“O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel That mourns in lonely exile here…” When Sorrow comes at Christmas time we are often not prepared Grief seems to have no place in the festive Christmas we imagine for ourselves. It contradicts the joy and excitement we associate with this holiday. When I was...
Well being is possible no matter who you are, where you are, or what holiday is about to crash down around us. Since Thanksgiving is here and Christmas is nigh, it’s time to put strategies in place for moving through these experiences well. 2020 has been an especially odd year and depending on your...
Good character is built by being honest, kind, fair, and brave simultaneously. If your character isn’t as grand as you’d like, maybe you have a wrong desire embedded in your heart. These are four desires that commonly derail our good character choices: The desire to be liked The desire to have the most The...
“Always Do Your Best” is a deed-based agreement. The previous three agreements of The Four Agreements showed us how to: Take control over our words, voiced and thought (Be Impeccable with Your Word) Detangle ourselves from the words and actions of others that previously triggered us (Don’t Take Anything Personally) Ask for and provide...
The Saga of Domestication We came into this world without words, only senses and intense needs. From these, we formed mild to strong opinions, which were expressed with facial expressions and body language. We smiled or howled, reached out or withdrew. Our vulnerable being was entrusted to the care of grown people who had...
The following post is this blog author’s musings on Don Miguel Ruiz’s First Agreement- “I am Impeccable with my Word”, as detailed in Ruiz’s book The Four Agreements . “Sticks and Stones may break my bones, But words will never hurt me.” What is your reaction to this childhood rhyme? I remember all too...
Have you ever thought “I could just kick myself!” in response to your behavior under stress? If that question made you wince or laugh in recognition, you were probably, at that time, in the midst of what I’m calling a “Wild Thing” reaction. In Jane Nelsen’s especially relevant book, Positive Discipline, she refers to...
Let’s jettison three toxic things in this fresh decade: Shame, Blame, and Cynicism. These are lead weights in our soul’s backpack that will fatigue us and may prevent us from reaching our dreams. Shame is the only emotional state that has no redeeming value. Please note, it is inferior to guilt, which leads to taking responsibility and...
As our nation’s children head out the door to experience the wonders of another year of educational value added to their lives, let’s join them and refine our skills and outlook to provide 5 potent resources to them throughout this new year. Individuation is the Workout Our main job in life is to become...
Aside from spectacular “Aha!” moments or epiphanies, people who accomplish change in their lives actively LOOK for 3 things regularly: Look for their own mistakes and shortcomings Look for patterns in their life experiences Look for the good in themselves and others This might sound simple, and for a day or so it may...