We did it ourselves. Those born in the 1960’s and 1970’s muddled through without the supports available now. We managed to take care of ourselves while our parents worked. We took ourselves places on our bikes, or on the bus, without the safety net of a cell phone to stay in touch. I hesitate to… Continue reading Too Independent
Category: Reframe Your Thinking
Working With Your Season
What season are you in? I’ve found that the new usage for the term “season of life,” to be quite useful. The traditional use for season of life referred to the age of the person, with Spring equating to childhood and Winter compared to old age: “Youth like summer morn, age like winter weather;” –… Continue reading Working With Your Season
Mind The Happiness Gap
*Free Happiness Gap resource included* It has long been established that what people say and what they actually do, are two completely different categories. This applies to when we’re talking to ourselves as well. We tell ourselves a different story than our actions reflect. There’s a gap. Mind The Gap It’s common for us to… Continue reading Mind The Happiness Gap
A Simple Tip To See Your Friends More Often
Thanks to a friend’s wisdom, I’m more comfortable connecting with others. I used to feel like I was imposing on them, or interrupting their lives, by asking if they wanted to get together when I was in their neighbourhood. What if they didn’t want to see me, and were just agreeing to our meeting because… Continue reading A Simple Tip To See Your Friends More Often
Breaking The “Sorry” Habit
The minute I get into the bathroom, my phone rings. It’s almost like it has a sixth sense that I’m not available. Maybe this happens to you? But how often do you call the person back, and start with an apology? “Sorry, I missed your call.” Wait a minute there! Am I apologizing for not… Continue reading Breaking The “Sorry” Habit
Presence Without Present
There’s a terrible joke, that I only half remember, where a guy makes an excuse for turning up to an event without a gift. He says, “I am the gift, babe.” It comes across as incredibly conceited that his attendance is the best gift. Or, is it? For years now, engaged couples have been trying… Continue reading Presence Without Present
You Might As Well Jump, And Skip
I’ve been doing Zumba for years now. But I’ve only recently started adding in the jumps, instead of doing the low impact alternatives. I just assumed that it was better for me to not jump as I got older. I didn’t want to risk injuring myself. It turns out that I was wrong. So wrong.***… Continue reading You Might As Well Jump, And Skip
Are You Adventurous?
The stories we tell ourselves about who we are have a tremendous impact on our decisions. As a teacher, I saw the students who believed that they were good at math, be happy to try new math problems. Students who thought they were good writers, eagerly scribbled away in their journals, and students who believed… Continue reading Are You Adventurous?
Lose That Winning Streak Mentality
Celebrating someone’s ability to continue a winning streak is harmful to them and to us. We celebrate the retiree who never missed a day of work by featuring them in news articles.* But showing up every day and doing the thing, without missing a day, ever … under any circumstance, is problematic. It’s time we… Continue reading Lose That Winning Streak Mentality
Focus On The Best Outcome
I’m embarrassed to admit, that I succumbed to thinking the worst, when our dear cat of 14 years was very ill recently. She had stopped eating, had lost an alarming amount of weight, was jaundice, and her bloodwork results told a very grim story. I accepted that story. For days, I sat sobbing while trying… Continue reading Focus On The Best Outcome
Retired, And Now What? 