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Different gifts
“We all have different gifts, so we all have different ways of saying to the world who we are.” ~Fred Rogers Personal expression is one of the most fascinating aspects of being human. Some people share their creativity through cooking and serving meals, while others show their hearts in poems and stories. Still others express themselves through music, fashion, pottery, needlework, photography, gardening, or watercolor painting. As Mister Rogers reminded us, everyone has “different gifts.” Celebrate your own talents today — and take a moment to appreciate the talents of others in your life. ~CL
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Surf’s up
“While you are riding the wave, just put your best self out there and enjoy it.” ~Frieda Pinto My son has told me that I tend to “overthink” things. I like to believe this trait is part of being a writer — but I’ll admit that focusing on what could possibly go wrong can be a tiresome habit in daily life. Even when there’s nothing to worry about, I don’t always trust my good fortune or my good luck. I wait for the other metaphorical shoe to drop. Psychologists call it “anticipatory anxiety.” Today’s quote is a perfect reminder for over-thinkers like me. When life is going well, the smartest…
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Your own footsteps
“It’s not your job to curb or contain yourself in order to become someone else’s idea of a worthwhile human being. You are amazingly worthwhile and capable right now. Not because other people think you are, but because you are in full control of the next step you take.” ~Marc and Angel Chernoff When I was in college, a couple of my professors and an advisor suggested law school after graduation. Becoming a lawyer was a more dependable and lucrative path for my writing and communication skills, they said. Or at least it was more lucrative than working as a journalist or freelance writer. But practicing law wasn’t my career…
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A short survival guide for grads
At commencement you wear your square-shaped mortarboards. My hope is that from time to time you will let your minds be bold, and wear sombreros.” ~Paul Freund Like most moms, I spent years lecturing my child on the importance of working hard, eating healthy meals, writing thank-you notes, and ironing his dress shirts. But I neglected to impart other nuggets of wisdom along the way. As my dad used to say, earning good grades is important, but learning how to get along with people is even more important. That’s why I wrote the following list of graduation “survival tips” and shared them in my local newspaper column before my son…
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How wired are you ?
“When I grow up, I’m gonna look up from my phone and see my life.” ~Phoebe Bridgers Have you been feeling lonely lately? Ironically, a growing body of research shows that being more connected online is making us lonelier — and eroding our mental health. The American Medical Association, for instance, examined several new studies on “the internet and psychological well-being.” Overall, increased internet use was associated with “a decline in users’ communication with family members, a decrease in their social circle, and an increase in depression and loneliness.” Socializing online also makes us lazier. We delude ourselves into believing that we’ve spent time with others — when we’ve only…
