-
Confiding
“But oh! the blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearlessly on any subject; with whom one’s deepest as well as one’s most foolish thoughts come out simply and safely.” ~Dinah Craik, British novelist It’s always wise to weigh our words carefully before we speak. We don’t want to spread harmful gossip or betray a confidence. We don’t want hurt or offend anyone. And given today’s volatile political climate, most of us avoid discussing hot-button topics — especially if we’re unsure of someone else’s viewpoints. Today I’m feeling especially grateful for the trusted friends with whom I can “speak fearlessly on any subject.” As today’s…
-
Living off-line
“When I grow up, I’m gonna look up from my phone and see my life.” ~Phoebe Bridgers I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day holiday. Three sunny months of summer stretch ahead of us, giving us the perfect opportunity to set aside our phones and laptops while we gather with friends and experience the beauty of the world outside. A growing body of research shows that being more connected online is actually making us lonelier — despite all those Facebook friends and Instagram followers. For instance, the American Medical Association examined several studies on internet use and psychological well-being. Overall, increased internet use was associated with “a decline…
-
“Object Lessons” Writing Workshop
“A photograph is an honest shortcut to remembering who we were.” – Julian Pope If you’re ready to begin writing your memoir or family history, you won’t want to miss my free community workshop at Clawson’s Blair Memorial Library in June. “Object Lessons” will help you craft a short essay or chapter for your memoir using a favorite family photo, souvenir, or a small heirloom as inspiration. I promise you’ll enjoy the process, meet new friends, and be inspired to keep writing after the workshop ends. This is a two-night program — so please plan to attend both sessions. Our first night of “Object Lessons” will cover the basics of good writing and…
You May Also Like
Please help yourself
-
Taking action
“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” ~Dale Carnegie Dale Carnegie often wrote about turning our anxiety into fuel for success. He understood that our problems and worries always loom larger when we’ve got too much idle time on our hands. Productivity moves us out of the shadows of rumination. Once we tackle an issue head on, it becomes less intimidating — even if we start with small steps toward resolution. What plan of action will you start today? ~CL Miss any posts this week? Check out the…
-
Be kind to yourself
“I dreamed I called you on the telephone to say: Be kinder to yourself.” ~Adrienne Rich, poet and essayist In her hit song, “Harshest Critic,” Allison Ponthier asks: “Why is ‘being good to myself’ for someone else?” and “Who’s the harshest critic in the room?” I think we all know the answer. Most of us are incredibly hard on ourselves. On one hand, constructive self-criticism can be helpful at times. We can learn from our mistakes or oversights when we’re willing to admit them and repair the damages. We can grow and bloom from the soil of what went wrong. But if we get stuck in the traps of perfectionism…
