As a good friend reminded me, the only one pushing me is me. I’m doing the pushing. I get to choose to move along this path. No one is forcing me to take this route or travel down it at a certain speed. When I worry if I’m doing enough and making progress, I try… Continue reading Who’s Pushing Me?
Category: Reframe Your Thinking
Intentional Music Medicine
In recent years, music has entered my life as background sound: a catchy tune on the radio in among all the other daily noise. I sing along, or not, and life goes on. Recently on a long trip home, I realized that I may have been overlooking the power that it has to be medicine… Continue reading Intentional Music Medicine
Cheerleading At Any Age
I love my cheerleaders, but I don’t tell them often enough. Our cheerleaders are the people who support us and cheer us on, when we embark on new projects. As a teacher, they were the ones who supported me when I tried new lessons, or methods to teach the harder to reach students. As a… Continue reading Cheerleading At Any Age
Going BIG
How much space do you take up in the world? I am staying small. It’s a choice. After three years of the pandemic telling me to keep my world small to stay safe (remain home, avoid others), I’ve found that it’s become my normal state. But unless there’s a pandemic, a war, or a lion… Continue reading Going BIG
A Day Of Wander
A few years ago, I found myself alone downtown on a Saturday morning. I had to drop something off before nine. Done. Suddenly, there I was with my notebook, a novel and a water bottle in my bag on a sunny, warm morning, and no plans for the rest of the day. No one needed… Continue reading A Day Of Wander
The Un-Becoming
Am I becoming a new me or just un-becoming the old me? It’s a matter of perspective. Is the path forward after retirement a time to gather new resources and skills and roles, or is it a time to take all that I am now and edit it until I find my true self? Either… Continue reading The Un-Becoming
Jumping Into The Unknown: Building Courage
There is scary-excitement that comes with trying something new. When I’m doing something challenging for the first time, it’s frightening to be faced with so much newness. I’ve been using this year to look at times that I’ve forged ahead with unfamiliar things that scared me. I would never have described myself as adventurous, but… Continue reading Jumping Into The Unknown: Building Courage
Choosing Solutions And Hope
What you focus on, is what you will find. I’m a believer in focusing on solutions rather than problems. I see the problems but I tend to look around for ways to address them rather than look for more problems. Mindset has a lot to do with whether we find solutions or just unearth the… Continue reading Choosing Solutions And Hope
Multitasking Myth
I used to be able to do it. I did it for years and it was necessary for my job. But now, I’ve lost my ability to multitask. I used to be able to re-direct three students while assessing another student, walk across the room to grab a missing worksheet, and drink my tea. All… Continue reading Multitasking Myth
Oh, Martha!
Did you see Martha Stewart on the cover of the swimsuit edition of that magazine? (This photo is not her) Some people were celebrating her appearance and marvelling that someone “her age” could look like that. For me, it’s her confidence and attitude that I applaud. She views ageism as “boring” and focuses on “good living.”*… Continue reading Oh, Martha!
Retired, And Now What? 