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Small treats and rituals
“One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats.” ~Iris Murdoch After dinner, my husband and I grab a mug of tea or coffee and head for our favorite chairs to watch World News Tonight with David Muir on TV. Sometimes, on summer evenings, we treat ourselves to ice cream. It’s a ritual that our dog, Coco, happily anticipates — because we also reward her with a handful of dog biscuits if she finished her dinner. Watching her savor each cookie never fails to bring me joy. Sometimes we set our goals impossibly high, deluding ourselves into thinking that happiness depends on huge wins and rewards. But…
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So, the dog ate your homework?
“When you blame others, you give up your power to change.” ~Dr. Robert Anthony, Beyond Positive Thinking Excuses, excuses. It wasn’t my fault …. It was the wine talking …. I came from a dysfunctional family …. Someone gave me bad advice …. The dog ate my homework. When we make a mess of things or miss the mark, it’s tempting to reach for an easy excuse. We might try to save face by placing the blame on someone or something else — even when we know that we’re responsible for our own mistakes. In today’s quote, psychologist Robert Anthony shines a light on the blame game. He reminds us…
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Whose life?
“Whose life are you really living, yours or the one somebody prefers for you?” ~Vanita Oelschlager, Write with Me By the time we reach middle age, we’ve established our own preferences and routines. We’ve made some difficult choices; traveled a few paths. And we’d like to believe we’re original thinkers who’ve crafted our own opinions as well as our own unique style. In reality, each of us is a combination of influences — parents, siblings, partners, relatives, teachers, priests or preachers, peers, educational history, and popular culture. Which partly explains why we’re attracted to some things and repelled by others. Who and what are your strongest influences? Which ones inspire…
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Let it bloom by itself
“Don’t try to force anything. Let life be a deep let-go. God opens millions of flowers every day without forcing their buds.” ~Osho The act of letting go is an act of personal surrender. Letting go requires trust and faith in the unknown. It’s not our job to keep the earth spinning on its axis (which might be a relief for some control freaks). Letting go means allowing others to hold the reins occasionally — which takes grace and self-confidence. Letting go also takes courage. It can be frightening to loosen your grip on a particular situation or a worry. But no matter how hard you try to force or…
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Funny Friday thoughts
“Plato says that the unexamined life is not worth living. But what if the examined life turns out to be a clunker as well?” ~Kurt Vonnegut
