Who has been your life’s hero or heroine? Those of you who have read my blogs for the last 11 years know my darling, sweet, unassuming Mom was my heroine. She still is. Gone now for six years, everyday I miss her quiet, lovely wisdom. Today is my 70th birthday. I remember when Mom was 70. That’s when… Read more →
Have you ever been hurt right down to your bone marrow by a trusted friend? Friendship is the super glue that binds us together…Until it doesn’t. See if this scenario has ever happened to you. Recently, out of the blue, a former dear friend for many years texted me. She had actually been my best local friend for a long… Read more →
How do you celebrate your most memorable life occasions? From previous blogs, you know I am a very sensitive person, an incurable romantic. I suck up the good times and savor them. When life’s turbulence bounces me around, I look back on the especially memorable times of my life. Then I feel joyfully grounded. Positive Reminiscence is the gift that… Read more →
I don’t know about you, but there are several habits, tasks, chores, or everyday stuff I often allow to erect a blockage inhibiting me from getting done what I really want to get done. How about you? Have you ever identified your time thieves? Do you ponder what to DO each day? Or what the BE? Do you remember to… Read more →
Does the holiday season engender nostalgic memories for you? Or are you the type who gets caught up in the hubbub too busy to think about the past? Or maybe you are present-oriented and live in the “Now” as Eckhart Tolle suggests. I’ve blogged before, I am a hopeless romantic, a positive reminiscing savorer. I love to wax philosophical… Read more →
What inflates your balloon of gratitude? Thanksgiving is one of my most special days. I wax philosophical every year thinking back on past great celebrations. Remembering Mom…Well that is like extra rich cream cheese frosting on top of my favorite carrot cake. Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends. I also hope all my Canadian friends had a great Thanksgiving… Read more →
Do you ever sit and ponder what went well in your life? No other agenda. You are at peace. You invite your mind to wander. You savor with acute interest and curiosity whatever pops up. Not necessarily during meditation, but rather as a human being whose thoughts and feelings flow like a lovely river. You basque in the wonder of… Read more →
Does the thought of EXERCISE raise hairs on your neck? Do you feel a guilt gut reaction rearing its gluttonous head? Or are you one of the gritty go-getters who loves to exercise? Your friends groan at you for running marathons or beating the Cross Fit records for recovering after your rotator cuff injury. Our feisty, leprechaun-like son, Sean, 38,… Read more →
Out of nowhere, I thought to myself the other day, “What really matters?” My first reply to my querulous self was, “Other people matter.” Yes, all of us who love positive psychology remember our beloved Professor Chris Peterson’s mantra. I think I have loving other people down. I have spent my career as a special education teacher, school clinical psychologist,… Read more →
I admit it, I am a hopeless romantic. Always have been. I am also a delightfully motivated de-clutter devotee. Not that I always allow myself the opportunity to clean my plate. But what in hell do my strengths, Ability to Love and Be Loved, Hope, and the Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence have to do with de-cluttering? Smiling, my secrets… Read more →
Are you curious? Do you have fun analyzing what you are doing and why? Are you unbuttoned to nuance, flexible and open-mindeded? Or are you buttoned up with work and other responsibilities, making you feel life is too darned much? And a tad fearful you might not be as prepared for life as you should be? That possible danger lurks.… Read more →
I caught myself laughing out loud the other day. And I noticed it. Cathartic cackling. When I became aware of it, my brain opened up with another awareness. I don’t laugh out loud enough! Nor do I share it with others enough. I love to stay in our sunny condo and just be. I know I am more serious than… Read more →
Don’t you love synchronicity? Serendipitous fun? Do you take notice when it happens to you? Hope these “blast from the past” phrases add wonder and a sense of historical connectedness/belongingness to your life, as they did for me. Just the other day I was invited to lunch by a delightfully creative new friend, Barbara, at La Jolla Condominiums, Mismaloya, MX.… Read more →
It is rare that I become mesmerized, but recently right at my desk, I did. Secrets revealed! I am well aware my humility strength is taking a back seat in this blog, You are going to get a detailed glimpse inside my strengths psyche. Welcome in! We coaches love to share our strengths stories, right? How many times have… Read more →
Do you like to celebrate positive experiences, dates, and events? Are you a romantic like me, or do these occasions feel like just another day? Or perhaps you take more pleasure in future visioning? I think of remembering any positive event in my life as “positive emotion-memory-worthy.” You don’t need to or have to, but it’s fun. This suggestion is… Read more →
I never thought it would happen to me. I am a true optimist. Denial is a sometimes a great defense mechanism. Sometimes, but not always. I refuse to be old or label myself as old. That said, in the past many months, my body has been giving me a loud and clear message, “I am warning you, toots!” Bullheaded and… Read more →
Every year, the first thing I think of when I hear the word “Christmas” is Mom. My rock. My cornerstone, My always accepting, loving confidant and shining star. I can’t believe she has been gone more than five years. God love her in Heaven. I am re-posting the blog I wrote for her the first year after she passed. It… Read more →
“Love Yourself ~ Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It.” A couple month ago, I stumbled upon this petite 59-page wonder book by Kamal Ravikant. It’s not a new book, but oh, what joy it etched into my heart and soul. I mentioned it briefly in my blog on humility last month, and I felt the need to take… Read more →
Humility. Have you ever thought about what that means to you? Before I looked up the character strengths definition. I sat and pondered what my definition might be. Here’s what I mused: “A not needing to get or take credit for something I accomplished or achieved; selflessness; the opposite of narcissism, as in ‘After me, myself and I, I might… Read more →
This may be the weirdest blog I have ever written. No kidding. I don’t like spiders. I started to say, “I hate spiders”, but I caught myself. I don’t want to hate anything nor anyone in my life, so I re-framed that self-statement. I know. It is still a strong statement, but true nonetheless. As a kid, I never trusted… Read more →