Every year the holidays come around and every year, I just want to opt out. Not because of trauma or bad memories – those are there – they just aren’t the reason. It’s all just TOO much. Even a hermit such as myself who tries very hard to distance herself from the news, the ads and the pressure, I just want to throw up my hands and give up. I want to consciously opt out. I know of many people who just mention it like they are brushing their teeth or getting gas in their car. I want to know…
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One step at a time. Small steps will get you there. You may have heard phrases like this before. And what does it mean in light of last week where we are focused on: Knowing what you can handle so you can keep pressing on doing what you can, where you are with what you have? It means baby steps. It means things you can do – preferably in 5 minutes or less that are the action steps of doing what you can with what you have. I am a fan of super small – actually, to me, five minutes…
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Many people know and live a “multiple lives” reality. This is above and beyond “Don’t mention politics or hot button issues” in certain situations. Or by just not saying anything because it doesn’t matter and/or to keep the peace. It’s not just refraining from sharing certain parts of yourself. It’s knowing you truly have to put on different pieces for every part of your being to “be presentable” and “go out into the world.” It’s like putting on a spandex costume three sizes too small. Yet, millions do this every day – to support themselves, their families, in avoidance of…
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“Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are.” Although this quote is widely attributed to Theodore Roosevelt, he credits it, in his Autobiography, Chapter IX, to Squire Bill Widener of Widener’s Valley, Virginia. I rephrase this a bit to myself all the time. (It’s what I do. And what we should do – make things work for YOU.) I rearrange the phrasing Do what you can, where you are with what you’ve got! We ignore the middle parts of the sentences. Not because we want to or even realize it, but because our brain actually doesn’t care…
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There are choices we make in life. And there are choices we get to make again and again. I was (and continue) to struggle with putting myself “out there.” In person, online, on social media, etc. I came across something I wrote last Spring, which gets to the heart of the matter Why am I afraid to be seen? Why am I afraid of exposing who I really am? I have nothing to fear, nothing to hide.The things that have happened to me, the things that have caused me pain and suffering (and exponential growth) are not my responsibility or…
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There is this myth out there (and I’ve probably helped perpetuate it at times, I’m sorry.) The myth is that listening and acting on your Still Small Voice will solve everything and it will all be easy. HAH! Usually, listening and acting on your Still Small voice causes frustration, sadness, anger, chaos, disruption and all around panic. (Aren’t you so excited now? Can’t wait?) We live in such times that it is easy to be buried in and overwhelmed by choices and ideas that we never consciously chose. Trying to be conscious can be by itself an overwhelming task. (Why…