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Are you feeling stuck?
“You will either step forward into growth, or you will step backward into safety.” ~Abraham Maslow This is the time of year when we’re likely to feel stagnant. The calendar tells us it’s spring, but the weather isn’t convinced yet — and we’d rather not dig in the garden until it’s warmer outside. Feeling stuck isn’t just a symptom of cabin fever; it can sneak up on you anywhere, any time of the year. For starters, you’re stuck when you keep making the same recipes for dinner because you’re too tired to find new ones. Maybe you’re feeling stuck at home but can’t summon the motivation to make plans with…
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You be you
“The beauty of us lies in our vulnerability, our complex emotions, and our authentic imperfections. When we embrace who we are and decide to be authentic, instead of who we think others want us to be, we open ourselves up to real relationships, real happiness, and real success.” ~Marc & Angel Hack Life Some readers would never get caught browsing in the “self-help” section. It’s a lot cooler, after all, to tell people you’re reading the last of Thoreau’s essays or Shakespeare’s comedies while you’re finishing a good mystery novel. But I promise there’s some beneficial self-help material out there, in books and online. If, like me, you find that…
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Elements of surprise
“Expect nothing. Live frugally on surprise.” ~Alice Walker Earlier this month, everyone in my part of Michigan was convinced that spring had arrived early. We were amazed at bright yellow daffodils and forsythia bushes blooming — so early in March! — and even spotted people wearing shorts and sandals outside. But the weather took another turn, and we awoke this morning to fresh snow blanketing the landscape. Today’s quote is from Alice Walker’s poem, “Expect Nothing.” In it, Walker reminds us that keeping our expectations in check is the key to staying happy or content. Life is bound to surprise us. Sometimes those surprises will delight and amaze us, and…
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People pleasing
“I can’t give you a sure-fire formula for success, but I can give you a formula for failure: Try to please everybody all the time.” ~ Herbert Bayard Swope, American journalist One of the gifts of aging is the realization that (1) you can’t please everyone and (2) you shouldn’t try to please everyone. The journalist who’s famous for today’s quote understood that achieving anything of great value often involves taking big risks and subjecting yourself to criticism. More often than not, you’re bound to upset others when you rattle the status quo or defend a point of view. Born in 1882, Herbert Bayard Swope was a famous war correspondent…
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The loneliness epidemic
“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 According to U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, M.D., loneliness is a health crisis in America. In his 2023 report, “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation,” he notes that the lack of in-person social activity leads to serious health outcomes, including heart disease, dementia, and diabetes. Apparently, despite our many social media connections, Americans aren’t fully engaging with others in healthy, three-dimensional ways. Here’s the deal: Good relationships require initiation and effort. Too often, we hang back in silence and blame our loneliness on others…
