She Swallowed A Lie
Depression and dissatisfaction with your life may be direct feedback from your inner guidance system telling you that you’re not fulfilling your true nature. Branches on a young bonsai tree are wired down and shaped to conform to a fixed design. In time, the wires are no longer necessary. The bonsai will hold its forged […]
The Latest Wow: Free to Change
I’m driven to share something! I received some thought-provoking feedback on my last post (Secret to a Good Life) (check out the comment section, too). Some people responded online while others shared their thoughts in person. Jerri’s friend, Mike, had another insightful comment: “If my expectations of another person are unrealistic then I’m the problem. And thank […]
The Secret to a Good Life
A comedian uttered this piece of profound wisdom: “Everyone says communication is the secret to a good relationship. It’s not true. The secret to a good relationship is low expectations.“ I take this a step further: the secret to a good life is low expectations. Let’s face it, expectations run rampant in our brains—many times […]
Untuck Your Wings
This is one of my favorite quotes: “O God, help me to believe the truth about myself, no matter how beautiful it is!” — Macrina Wiederkehr, author of Seasons Of Your Heart Walking along a trail, you see an unusual and stunning butterfly. Perched on a small branch, its richly colored patterns and exquisite gracefulness invite […]
You Always Hurt the One You Love
Walls go up around the heart when we’re treated harshly. Eventually, bitterness replaces the tender love that was once there. Claire was starting to feel that way toward her husband, Joe, when she sought my help. “He’s constantly critical and demeaning to me!” she said. “It has to change! I’m too miserable to have it […]
Thoughts of Suicide
In my previous post, Banished from Her Mother’s Heart, I talked about Michelle, who was dealing with her mom’s rejection. In this post, I want to introduce you to Scott. Like Michelle, he marched to the beat of his own drum, and likewise suffered rejection, primarily from his dad. Scott’s gay, and his father couldn’t […]
Banished from her Mother’s Heart
“Your mother is good for you,” I said. “Her disapproval is forcing you to become immune to disapproving attitudes. Unbeknownst to her, she’s stretching you to become self-accepting and to believe in yourself.” Michele followed the beat of her own drum, and her family shunned her for it—especially her mother. Parental disapproval, at any age, can […]
Fear the Small Stuff
We’re all aware of the big and obvious things that rock our existence. But it’s the small—oftentimes invisible—things that can prove to be most destructive. Here’s an example. While at Cape Cod, Don and I took a nature walk, enjoying the beauty of the wetlands. But something unseen was putting a damper on things. Call […]
Flying Sunglasses
Thomas Moore, the presenter for Psychotherapy, Spirituality and the Soul, a five-day seminar I attended recently, had this to say: “In an ordinary situation, larger things may be occurring.” He was referring to those mysterious happenings that lack any rational explanation. At those times, the intellect is left in a state of confusion. Moore says […]
Caring for Our Soul
I spent an exciting week on Cape Cod! The adventure included a five-day seminar led by Thomas Moore entitled Psychotherapy, Spirituality and the Soul. (Not to worry … the sessions were over at noon every day. The rest of the day was play!) Thirteen years in the monastery seasoned his wisdom, but so did his […]