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On treehouses, beaches, and spring break
“Is there a place you can go to break away for a little while? If you haven’t yet built your tree house, it’s never too late to start.” ~Gina Greenlee Whether you opt for a vacation on the beach or a quick escape to a treehouse, you need a break from your daily routines. Especially this time of year. Even if you don’t have a treehouse or time for a long vacation, you can build a quiet place in your mind and “ink in” some free hours on your calendar. Go out for dinner without checking your damned phone. Take a break from social media. Let the chores chill for another…
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Is that normal?
“What makes us normal is knowing that we’re not normal.” ~Haruki Murakami, novelist Last week, Doug and I spotted a woman dressed in a crazy, colorful costume in a diner where we were eating lunch. Since it was nowhere near Halloween, we wondered why the woman looked so … out-of-the-ordinary. As it turned out, she was en route from a local grade school after portraying a character from a kids’ TV show. Like everyone else, we’re easily jarred from our perception of what is normal. We expect to see costumes on Halloween, or at special holiday events such as the one shown above in today’s photo. Otherwise, we might wonder…
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“You look marvelous!”
“I can live for two months on a good compliment.” ~Mark Twain Yes, flattery will get you everywhere. As reported in Medical Economics, researchers confirmed that “people respond positively to flattery, even when they know the flatterer has an ulterior motive.” Better yet, compliments can make a motivational difference. When a supervisor praises our efforts at work, for instance, statistics show we’re more likely to experience higher job satisfaction and stay in the position longer. At the same time, when other people tell us we look nice or that we’ve done a great job, we tend to think positive thoughts about them, too. Paying a sincere compliment is an act…
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Are you feeling stuck?
“You will either step forward into growth, or you will step backward into safety.” ~Abraham Maslow This is the time of year when we’re likely to feel stagnant. The calendar tells us it’s spring, but the weather isn’t convinced yet — and we’d rather not dig in the garden until it’s warmer outside. Feeling stuck isn’t just a symptom of cabin fever; it can sneak up on you anywhere, any time of the year. For starters, you’re stuck when you keep making the same recipes for dinner because you’re too tired to find new ones. Maybe you’re feeling stuck at home but can’t summon the motivation to make plans with…
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You be you
“The beauty of us lies in our vulnerability, our complex emotions, and our authentic imperfections. When we embrace who we are and decide to be authentic, instead of who we think others want us to be, we open ourselves up to real relationships, real happiness, and real success.” ~Marc & Angel Hack Life Some readers would never get caught browsing in the “self-help” section. It’s a lot cooler, after all, to tell people you’re reading the last of Thoreau’s essays or Shakespeare’s comedies while you’re finishing a good mystery novel. But I promise there’s some beneficial self-help material out there, in books and online. If, like me, you find that…