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Are you really listening?
“It is the province of knowledge to speak, and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen.” ~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. Some folks are always thinking about what they want to say next — and not really listening to others. I notice this often on talks shows and discussion panels, and I’ve experienced it myself in daily conversations. Listening is an unsung, unspoken skill — and we can learn from those who do it well. Attentive listeners silence their own egos. They don’t try to hijack or dominate a conversation, and they don’t try to “top” anything you’ve just said. They ask thoughtful follow-up questions after you’ve had your say,…
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Empty nesting
“It is not what you do for your children; it’s what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings.” ~Ann Landers It’s hard to believe that autumn officially starts on Sunday — and the new school year is now in full swing. Whether your kids have just started grade school or flown off to college, your parental routines are inevitably changing with the season. Today our son is a married man with a family of his own — yet the topic of launching our kids to adulthood remains close to my heart, especially this time of year. I’m reminded of an essay I wrote…
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Mining for gold
“I am a firm believer that every few years one needs to shake one’s life through a sieve, like a miner in the Yukon. The gold nuggets remain. The rest falls through like the soft earth it is.” ~Amy Poehler, Yes Please Fall signals the end of one year and prepares us for the beginning of another, making it the ideal time to launch a few healthy changes. This season, I’m making efforts to reduce or eliminate habits and behaviors that stress me out, slow me down, or otherwise impact my health — both physically and emotionally. Rather than dread the inevitability of aging, I want to move forward with…
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How we grow
“I think the place we grow in terms of self-efficacy and internal power is not when we are always happy, but when we’re doing emotionally painful things with courage and integrity.” ~Martha Beck Someone I know has been struggling with major depression for a while. Though I’d often wondered about her unpredictable moods, I didn’t realize the full extent of her pain until she shared her diagnosis recently. As she talked about moving past her emotional struggles and daily obstacles, I admired her courage and gained a greater understanding of her rocky journey toward wellness. As Martha Beck reminds us today, we do most of our growing when we’re pushing through…
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Funny Friday: How to write a book
“I’m writing a book. I’ve got the page numbers done.” ~ Steven Wright I’m starting to work on a new essay collection this fall, so today’s quote hit home while it made me laugh. Too often, procrastination throws me off schedule. If I don’t set a real deadline, I’ll find dozens of other things to distract myself. How about you? What motivates you to start and complete a project? ~CL
