Why Feelings Matter
How are you? How are you doing? What are you feeling? These questions are everywhere, but they’ve mostly turned into polite greetings. We often respond with a quick, “Fine,” “Can’t complain,” or “Not bad.” But what if we paused and asked ourselves, “What am I really feeling right now?” A lot of us might feel […]
Living with Pain
I’m in a lot of pain from my accident. Of course, I don’t want to be, but just wishing it away isn’t exactly a plan. When my body hurts, it doesn’t just stop there—my mind gets involved, trying every trick it knows to get rid of it. And if I deny the pain, it’s like […]
How to Handle Disappointment
There are so many moments in life where we don’t get what we want, even when we’ve done everything right. We’ve shown up, put in the effort, done what we’re supposed to, and still, the outcome disappoints us. Think of a friend who has taken care of her health all her life, yet she’s the […]
Mindfulness on Demand
Because I got hit by a car, I’m very limited in movement right now. Everything takes longer, requires help, and many activities I enjoy are off-limits for now. Getting through the day takes a lot of patience with myself. Even something as simple as a shower is a slow, careful process. I have to stay […]
Shifting Mindsets with Simple Tricks
My brother, Michael, recently showed me a clever way he taught his kids to “trick” their minds when faced with something they resist. During my visit, he told his 4-year-old it was time for medicine, which brought instant tears. The anticipated taste was enough to cause a meltdown, so Michael reminded him they could use […]
How Mental Tools Aid Healing
I have a cast on my right arm and hand because of a fracture near my wrist. Interestingly, this cast isn’t what’s healing the bone itself. My body is doing that on its own, slowly. So why wear a cast? It’s not a magic fix; it’s there to protect me from doing more harm while […]
Programming My Mind
I’ve had a daily routine for years that includes consuming mindful information—things like managing emotions, boosting productivity, or overcoming overwhelm. You’d think I’d have all the answers by now. A lot of the lessons and tools I come across these days are familiar, sometimes just repackaged in different words or with a new example. So, […]
What You Can Control
Dear Me, You are not in charge of everything. It may feel like you are. It may seem like if you work hard enough, you can manipulate everything to work out the way you want. But you can’t. There are things within your control and things that will always be outside of it. Focus on […]
Resisting Activities I Love
Last night, I had my regular call with my brothers. We meet once a week to catch up, and honestly, I didn’t feel like getting on the call. I was considering canceling when, right on time, the phone rang. I picked it up, and we ended up chatting for hours. I had a blast. What […]
Find the Next Right Step
If you are experiencing an emergency, stop reading this and tend to it. If you’re not, then stop telling yourself that you are. When we keep replaying painful moments from our past and imaginary **threats in our future, we are sending signals to our body that we are experiencing trauma. When I replay the pain […]
