We’ve all had days where you get to the evening and your mind is spinning with the troubling events that have happened that day. It makes it hard to unwind and sleep. After learning about a shocking development in our neighbourhood recently, I was having difficulty pausing my thoughts so that I could get to… Continue reading “What Was Easy?”
Category: Stories I Tell Myself
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?
Rethinking Accepting Help
I will admit that I’m not great at accepting help. Recently, it came as a revelation that allowing others to help me, may be truly meaningful to them. I’d never considered help from the perspective of the giver before. I thought that I was “taking” from others when I asked for their assistance. I resisted… Continue reading Rethinking Accepting Help
Reducing Holiday Pressure
I honestly think that most people are trying to do the best that they can. We use our time and resources to create the best possible holiday for others, for our families. They deserve the best. It’s how we (often, but not exclusively, mothers) show our love for them. But what about the cost to… Continue reading Reducing Holiday Pressure
They’re Doing Their Best
I was listening to Brené Brown’s Dare To Lead and I can’t get one specific idea out of my mind. What if the person who frustrates you the most is actually doing the best that they can? Suddenly, I reframed my thinking. If I assume that most people have positive intentions, that completely changes how… Continue reading They’re Doing Their Best
Try it.
Anyone of a certain age will remember the Life cereal ad where the kids get Mikey to try it for the first time, even though “he hates everything.” Getting over your fear of trying something new is no easy feat, especially if you’ve convinced yourself that you hate it. Things I Disliked. I’ve noticed that… Continue reading Try it.
No Information? I’ll Make Up A Story
Sometimes the most reasonable answer is not the one I consider first, when faced with a problem. I like to tell myself stories first. This just leads me to jump to conclusions that are not helpful and don’t solve the problem. The other day, I wrongly blamed a neighbour for a chemical smell. But today,… Continue reading No Information? I’ll Make Up A Story
Thinking The Worst
There’s a storm coming and it’s one of the ever-increasing things that trigger an emotional response of dread in me. What if we lose power like we did during the ice storm? The older I get, the number of events that cause me to react this way grows. It makes sense. I have more lived… Continue reading Thinking The Worst
Retired, And Now What? 