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Reaching higher
“There are two ways to be happy: improve your reality, or lower your expectations.” ~ Jodi Picoult Lately, I’ve heard too many things that shock or disappoint me. Things that challenge my faith in humanity. Things that make me doubt the judgment and character of the folks around me. Things that make me anxious about the future. You too? Part of the problem boils down to the fact that everyone is accessing more “news” than they can thoughtfully process and fact-check. (Thanks, social media.) And it frightens me — how easy it is for some to fall under the dark spell of misinformation and ludicrous conspiracy theories. So what does…
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Do you believe in magic?
“Surrender to the way things want to happen next, even though this often involves a vast and terrifying loss of control. Trust the magic that was born into your soul.” ~Martha Beck, Finding Your Way in a Wild New World Now that it’s October, my email is brimming with lists of the best spooky movies I can watch this month, from Alfred Hitchcock classics to Practical Magic and John Carpenter’s Halloween. Get the popcorn ready — I’m in! Some folks don’t enjoy scary films or ghost stories — or anything else in which events are manipulated by unseen forces. Are you one of those people? According to research, if you…
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Celebrating October
“October is the month of painted leaves.Their rich glow now flashes round the world.As fruits and leaves and the day itselfacquire a bright tint just before they fall,so the year near its setting.October is its sunset sky;November the later twilight.” ~Henry David Thoreau, Autumnal Tints You don’t have to look hard to find poems, essays, or quotations that celebrate the beauty of October. I copied today’s quote in my journal after reading Thoreau’s Autumnal Tints during my first fall semester in college in 1972. Today, it’s still my favorite quote for the month. October is the soul of autumn, inspiring moments of reflection as well as fall color tours and…
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Truth looks good on you
“Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.” ~Don Miguel Ruiz Rumors and gossip and misinformation, oh my. Even though we know better, we might be tempted to share private information that we shouldn’t share. And even though we know better, we might spread misinformation without questioning the sources or researching the facts. Before you speak to someone or post anything on social media, it helps to question your own motives. What will you gain by spreading gossip or…
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Crossing the not-so-great divide
“Being nice to people you agree with can be a piece of cake, but if we’re only spending time around buddies who share our beliefs, we aren’t learning how to extend kindness and understanding to those who we don’t see eye to eye with. Practicing empathy across divides requires occasionally and willingly crossing those divides.” ~Rebekah Brandes, Nice News Last week I talked with another friend who’s on the verge of cutting ties with folks who don’t support her favored presidential candidate. If “the other candidate” wins, well, that’s the end of those relationships, she implied. Sadly, it’s not an uncommon conversation, given that we’re in the heat of the…
