“Cut yourself a little loose. You're doing better than you think "~ Unknown Your stomach is tied in knots. Another crisis has occurred and everyone expects you to have the answers and to be the leader. Also, you can't blame them for believing you should have all the answers. But you just don't. Even though you look calm on the…
“People grow when they are well loved. If you want to help others heal, love them without an agenda. "~ Mike McHargue I learned some of my greatest life lessons in 5th grade. I was an average student who was below average in my early elementary school years. I came home with a steady flow of B, C, and the…
“Love rests on two pillars: devotion and autonomy. Our need for togetherness exists alongside our need for separation. "~ Esther Perel Healthy relationships require a delicate balance between intimacy and autonomy, giving and receiving, self and other. As we struggle to tackle this delicate balancing act, we may feel less like graceful acrobats than more like pendulums swaying ruthlessly from…
Do you ever read about other people's creative hobbies and think, "Man, that sounds like a lot of fun"? Ever look at creative Pinterest pages and think, "You know, I bet I could do that?" Art has something that immediately creates a feeling of joy and relaxation – or at least for me. Maybe it's memories of carefree childhood afternoons…
“The pressure to be grateful kept me from the more painful and real feelings of sadness, anger, and abandonment. When I was growing up, gratitude was another building block that kept all the secrets of abuse. It was just one more thing that made me feel like I am what I am is not enough. "~ Vicki Peterson The path…
“A good head and a good heart are always an impressive combination. But if you add a formed tongue or pen to it, you have something very special. "~ Nelson Mandela Ever thought: "Life is so unfair!" Is it really? Has life given you circumstances that keep you in a deep, dark hole of disadvantages that you can't possibly climb…
"As soon as we accept our borders, we go beyond them." ~ Albert Einstein Why do you want to do this? This question was asked to me repeatedly by friends before I started my voluntary internship in a department for spinal injuries. The uncertainty in her eyes reflected her own fears of a life-changing disability. It was difficult to put…
“Sweet is the memory of distant friends. Like the gentle rays of the outgoing sun, it falls tenderly and yet sadly on the heart. "~ Washington Irving Why do we miss friendships from past days more and more the older we seem to be? You know the… The friendships in which you felt 100 percent happy, in their presence. Where…
"It is never too late to start over in your life." ~ Joyce Meyer I sat on the beach and watched the sandpipers scurry back and forth and peck at the water. A dead horseshoe crab was washed back and forth in the surf. Finished at fifty-five, I thought. I am as useless as this poor crab. A few years…
“You cannot create a conscious relationship with someone who is not committed to their work. But you can build a better relationship with yourself, and sometimes it looks like breaking away from the idea that you can change another person or convince them to grow. Choose yourself. "~ Sheleana Aiyana What are the ingredients that will keep a loving romantic…