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The smallest victories
“Letting go of big expectations allowed me to celebrate even the smallest victories, to be utterly in the winning moment and thankful for my current state.” ~Hillary Allen, endurance athlete A workshop student told me she experienced an epiphany after starting a daily gratitude journal. When she first began the practice, she struggled to find more than one thing “worth listing” at the end of each day. Then she remembered that simple pleasures and “small victories” deserved her appreciation. After she started writing them down, she noticed that her days were filled with them. An uninterrupted hour of reading with a mug of tea … An unexpected card in the…
- Creativity and discovery, Dr. Seuss, Friendship and relationship advice, Personal growth, Photo stories
The know-it-all trap
“It’s high time you were shown that you don’t really know all there is to be known.” ~Dr. Seuss When our grandson was four, he was an expert on a wide range of topics. Whenever we tried to share something new or teach a small lesson, his typical response was, “I already knew that.” It cracked me up every time. But the adult know-it-all isn’t as cute. You know the type: Every time you try to share fresh information, the know-it-all has already been there, seen it, or done it before. You can’t show or tell them anything new. They’re always on the lookout for opportunities to inform or one-up…
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Happy Halloween!
“There is a child in every one of us who is still a trick-or-treater looking for a brightly-lit front porch.” ~Robert Brault The practice of trick-or-treating began a few hundred years ago in Europe as an All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2) tradition. The less fortunate visited the homes of wealthier families and received pastries known as “soul cakes.” This was done in exchange for a promise to pray for the souls of the homeowners’ deceased relatives. In Scotland and Ireland — where many of today’s Halloween traditions began — children and young adults disguised themselves in costumes and asked for small gifts from neighboring households. Wearing costumes was referred to as…
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Your own story
“Don’t be satisfied with stories, or how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.” ~Rumi Are you easily impressed by the rich and famous? In our celebrity driven culture, you might dismiss your own life as ordinary or uninteresting. But as the Sufi poet Rumi reminds us in today’s quote, comparing yourself to others is a waste of precious time. And besides, all those curated social media photos and magazine stories rarely reveal the whole truth about the beautiful people in the spotlight. Do yourself a favor today: Appreciate how far you’ve come. Consider your own gifts and advantages. After that, list everything you’ve done to touch…
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Shining
“Never dull your shine for somebody else.” ~Tyra Banks “I don’t want to look as if I’m trying too hard,” a friend said when she was choosing an outfit for a special event. I believe she meant that she wanted to look natural, or comfortable, not over the top. But I know several people who share the same concern — and they won’t even wear a costume to a Halloween party. It takes self-confidence and courage to stand apart from the crowd. If you’re always worried about what others think, you’re probably afraid to take risks. I’m a bit suspicious of calculated nonchalance — or pretending that you didn’t “try…
