Living with Myself
Why am I constantly talking about and seeking ways to help myself and be a better person? Because I live with me all day, every day. When I’m not taking care of myself, it feels like I’m carrying a sick toddler—someone who is screaming, crying, and miserably in pain. It weighs on my day, making […]
Sacrifices for Adventure
This year, I spent over two months in Southeast Asia, including five weeks in Vietnam and four in Thailand. I enjoy staying in a new place for a few weeks to experience more than just tourist attractions. I like to get a feel for the local culture by exploring the streets and local life. Spending […]
Don’t Panic!
I love those videos where a toddler thinks they’re stuck but just needs to duck, move a small object, or stand up for a different perspective. It’s funny how it gets me emotional about how I handle my own issues. Like those kids, I have panicked when something changed or challenged me. I worried, felt […]
What Does “Finding Yourself” Mean?
What does finding yourself mean? It sounds made up. I’m right here. I can see myself. Who would I be looking for? Well, I have felt lost before. I’ve lost track of my goals, gotten lost in a social media scroll, or lost myself in a good book. Sometimes, I even feel like my actions […]
Better Than “How Was Your Day?” – Play High/Low
Have you ever frozen when someone asks how your day was? I’ve been there, and I know many people feel the same pressure. Whether it’s with loved ones or casual acquaintances, small talk about our day can feel awkward. To make it easier, I play a simple game called High/Low. Here’s how it works: How […]
Practice Being Pissed – How to Respond
Now that I admit, notice, name, and recognize my reactions to emotions like anger, fear, and annoyance, I can practice living with them. Before, I was practicing squashing them down. Now, I’m practicing playing and experimenting with them. It sounds funny to say that. How would a person practice feelings? Here’s how: When I’m in […]
Take These Feelings, PLEASE!
First, I admitted I had a rainbow of feelings—emotions that extend beyond sweet joy and happiness to include those associated with negativity like anger, hurt, and sadness. Then I worked on noticing and naming my emotions. The next question became: what do I do about them? In the past, expressing anger hasn’t always led to […]
What Are These Feelings?
How do I get from admitting I have feelings to knowing what they are and when I feel them? It took me a while to even admit I have a range of emotions. What can I do to identify and deal with them when they arise? One big tool I use is to write it […]
Admit You Have Feelings!
I used to believe that feeling ‘negative’ emotions was a sign of weakness. Anger, sadness, fear – these were emotions reserved for villains in movies, not for someone who aspired to be kind and positive. So, I pushed them down, buried them deep, convinced that a life without these dark emotions would be brighter. I […]
Through the Fear: Do it Anyway
When I had open-heart surgery at the age of 40 to remove a giant tumor from my chest, I was left with scars. One scar, in particular, runs vertically from the top to the bottom of my chest. At first, it was bright and red. I knew I could either feel embarrassed and cover it […]
