Hi folks. After days of denial, where I did that so familiar debate of “is it allergies? Or is it a cold?” I have been forced to admit that it is, indeed, a cold.
Here’s hoping I can get over it shortly so I can enjoy my weekend. I hope you’re able to enjoy your time ahead as well.
Photo of a resting person on a bed by Kampus Production
While I rest, here are some past articles you might enjoy.
Take time to care for yourself, friends. The world is a lot, but there are so many signs of progress if we stop to find them.
Seeking some support in your journey? Set aside a time with me to see how saboteurs are keeping you from finding more ease and joy in your life. Head here.
When we’re young, everything is new. We are experts at being beginners. We learn how to get the attention of our caregivers, and how to hold it (from crying to cooing). We learn how to eat and drink. We learn how to move through the world (for most of us, we might learn to crawl, and then to walk). We might learn things like swimming or coloring, trying new foods or playing a sport. We might learn to play an instrument or dance, to hike a mountain or tie our shoe. We might learn to multiply, or learn to read, or even learn to juggle!
The point is that when we are kids, being a beginner is normal. Failure is normal. And while we might get frustrated, most of us didn’t get TOO frustrated – because it was much more of the norm for us to feel this way. You might have gotten envious of the bigger kids riding a bike, but if you were given a bike and you took to it, it wasn’t long before you wanted the big kid bike or wanted to get the training wheels off and started putting the work in to get there.
We’ve got so much going on in our backyards, our country, and around the world right now. I hope you’re continuing to make time to evaluate your role and play your part in standing up for goodness and justice in the world. I hope you’re supporting your neighbors and being proactive in doing so.
But you know what else I hope? I hope that you can take a moment to recognize yourself for when you try new things. Maybe you’re uncomfortable because you know you “have to” call your representatives, but phone calls are hard for you. Maybe you’re facing a chronic illness or housing situation or job or career change that is forcing you to learn new things. And maybe you’re not always doing a great job at it.
And yes, maybe it’s the realization that you don’t have well-honed mental fitness skills yet. Maybe it’s admitting when you need help. Maybe it’s practicing things like boundary-setting and meditation. Even if you feel like the world’s most awkward human when you do so.
Brown wooden letter tiles spell WHY NOT TRY by Brett Jordan
This week, I tried a new treatment for a health challenge, and I was really nervous about it. I wasn’t sure what to expect, even though I’d done some research. And like many adults, I don’t feel as well-practiced at trying new things as I did when I was a kid.
But I am proud of myself, because I made the phone call, did the thing, and you know what? It worked! It’s a short-term treatment, but for today, I can see the improvement, and I am so grateful for that.
Have you tried something new lately? Is anything on your list to try? And if so, what’s one small step that you could take today to help you to realize that goal? If you would like some support in developing some new mental fitness skills, I’ve got you. What a great new thing to try! I invite you to set aside a time with me to see how saboteurs are keeping you from finding more ease and joy in your life. Head here.
I’m so glad you’re here. I’m so glad you’re taking a moment to pause and put the worries of the world on hold for a moment.
Photo: My cat, Squeak, takes a pause in a cardboard box on our kitchen floor.
Yes, we all need to keep doing things to stand up for our neighbors and advocate for what matters to us and be better humans.
But we also need to practice rest, and renewal, and reflection, and self-care.
This week I am so privileged and blessed to have a weekend set aside for my own education and renewal. And to share a bit of that spirit with you, I’ve created a meditation for you today. You’ll find it here. I hope you can find a time today to pause and focus on the here and now. Keep resisting – but also resist the temptation to do so much that you remain depleted.
Take good care. And if this is useful, don’t miss a future one.
And consider passing it along to a friend who could benefit this week.
If you find this beneficial and would like some support in developing additional mental fitness skills, I’ve got you. I invite you to set aside a time with me to see how saboteurs are keeping you from being both efficient in what you do and happier than you realized was possible. Head here.
After months (and in one participant’s case, years) of anticipation, we’ve got our next Enneagram cohort in place, and on Thursday evening, I had the joy of facilitating our first session.
I love having the opportunity to bring women (and folks of all genders) together as we each move along the path toward personal growth. We identify and shed layers of habits that no longer serve us. We get clarity on who we are and who we can be, and we support each other as we all follow our own unique path and needs in becoming.
When I get frustrated, angry, scared about what the world might have in store and of course about what is literally happening right now, my mental fitness training and my Enneagram training offer my opportunities.
I know from my work that there can be a gift found in any situation, if we choose to do so. And that while fear is hardwired in us, so is love. And love can do so much.
When I act from love, one of the options available to me is to become curious. And as I have mentioned before, curiosity is truly a gift of our wise mind.
When I regularly practice cultivating presence, it also helps me to cultivate curiosity. The more present I am, the more likely that I can find curiosity in any situation that calls for.
Photo of a curious child with a magnifying glass and a plant by Anna Shvets
Perhaps someone’s behavior is puzzling you, or offending you, or hurting you. Perhaps you want to know why they’re doing it.
I might choose to hone my curiosity where it leads.
What if we bring curiosity to the things we don’t understand?
The family member who upset you
The car who cut you off
The friend who no longer speaks to you
The co-worker whose words hurt you
Can you do some work to ground yourself, and then ask yourself to get curious about why it might have happened?
Curiosity doesn’t mean you have to find the right answer. But in the process of asking questions, of getting curious, we can often find comfort in finding possible explanations – even without certainty.
What are you curious about? How do you cultivate curiosity? And where in your life would you like to cultivate more curiosity? Cultivating curiosity is an important tool in my toolbox, and I help my clients to do so as well. If you’re curious to learn some mental fitness skills and see how saboteurs are keeping you from living a life you love, head here.
Crafting The Life You Want: A Practice in Living 