Mrs. Claus’ Problem
Tis the season! Happy Holidays to you! I’m all decked out both inside and out at my house. It’s bright and shiny and helps to brighten up the gray days of winter we experience here in the Pacific Northwest. As much as I have always loved the “idea” of Christmas, I recognize it always brings along a lot to do, expectations and even oftentimes, overwhelm. And, I know I’m not alone. So, “Mrs. Claus,” as I’ve been referred to at times, has learned to set some healthy boundaries to keep her sanity during these holiday…
This Decision Changed It For Me!
The Holiday Season is here! Halloween started us off on this whirlwind of the holiday “season,” and now we’re in til January 1st. You may love it or you may hate it-either way-it’s here! And, Mind Matters has some tips to support you no matter where you are at about the holidays. Stay tuned! This e-news’ topic and tips on Stop the Worry Cycle will be quite supportive for this time of the year as you begin to make plans and navigate your holidays. This e-news’ topic and tips on Stop the Worry Cycle will…
This Four Letter Word Is Powerful
Here’s a story for you about that 4 letter word: Ook and Mook, two cavemen, were out for a walk one day when a saber-toothed cat crossed their path. While Ook immediately turned tail and ran to safety, Mook thought the cat was cute and tried to scratch it under the chin. Needless to say, Ook wound up passing his common sense to his children, while Mook wound up passing through the cat. What does that mean for us? It means that fear is as closely tied to the survival of our species as eating.…
Taming Fear, the Little Word with a Big Voice
Fear talks to people. And when they listen, this is what can happen: Sheila loved to dance but she wouldn’t go out on the dance floor with her fiancé because she thought she’d look clumsy and ridiculous. Arnie knew he deserved a raise, but he was so nervous about approaching his boss, he never asked for one. Delia’s fear of bears was so great that she wouldn’t go on a camping trip with her friends. And their campsite wasn’t even in bear territory. Fear is that nattering voice inside our heads that says, you can’t,…
As Life Opens Up
As life is opening up more and more now, it seems like a good time to check in. How are you doing? I was recently re-reading an article I wrote in March 2020 right after COVID-19 was declared a world pandemic. It’s about how to use our inner resources in challenging times. Interestingly, I found it still quite relevant, even though “things” are opening up and the infection rates are way down due to the diligence of the shut downs and the vaccination programs in place. So why would this time now be challenging if…
An Exercise in Gratitude
100 Things You Are Grateful For (or would be grateful to receive in future) This exercise is simple; just think and write out 100 things you are grateful for (or would be grateful to have some day). “100 things??”, you say! “Wow that’s a lot!” It may seem to be…and that may be the point. Too often, we are not used to using our minds and hearts to be aware of all we are grateful for in our lives. When you begin this exercise, it may be easy to come up with 20 items on…