Lavender is brilliant and (for me) she’s local, too! I’ve known her and her family for several years and I will acknowledge my personal bias. Lavender is lovely! You don’t need to agree, but I suspect that you will. Lavender lives in Fitchburg, MA and was recently a contestant on America’s Got Talent. (TO BE …
Thanks to Stephen’s Place and the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities for their inspiring work and helpful information. Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month can bring awareness to the challenges that those with developmental disabilities face when it comes to interacting within their communities. Developmental disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder and developmental delays affect …
October 10 is World Mental Health Day. Early on an October morning (5 years ago today) as I drove to work in the rain, I sat at a red light in the center of my hometown. There are two routes that will get me to work in about the same amount of time. One route …
Life will never be stressless, but maybe we can find better ways of managing our anxiety, stress, or feelings of despair. Why do we react to stress that way? When folks relapse and go back to vaping or smoking, it is almost always due to a stressful situation. The stimulation caused by nicotine in the …
There’s a phrase I hear often and even when people are talking about serious matters, I’m tempted to smirk or laugh. Maybe you use or hear this phrase – “emotional baggage.” OK, “I’m pretty sure you meant to say “griefcase!” is a kinda funny response (I’m a sucker for a cheap laugh.) But the things …
NOTE: I wrote this short post in 2017. Since then, I have become aware of some comments made by J K Rowling that are disrespectful to transgender individuals. That’s a big deal to me. I vehemently disagree with her AND (not but) I also love some of her novels and she serves as a great …
Disclaimer: To be clear, I’m not a doctor and I’m not trying to diagnose anyone. I just want to encourage folks to seek the help they need. One of my compassionate colleagues sent out a reminder about Seasonal Affective Disorder and it seemed perfectly timed. So BIG thanks to Danielle D’Addamio, PT, DPT! As the …
MENders is an open concept support group for anyone who identifies as male. Our original, in-person meetings were located in Central Massachusetts. We migrated meetings onto virtual platforms in order to continue to provide support during the pandemic. MENders values and protects the privacy of all participants. We’ve created a safe, confidential space where all …
At a recent QuittersWin meeting, a member who was feeling overwhelmed felt safe sharing their frustration, fears, and pain with us. Wow! What an honor to be there as that person’s safe place. We also discussed how by not always focusing on the quantity we use, but looking at other factors, we may gain really …
#ICOVIDQUIT The benefits of quitting may surprise you. Katie is very happy that she took this step – especially now! Maybe a pandemic is a reason to do it, rather than an excuse to wait. Listen to Katie’s calm courage: “It’s a feedback loop. When I would smoke, the feedback loop was, “I’m stressed, I don’t know …
Perhaps we’re missing the point when we think and talk about the glass being half empty or half full. More important than the current state of the glass is this fact: The glass is refillable! That’s right! It’s my glass and I take responsibility for refilling it. So, what things can refill one’s glass? These …
PLEASE make time to watch this video. Two and a half minutes that can absolutely change your day (and make the world a better place to live!) I know that sounds like hype, but let me know how you feel about the video after you watch it. I’m pretty sure this is a worthwhile way …
Sometimes I look and do not see. Often it’s because I’m hurrying or have my eyes in one place while my mind is elsewhere. I can look at something without really being there. And that’s when I miss out on some of the real beauty in this world. So, maybe this post is about slowing …
Please don’t be fooled by the cute photo – this post isn’t just “warm and fuzzy!” Kristin Neff is a researcher on the topic of self-compassion and author of “Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself.” She believes that there are three steps toward greater self-compassion. The three steps or aspects of self-compassion …
Today Holds Gifts Today holds gifts for those with hearts to see. Capture one of the beautiful moments in this gift of a day. Allow that beautiful moment to sink into your head and your heart. Savor it, relish it, feel it, smell it breathe it in, hold that moment… Recall it with gratitude throughout …
