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Make your bed
“When life feels like an emotional roller coaster, steady yourself with simple rituals. Make the bed. Water the plants. Rinse off your own bowl and spoon. Simplicity attracts calmness and wisdom.” ~Marc and Angel Chernoff, Marc and Angel Hack Life There’s comfort in creating order out of chaos. The effort it takes to launder your bed linens, for instance, is rewarded when you pull back your fresh sheets and retire for the night. I used to think that being tidy was overrated by professional organizers — but now I believe the hype. Whenever I’m struggling with bigger issues, clearing the clutter from my personal space improves my mood. Today I’m tackling the…
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Looking within or without?
“I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time.” ~Anna Freud, psychoanalyst and daughter of Sigmund Freud The world of social media revolves around building a brand and attracting followers. It’s not a solo actvity. Few people I know use social media platforms without hoping to attract, entertain, inform, or provoke an audience, even if it’s just a small one. Without question, it’s fueled by the reward of earning “likes,” validation, and constant attention. As any psychiatrist would tell us, there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with that — especially if we’re using social media to build community in positive…
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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…
