Same four letters – two different outcomes. When we notice an emotional state that’s uncomfortable, we have two choices; FEEL the feelings or FLEE the feelings. As in most of life, there is not a single solution for every situation. There will be situations when allowing the feelings to flow freely could result in catastrophic […]
About 20 years ago I observed a way to look at addiction that seemed like it might be helpful. People I served in my tobacco cessation practice often seemed overwhelmed by the idea of quitting smoking. I felt that way myself every time I tried to quit smoking. Logic led me to look at ways
“What you see and what you hear depends a good deal on where you are standing.” -C. S. Lewis (The Magician’s Nephew) In both literal and figurative ways, ‘where you are standing’ matters. It can change what you see or hear. Here are a few images that have interesting perspectives: We
Thousands of texts, dozens of faces, various groups, several places – each week I share and often the topic is change in some way shape or form. I want to be sure that when I talk about change, people don’t hear me saying “snap out of it” (and I’m never saying “man up,” but that’s
Perhaps you’ve heard someone described as a Pollyanna or as being Pollyannaish. Perhaps you’ve described me that way (which makes me glad.) The term is usually used to describe a person that is foolishly hopeful or even annoyingly hopeful. Pollyanna is the heroine of a 1913 novel by Eleanor H. Porter about an orphaned girl
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There are certainly times when we may (in our right mind) feel no fear. To have that internal calm makes action easy. But there are also times when we cannot get in touch with a sense of peace about action before us. But if the action before us is certainly for our good – if
Here’s another thought-provoking quote by Brazilian author and lyricist, Paulo Coelho, to hopefully help move our week in a positive direction. (I forgot how much I love this guy, so watch for more of his wise words in the future.) “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”
Who says that Friday the 13th is unlucky? And why would we want to let ‘them’ decide what sort of day we’re going to have? I happen to think that today is going to be a wonderful day. On Fridays, not only do I get to serve brave and hopeful folks who are willing to
Many years ago I read “The Alchemist” by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho. Today rarely a day goes by when I don’t think or speak of the book or it’s central theme. I recently heard a quote by Coelho and searched to find that it is from a book I have not yet read. Without
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Hope is curious stuff. It’s always right in front of us and yet, so often, hard to see. Hope is undeniable, irrefutable, and evident, even in the midst of tragedy (perhaps especially there.) Hope has the power to change almost everything. Hope is always near, but there are eyes which cannot see it. Hope can
Right? We may as well “let” it rain rather than hate it, wish against it, or try to pretend it isn’t raining. Rain happens and I usually choose to suppose that the rain happens for a reason. Then it’s not only neutral, but it actually feels positive. Decades ago, whenever there was a thunderstorm, my
Here are a few thought-provoking quotes about Grace. Grace is my hope/wish/prayer for you today. May you have sufficient grace to hear the message that the universe is offering you today, regardless of the messenger. May we listen in grace, walk in grace, and offer grace to all. Please don’t forget to treat yourself with
When I listen to people talking about their challenging experiences (especially friends who are battling addictions) their voices often seem to convey guilt or shame. They seem to say – sometime with and sometimes without words – that they feel defeated, overwhelmed, or weak. In a word, I guess I hear regret. Recently, as I
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This morning a curious quote came to mind after I had spent a couple moments observing the bleeding hearts* in my garden. It’s actually a line from Leonard Cohen’s “Anthem.” “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” So I am not sure if or how
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Hope is a choice and often it is a choice that may not seem sensible in the face of facts. But when we choose hope, things change. Open doors appear where only walls had been. It may not be that the facts or circumstances have changed so much as our perspective has. Possibilities exist which
