY. Thereâs no doubt …
How to Find the Courage to Quit Your Unfulfilling Job
âBegin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand-and melting like a snowflake.â ~Francis Bacon Sr.
Isnât it a shame?
Youâve studied and worked hard to get to where you are.
Youâve succeeded.
And you got that job.
But now, it just doesnât feel right.
Well, I understand exactly what youâre going through.
Once upon a time, I thought I had it all too.
A great position, a great salary with generous bonuses, and I was working in the heart of the city …
Enjoy the Ride
Source: Natural Life
9 Basic Needs We Have to Meet to Feel Happy and Alive
âNo person, no place, and no thing has any power over us, for ‘we’ are the only thinkers in our mind. When we create peace and harmony and balance in our minds, we will find it in our lives.â ~Louise L. Hay
Seven years ago I felt a tangible sense of despondency about where my life was heading.
Having ended a six-year relationship, I found myself alone, feeling isolated, often with only a bottle of wine (or two) for company on a weekend. For the first time ever I wondered if I had depression.
After weeks of feeling helpless and …
How To Shine Your Own Light and Let Go of Envy
“As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence actually liberates others.â ~Marianne Williamson
“Look at her, who does she think she is?”
“He’s so full of himself. He’s so big headed”
Have you ever heard these types of expressions being used? Have you said them yourself?
I have.
Or at least I used to. I was taught to believe that people who shine their light were showing off. That they were brazen and big headed. But what does being full of …
Why Resolutions Donât Work & How to Create Real, Lasting Change
âI can affect change by transforming the only thing that I ever had control over in the first place and that is myself.â ~Deepak Chopra
As the New Year quickly approaches, many of us spend time in review and reflection of the past yearâs events and initiate strategic planning for the upcoming year.
We create and contemplate lists of resolutions, often featuring some of the same goals from the previous year. But we convince ourselves that this is going to be the year for change and transformation.
So, on January 1st, we arise, excited and committed to our new or …
How Using Your Hands Creatively Can Reduce Stress and Anxiety
âMaking something, even imperfectly is empowering because itâs an expression of the self.â ~Alton & Carrie Barron MD
Do you ever suffer from stress or anxiety?
If so, youâve probably tried to find relief, but finding something that works for you can be quite hard. We all react differently to different remedies, and what works for one person may not be the best remedy for you.
I used to suffer from stress and anxiety a lot. After trying lots of different remedies, I finally found relief in an activity I never considered would help.
I was locked into a life …
Take Your Power Back: How to Release Fear and Trauma
TRIGGER WARNING: This post deals with an account of physical and emotional abuse and may be triggering to some people.
âI say I am stronger than fear.â ~Malala Yousafzai
âDonât be scared.â Itâs so easy to say, yet sometimes, for many of us, so hard to accomplish.
When I was about three or four years old, my dad locked me in the chicken coop in our back yard. This was a punishment. I was naked and screaming, literally jumping up and down with terror.
Another punishment consisted of my mother rubbing human waste in my face.
There are other things …
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.