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Clarity
“You cannot see your reflection in running water. Only in rest and stillness can clarity be found.” ~Lao Tzu I’ve been out of town for over a week, returning home yesterday with a suitcase to unpack and the bittersweet sense that fall is in the air. Starting this week, I’m taking a short break from Life Lines while I prepare for a new project. Meanwhile, I hope you find moments of stillness and clarity as we approach a new season. ~CL
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Social Connection: Part 2
“True friendship withstands time, distance, and silence.” ~Isabel Allende In yesterday’s post, I shared a medical doctor’s advice on maintaining healthy social connections. These days, everyone is busy and overbooked, whether we’re talking about work and family obligations, community groups, social commitments, or medical appointments. When we’re overwhelmed or exhausted by the dates on our calendars (or whatever life is throwing at us) we might neglect our friendships. I’m guilty as charged, and I don’t always practice what I preach. As much as I believe in initiating contact with others, there have been times when I’ve needed to repair my spirit and spend time alone. That’s one of the hard…
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Real social connection
“Let’s be clear: we’re not talking about Instagram likes, your thousands of connections on LinkedIn, a fat contact list in your phone. Social connection means real relationships — with people who make you laugh, let you be yourself, and show up when it counts.” ~Dr. Frank Lipman Did you know that friendship — and an active social circle — can help you live a longer and healthier life? There’s plenty of science to back it up. As Dr. Frank Lipman points out in his current weekly health and longevity blog, an important study reports that loneliness and “low social integration” put us at risk of heart disease, stroke, depression, dementia,…
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Why life is better without Facebook
“The biggest problem is that Facebook and Google are these giant feedback loops that give people what they want to hear. And when you use them in a world where your biases are constantly confirmed, you become susceptible to fake news, propaganda, and demagoguery.” ~ Franklin Foer This year I’m celebrating nine happy years of Facebook sobriety. Once I quit, my emotional wellbeing, social life, family relationships, and productivity all improved. I started reading more, writing more, spending more time with friends and neighbors, and enjoying the simple pleasures I had overlooked while I was scrolling for social media updates. Though I wrote this Oakland Press column a couple of…
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Luminosity
“Look carefully around you and recognize the luminosity of souls. Sit beside those who draw you to that.” ~Rumi Other people’s moods and opinions are as contagious as the common cold. In fact, there’s a clinical study suggesting that we become like the five people with whom we spend most of our time. According to this theory, if your spouse and peer group are serial pessimists and complainers, you might be one too. It’s also likely that you share the same political views. Psychological studies aside, I’m always drawn to folks who spread their sunshine and draw me out of the shadows when I’m down. In his best-selling book, How…
