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No comparison
“Envy is ever joined with the comparing of a person’s self. Where there is no comparison, there is no envy.” ~Francis Bacon By now, everyone is familiar with the research on how social media can impact our mental health. While connecting with others online will temporarily ease feelings of isolation and loneliness, the danger of comparing ourselves to others is ever present. When others are posting photos of their outstanding accomplishments, remodeling projects, social lives, or exotic vacations in a Facebook post, for instance, you might struggle with feelings of envy. On the positive side, envy inspires us to achieve goals or become better versions of ourselves. But if we’re…
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The future of incivility
“If you do not have control over your mouth, you will not have control over your future.” ~Germany Kent Some folks feel entitled to speak their minds without regard for the feelings of others. When they hurt or offend someone, they’re more likely to defend themselves rather than apologize. Or they might accuse others of being too sensitive. In any event, words have consequences. For starters, rude or callous remarks reflect badly on the speaker’s character. As today’s quote suggests, it’s best to think before you speak. Insensitive comments, personal or political, will come back to haunt you later. ~CL
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The wheels of inspiration
“If you can’t do what you long to do, go do something else. You might think it’s procrastination, but it isn’t; it’s motion. And any motion whatsoever beats inertia, because inspiration will always be drawn to motion.” ~Elizabeth Gilbert After all these years, I’ve learned not to panic when inspiration packs up and leaves my home office. As author Elizabeth Gilbert suggests, motion fuels creativity and productivity. When you’re blocked or unmotivated, try doing something else that feels useful or satisfying. Ride your bike, organize a junk drawer, work in your garden, read magazines at the library, or chop vegetables. (Sorry, scrolling social media doesn’t count.) When you’re busy doing…
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Unexpected joy
“Joy is not made to be a crumb.” ~Mary Oliver Suddenly, everyone’s talking about “joy” — a word that’s typically reserved for holiday greeting cards. When was the last time you felt joy? Joy is unbridled optimism and unabashed positivity, which can be hard to feel if you’re mired in the habit of negative thinking. Dark energy, after all, is both pervasive and contagious. So, who doesn’t want to experience joy for a change? Mary Oliver’s poetry always resonates. And when a dear friend shared “Don’t Hesitate” in an email last week, the word “joy” jumped off the screen and lifted me from the funk I was in. It was…
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The keys to discovery
“When one door closes, another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.” ~Alexander Graham Bell Have you ever been so stuck on a frustrating problem or project that you overlooked a potential opportunity elsewhere? Sometimes we have to accept the fact that something isn’t working — whether it’s a product that isn’t right for us, a career we’ve outgrown, or a relationship that’s not a good fit. Letting go of something after you’ve given it your best effort doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Great inventors like Alexander Graham Bell knew better…
