Health & wellbeing
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Illuminate the ordinary
“To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.” ~Henry David Thoreau Sometimes we’re so focused on planning a big vacation that we take for granted the “ordinary” days we’re experiencing right now. On average, a good vacation lasts a couple of weeks, but a good life is measured by how we live every single day. After investing so much time and emotional energy into our holidays and special occasions, no wonder we feel let down when we resume our usual routines. Life isn’t just a series of special events and high expectations. And we’ve only ourselves to blame when boredom strikes. In today’s quote, Thoreau…
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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 A few people who know me well have told me that I “overthink” things. I suspect this is part of being a writer. Whatever the reason, focusing on what could possibly go wrong can be a tiresome habit in daily life. Even when there’s nothing to worry about, I wait for the other metaphorical shoe to drop. Psychologists call it “anticipatory anxiety.” Today’s quote is a wise reminder for over-thinkers like me. When life is going well, the best thing we can do is to ride the wave, soak up the sun,…
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The hero of your journey
“It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. Where you stumble, there lies your treasure.” ~Joseph Campbell Mythologist Joseph Campbell believed that everyone’s life is a “Hero’s Journey.” Along the way, we battle our own metaphorical dragons and monsters. We encounter life-changing challenges and obstacles. And while we rarely realize it until later, our darkest moments contain the most profound lessons. I recall the time I had both hips replaced within five months, in my forties, after a crippling battle with osteoarthritis. (That was back in the day when hip replacement surgery was more complicated than it is now.) My recovery required weeks…
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Morning people
“The muses love the morning.” ~Benjamin Franklin Since I’m the granddaughter of Scottish farmers, I wonder if I’m genetically programmed to be a morning person. Whatever the reason, I enjoy watching the sun rise over the treetops while I sip my morning coffee, check my email, and write my morning essays. My mind is sharper early in the day, and there are no phone calls or conversations to disrupt my early morning peace. The only drawback to early rising is that I’m inclined to tire out earlier in the evening when my night-owl friends are just getting started. How about you? Are you a morning or night person? ~CL
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How to conquer stress
“The truth is that stress doesn’t come from your boss, your kids, your spouse, traffic jams, health challenges, or other circumstances. It comes from your thoughts about your circumstances.” ~Andrew Bernstein Change your thoughts, change your life. It’s a timeworn catchphrase, often overused by self-help authors, celebrity psychologists, and motivational speakers. But like every catchphrase, it contains a grain of truth. It’s easier to blame outside sources for everything that’s going wrong. But like it or not, each of us is individually responsible for resolving our own inner turmoil. Everyone has a list of things to worry about. And there are countless crises beyond our control. How we handle these challenges…
