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The philosophy of closet clearing
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” ~ Epictetus, Stoic philosopher As most fashion bloggers advise, it’s easier to dress yourself if you have a simple, carefully edited wardrobe — which typically means fewer clothes. And so, before leaving on vacation, I spent a week purging my closets. My latest pile of discards contained some nearly new, barely worn items — a fact that tugged on my conscience as I folded and packed it all into black garbage bags. The shame I felt for being wasteful was only partly erased by the knowledge that my unwanted clothes will be donated to a charity. Someone else…
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Communication skills
“Say what you mean and mean what you say. Don’t expect the important people in your life to read your mind. Don’t play foolish games with their heads and hearts. Don’t tell half truths and expect someone to trust you when the full truth comes out.” ~Angel Chernoff Today’s quote reminds us that other people cannot read our minds. Great relationships are built on healthy communication. Communication breakdowns occur when we avoid discussing our real feelings, or we make the wrong assumptions without learning the facts. The silent treatment, like withholding the truth, is another form of poor communication. Our partners, friends, and family members shouldn’t have to consult the…
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The one and only you
“Everything in nature invites us constantly to be what we are.” ~Gretel Ehrlich, author Many of us spent our early years trying to conform to the norms or ideals dictated by our parents, peers, religion, and culture. On the other hand, some of us rebelled against them — sometimes for the sake of rebellion, or because we didn’t fit the “perfect” pattern someone else wanted us to follow. Beyond all of this conforming and rebelling is the beautiful, one-of-a-kind essence of who we really are. As today’s thought reminds us, our true nature “invites us” to make that discovery. I’ve learned throughout my life that if I want other folks…
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Wild things
“The Peace of Wild Things” reminds us to take comfort in the wisdom and beauty of the natural world — no matter what else is unfolding around us. It’s one of my favorite poems, and I hope it will inspire you to set aside your phone and other devices while you spend time outdoors this weekend. ~CL The Peace of Wild Things By Wendell Berry When despair for the world grows in meand I wake in the night at the least soundin fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,I go and lie down where the wood drakerests in his beauty on the water, and the great…
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Appreciation
“It’s a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on all the things you have long taken for granted.” ~ Bertrand Russell Too often, we take for granted the people and things we love. We assume they’ll always be there for us. And we get lazy. The things we value need regular care and maintenance — whether we’re talking about cars, homes, or relationships. Almost everything will fade or rust with neglect. Likewise, we wrongly assume that Mother Nature is inexhaustible. We take her for granted too. We might turn a blind eye to climate change warnings, or refuse to accept responsibility for the natural beauty we…
