Self-care
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Rescue mission
“I read and walked for miles at night along the beach, searching endlessly for someone wonderful who would step out of the darkness and change my life. It never crossed my mind that that person could be me.” ~Anna Quindlen Who hasn’t wished to be “rescued” at one time or another? Who hasn’t felt like a victim of circumstance? It’s always tempting (and probably instinctive) to blame outside forces when things go wrong. When life doesn’t turn out the way we’d hoped or planned, we can point a finger at our scary parents, family history, the economy, bad weather, construction traffic, the government, unforeseen events, or even lousy genes. …
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Spoil yourself
“Self-care is about putting yourself first in a world that romanticizes overwork and overextension, a difficult thing to learn if you are used to people-pleasing. It’s about crafting healing routines as rituals for better health.” ~Maria Delblassie Here’s something to think about as Valentine’s Day approaches … You won’t have the energy to fully love and care for others until you’ve learned to love and care for yourself. When you look at it that way, you realize that self-care isn’t selfish. This is especially important for parents of young children as well as caregivers of elderly parents. (Been there, done both.) Self-care means taking time out for a nap or…
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It’s time for a break
“Research shows that we need to take a break and decompress so we can be our best at work—and at home. Maybe we should ask if the life we’re working so hard to create is fun to live? ~ Tina Hallis, Sharpen Your Positive Edge I’ll be taking a break to refuel for a few days. In the meantime, there’s plenty to explore on the “Life Lines” home page. To catch up on earlier posts and other content you’ve missed, please click here. If you’re reading the compact version of “Life Lines” on your phone, please note that there are several other features that only show on a laptop or…
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Emerson’s golden rule
“As we are, so we do; and as we do, so is it done to us. We are the builders of our fortunes.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson Emerson is one of my heroes. A champion of self-reliance, this American essayist and lecturer had little sympathy for those who blamed their problems on other people or outside circumstances. He was ordained as a Unitarian minister in Boston in 1829, so it’s not surprising to hear echoes of the Golden Rule in today’s quote. (“In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.” ~Matthew 7:12.) Emerson believed that personal responsibility is empowering. When we hold ourselves accountable for our…
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Inner peace
“Remember: The entrance door to the sanctuary is always inside you.” ~Rumi Whenever I’m under stress, my first impulse is to look outside myself for relief. I might reach for an easy distraction — say, snacking on something I shouldn’t eat, surfing the web, or watching a mindless program on television. But as the poet Rumi reminds us, the key to serenity is within us. We won’t find it elsewhere. The challenge is learning how to unlock the door to our own place of peace and comfort. ~CL Photo by Cindy La Ferle
