Personal growth
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A garden-variety mood booster
“Many of us feel stressed and overwhelmed not because we’re taking on too much, but too little of what strengthens us.” ~Marcus Buckingham This week I spent several hours at plant nurseries, comparing the various selections of herbs, annuals, and perennials. As always, the fresh scents and colors of new plants lifted my spirits and filled my head with new landscaping ideas. I’ve learned over the years that gardening is a balm for my soul. There’s something deeply satisfying about caring for plants, whether you’re tending a small bed of annuals or a prolific vegetable garden. At the same time, beautifying your property can be a source of pride —…
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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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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…
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Owning our mistakes
“If you’re not in the arena getting your butt kicked too, I’m not interested in your feedback.“~Brene Brown Everyone makes mistakes at work — in every field you can name. Some errors, however, are more public than others. If you’re a journalist or published author, for instance, the mistakes you make on the job are glaringly public and might remain in print forever. I recall times when I made errors that were, luckily, caught by sharp editors before they made it to print. But sometimes they weren’t caught — and I was humbled when my readers pointed them out. I learned early on that you really need to grow a…
