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Be proactive
“It’s better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.” ~Jackie Joyner Kersee, Olympic medalist I’m bracing for what’s going to be the most stressful and polarizing presidential election we’ve witnessed in our lifetime. Though I don’t feel I’ve done enough to support my candidate, I’ve tried to do something, to the best of my ability and resources. I’ve put a sign on my lawn, donated money, and invited an equally motivated group of neighbors to write postcards and letters at my dining room table. I’ve read and shared informative articles from reputable, respected sources with friends around the country, who’ve shared theirs with me, in turn.…
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Trust
“The most precious thing in this world is trust. It can take years to earn and only a matter of seconds to lose. It’s important to keep trust at the forefront of everything you do.” ~Lolly Daskal, for Inc. Earlier this month, I celebrated the birthday of a close friend I’ve known since junior high school. Growing up, I spent so much time with her family that they called me “one of our own” — an honor I treasure to this day. Like all great friendships, this one is built on a history of many happy memories and a few hard times. And mutual trust. In the car recently, I listened…
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Living in the past?
“Nostalgia is also a dangerous form of comparison. Think about how often we compare our lives to a memory that nostalgia has so completely edited that it never really existed.” ~Brene Brown Psychologists believe acute nostalgia is a symptom of growing old — but I’m not so sure that’s true. I’ve been nostalgic since I was a kid. I’ve always preferred old houses and items with a history, and I find comfort in rereading passages from favorite novels with nostalgic themes. But I know there’s real danger in viewing the past through rose-colored lenses. We might long for a return to certain periods in history, assuming that life was somehow…
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Nobody wins the waiting game
“You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” ~A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh Someone I know often complains that she rarely hears from some of her old friends and relatives. They’ve stopped calling to invite her out for lunch and other social activities. She’s sure she hasn’t “done anything” to deserve this neglect. Why have these people gone dark on her? Well, she’s right about the part where she said she hasn’t done anything. When I asked if she ever reaches out to initiate activities or simply keep in touch, she admitted that she rarely does. She…
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The freedom to decide
At first glance, today’s quote got me thinking about democracy and why it’s imperative to vote in our elections. But then I thought about how “our ultimate freedom” extends far beyond politics. Every single day, our ultimate freedom is expressed in the way we use our talents and opinions; what we choose to eat or drink; how we dress or decorate; what we read; how we care for our health; how we treat others and how we allow others to treat us. Just for starters. Every day, we have the freedom to make countless life-enhancing decisions, including how we spend our time and with whom. Those of us who are…
