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Self-love
“Talk to yourself like you would talk to someone you love.” ~Brene Brown Sociologist and best-selling author Brene Brown often reminds her readers that healthy relationships begin with self-love and self-respect. While it might sound counterintuitive, it makes perfect sense. When you feel loved, confident, and secure, you have a deep reservoir of love for others. When you come from a place of abundance, you have plenty to give. Healthy self-love shouldn’t be confused with egotism or self-absorption. Self-love is the ability to accept your own humanity (flaws and quirks included) with gratitude and humility. Self-love is a willingness to keeping growing while you support the growth of others. Meanwhile,…
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The heart of the matter
“To love well is the task in all meaningful relationships, not just romantic bonds.” ~bell hooks As we cozy up to the middle of winter, our thoughts turn to love. And while February is known as the month for celebrating romance, I think it’s fitting to include friendship and family relationships in the love fest. As medical experts remind us, having an active social life (in person) is a major key to longevity and mental health. Throughout this month, I’ll be including quotes and reflections on the joys and challenges of opening our hearts to others — and how love can make our world a better place. ~CL
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Kindred spirits
“If it is true for you, it is true for someone else, and you are no longer alone.” ~Colson Whitehead If you’re a sports fan, one of the thrills of rooting for a team is the sense of unity you experience with your fellow fans. For me, reading books, magazines, and newspaper articles is another way to feel connected to humanity. Whenever I read a piece of writing that lifts my heart or gets me thinking, I believe the author and I are kindred spirits. This happened last week when I read a fabulous New York Times column by David Brooks, who beautifully explained why studying art and the humanities…
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Insensitive remarks
“I have never been hurt by what I have not said.” ~Calvin Coolidge All of us are guilty of blurting insensitive remarks or sharing information we shouldn’t — usually without realizing it. We might say something off the top of our heads without thinking how someone else might interpret it. It’s easy to get tangled in our own verbiage — and it takes a heartfelt apology to smooth things out. To paraphrase Maya Angelou, people might forget exactly what you said, but they’ll always remember how you made them feel. In today’s quote, we’re reminded that it’s wise to weigh our words carefully before we set them free. Or keep…
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Expectations
It’s never a bad idea to hold ourselves and others to higher standards. Striving for “the best” is a worthy goal. But extremely high (or unrealistic) expectations are sometimes followed by disappointment. One small example: How many times have you dined at a trendy new restaurant, only to end up disappointed when your meals fell short of the rave reviews you’d read? At the same time, if you expect more from other folks than they’re able to give, you’re bound to feel letdown at some point. Or, as Anne Lamott put it, “Expectations are resentments waiting to happen.” Sometimes what we want isn’t directly in line with what is available…
