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Never assume
“If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that sometimes our assumptions and preconceived notions are wrong, and therefore, our interpretation of events is incorrect. This causes us to overreact, to take things personally, or to judge people unfairly.” ~Elizabeth Thornton, Scottish author of historical fiction Things aren’t always as they seem. As every good magician knows, people interpret everything they see and hear through the filter of their own experience and beliefs. And sometimes they see and hear only what they wish to see and hear. It’s sobering, really, when you consider how easily any situation could be misjudged or misunderstood. It’s never a good idea to…
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Embrace your age
“Every year brings you closer to expressing your whole and healed self. I celebrate that. Honor it. Hold it in reverence. And I’m grateful for every age I’m blessed to become.” ~Oprah Winfrey The key phrase in today’s quote is “your whole and healed self.” In one way or another, all of us suffer deep emotional wounds throughout our lives. Nobody escapes this world unscratched. But as Oprah reminds us, one of the gifts of growing older is finding our own path to healing and self-actualization. If you’re interested in exploring similar aging topics, I welcome you to join “Aging with Grace & Courage” — a monthly journaling and discussion…
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Three’s a charm
“Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are: Something to do, something to love, and something to hope.” ~Joseph Addison, English poet and essayist There’s something to be said for “The Rule of Three” — a time-honored literary device. We’ve got those three blind mice, three musketeers, three spirits of Christmas, and three wise men, just for starters. And of course, in countless fairy tales, the protagonist is granted three wishes or given three tasks. Yesterday I posted a few thoughts on the benefits of Dr. Andrew Weil’s “Three Good Things” journaling exercise. Today, along these lines, 18th-century essayist Joseph Addison gives us “three grand essentials” for happiness. How…
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“Three Good Things”
“Being a born optimist is not required – this is a habit you can acquire. A simple way to get started is to begin the ‘Three Good Things’ intervention: Each day for at least one week, write down three things that went well that day, and the reasons why.” ~Andrew Weil, MD Are you suffering the post-holiday-letdown blues? Dr. Andrew Weil’s ‘Three Good Things’ prescription has been shown to increase levels of happiness for a full six months. I’ve used this exercise in my journaling workshops, and participants who follow it consistently tell me it’s a life-changing routine. Get yourself a journal or notebook for the purpose, and remind yourself…
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Boundaries
“We live in a time when people have unprecedented access to us. Bosses and coworkers expect you to read emails and DMs late at night, friends and family go into long rants over the phone or texts and expect instant feedback. Sometimes we have to say, ‘I don’t have the capacity to hold you right now because I’m trying to hold myself.'” ~Melanie Santos Stone walls, fences, and guard rails are essential boundaries: They protect our property or keep us from falling over the edge. At the same time, psychological boundaries helps us guard our time and privacy. As today’s quote reminds us, once the Internet took possession of our…
