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With or without family … party on!
“You must remember, family is often born of blood, but it doesn’t depend on blood. Nor is it exclusive of friendship. Family members can be your best friends, you know. And best friends, whether or not they are related to you, can be your family.” ~Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society While holiday traditions are practically imprinted on our DNA, not all of us are able to continue them with our biological families — for a variety of reasons. As families change or move in different directions, so do our celebrations. I’m an only child from a small family. My parents are gone, and few of my close relatives live…
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The light of gratitude
“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” ~Albert Schweitzer Gratitude lists are a big part of the community journaling workshops I teach periodically — and I try to practice what I preach. One of my favorite exercises is to jot down the names of everyone, past and present, who made a difference in my life. My family doctor — who retires this month — is at the top of my list. I wouldn’t be walking pain-free today if it weren’t for his care…
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Ditch the gloom
“Those who move forward with a happy spirit will find that things have a way of working out.” ~Gordon B. Hinckley We’ve all met a few chronic complainers and serial critics. If we spend enough time with these folks, we risk falling under the insidious spell of negativity and dissatisfaction. How much fun is that? Of course, life isn’t all rainbows and unicorns. Bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people. (Yes, it’s infuriating.) As today’s quote suggests, if we aim for optimism most of the time, we’ll discover that life is less of a drag and our outlook improves. A negative attitude won’t resolve…
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Get out and vote!
“Every election is determined by the people who show up.” ~Larry Sabato, political scientist Today is an especially critical Election Day — yet I’m not seeing as many lawn signs in my neighborhood this time around. And no wonder. For past the few years, there’s been a palpable sense of anxiety hovering like a thundercloud cloud over any conversation that threatens to turn political, even among old friends and neighbors. These are stormy times, and ours is a volatile, divided nation. Political attack ads on TV are uglier than the back end of a baboon, and for that reason alone, I’ll be relieved when this midterm election is over. These…
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Abundance mentality
“People with a scarcity mentality tend to see everything in terms of win-lose: There is only so much, and if someone else has it, that means there will be less for them. The more principle-centered we become, the more we develop an abundance mentality — and the more we are genuinely happy for the successes, well-being, recognition, and good fortune of other people. We believe their success adds to — rather than detracts from — our lives.” ~Stephen R. Covey As Thanksgiving approaches, we’ll be seeing and hearing the word “abundance” more often. Years ago, when I first heard about “abundance mentality,” I assumed it was metaphysical nonsense. Thankfully, entrepreneurial…
