The more stressed I get about doing “all the things” this season, the less effective I become. It’s a frustrating paradox. I know that I have a lot to do, but the more I try to do the things, the less focused I become. I’m eager to get on with all the items on my… Continue reading ‘Tis The Season For No Focus
Category: Mental Health
Retiring The Excuse
It’s a lot harder to say NO these days. I used to have a ready excuse for not wanting to do something: “Sorry, I’m so busy with work.” It was a legitimate reason. I was often extremely busy and had difficulty balancing any added commitments. But if I’m honest, it was also a handy excuse.… Continue reading Retiring The Excuse
Find The Joy; Spread The Joy
The gloomy nature of the world and the weather made me realize that I have been living without joy for a while. I haven’t been looking for the glimmers. My focus has been on other things that seem more pressing. It’s not that I can’t feel joy. I’ve just forgotten to actively look for it… Continue reading Find The Joy; Spread The Joy
Brain Foggy November
Lately, the fog seems to roll in mid-afternoon and stay for the rest of the day. My will to focus and plan clouds over, and I settle for doing repetitive tasks that take little concentration. I want to expand my window of energy, or at least, re-charge it when it flags. I have things to… Continue reading Brain Foggy November
Righting My Life/Work Balance
It is wonderful to be retired. I’m not going to lie. I love having the flexibility in my day to take care of my own needs for exercise, daylight, writing, nutrition, hydration and social interaction. I’m no longer trying to wedge self-care into a bulging work schedule of teaching, planning, marking, reports and paperwork. But… Continue reading Righting My Life/Work Balance
“How Are You Doing?”
We all need the words. With accurate words we can clearly communicate our experiences to others, find others who share our experience, and have others understand what we’re going through. Rarely has, “I’m fine,” in response to, “How are you doing?” transmitted any useful information. Is it time to banish these banal responses? Word Jail.… Continue reading “How Are You Doing?”
Searching For The Lost Things
I did it again. I put something in a safe place only to be unable to find it when I need it. It’s infuriating because I know that I didn’t throw it out! Ironically, I managed to keep it safe even from myself. Why does this happen and how can I stop myself from doing… Continue reading Searching For The Lost Things
Letting Go Of Control And Trusting Your Intentions
Changing my intention and trusting that this will help has been a tough lesson to learn. It’s been difficult because I resist letting go. I want to control the situation and make it happen. But the truth is that all I need to do is change my intention and then trust the process and the… Continue reading Letting Go Of Control And Trusting Your Intentions
Making Decisions I’m Happier With
Decide now. React now. Do it now! There’s a lot of pressure to respond immediately when faced with anything from a simple social invitation to a more important broken fridge. When a disagreement happens, or a problem with the car appears, I feel an urgency to tackle it right away. The teacher in me always… Continue reading Making Decisions I’m Happier With
Older And Progressive
There are many ageist beliefs that I’ve seen at work, but the idea that older teachers are more conservative in their methods than the younger ones is a pet peeve of mine. Perhaps you’ve seen it in your job, where the younger employees assume that the older ones are out of touch and backwards? They’ll… Continue reading Older And Progressive
Retired, And Now What? 