Six Absolute Facts About Aging
Let’s stop cursing the aging process. This month is my birthday. (Gifts, cards, and parties are welcome!) I will turn 59. One year before 60. I’m apprehensive. Not sure what my 60’s will be like. I’ve heard from friends and family that the 60’s are great. That’s my hope. No crystal ball. I’ll keep you posted. […]
Joy Does Come In The Morning
At those times when you are feeling trapped, stuck, or caught in life’s circumstances, it is useful to remember that . . . . . . most butterflies emerge in the morning. The stage when the caterpillar is transformed into a butterfly is the Chrysalis Stage. During this evolution, the beautiful being that is becoming […]
Is Anticipating Blessing the Same As Magical Thinking?
“Giving thanks for unknown blessings already on their way”??? I must admit when I first read this quote, I felt a rather child-like excitement; something akin to anticipating the arrival of Santa’s reindeer on the roof. It felt good to believe something magical was in the wind. But then I felt a bit uneasy. Life’s […]
Who Sings While Scrubbing Toilets?????
This week I stepped into a restroom and heard singing. Yes, singing. It was the cleaning woman singing and humming a light-hearted melody, as she was scrubbing toilets and polishing tile. She was contentedly absorbed in the tasks at hand. A few hours later I went into the DMV to update my license plates, and the woman […]
A Surprising Coping Strategy
My dear cousin recently shared with me about some important changes in her life. While managing her own personal and professional responsibilities, she has become the primary caregiver for her mother as well as supporting a brother long distance recovering from a stroke. The demands for care and intervention are ever present and sometimes urgent. […]
Value of Friendship for Your Well-Being
Four months ago, I lost a dear friend. He succumbed to cancer after an aggressive battle. In our last conversation he said to me, “Susie, I’ve learned some amazing things on this journey. And I can tell you it’s all about love. It’s really ALL about love.” He is now free of pain. That is […]
Using Mistakes and Failure – Foundational to Success
If you’re not making mistakes or failing, then you’re living in a lukewarm comfort zone. It is impossible to be successful, creative, productive, or contributing without error or failure. I’ve never known a successful artist, athlete, chef, composer, scientist, engineer, designer, carpenter, salesperson, supervisor, or teacher that hasn’t tossed out numerous attempts until they got it “right”. […]
Decision-Making and the Change Process – the Power of Patience
Are the changes you want to make taking too long? If so, consider this – Cognitive neuroscience considers “patience” to be a decision-making dilemma. Having the option, research shows that all animals, including humans, tend to favor short-term rewards over long-term rewards; even if the greater benefit is associated with the long term reward. Patience […]
How to Win in the Shame and Blame Game
This week I had a shocking and sad experience. The first (and only, I wish!) of its kind for me. Unexpectedly several family members responded to a posting on my Facebook page, which they had misinterpreted. The venomous sermons, screamed from very high horses, laced with profanity and name-calling, punctuated with stinging accusations, attempting to […]
How Do You Know You’re Reaching For the Right Goal?
How do you know you’re reaching for the right goal? As we are moving toward an especially important goal, we often encounter obstacles. In fact, the more important the goal, the more likely we are to encounter obstacles. So how do we know if an obstacle is telling us that the goal is incorrect? We […]
