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Compassion
A recent trend in therapeutic interventions is the use of compassion to improve mental health. It's warranted, don't get me wrong, it's just the big buzz word. Kristen Neff's research shed a lot of light on the importance of having compassion for yourself. And neuroscientists have shown that when we have compassion, shame is reduced and we are more likely to make changes. So it's a very Resolution Or Intention
Many people set resolutions for the New Year, however in America it is almost expected that we will break our resolutions early in the year. That is unfortunate, because if we truly want to follow through with a resolution we almost jinx the goal by calling it a New Years Resolution. I prefer the word Intention. It allows me to hold my goal more gently, allowing me to be more compassionate Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday, or Happy Tuesday
Wishing you time for activities and connections that bring you joy and peace today! For me, today is Christmas Eve and I'm spending the morning listening to my favorite Christmas songs. I have a playlist of favorite holiday songs that inspire a sense of peace and/or joy. When Resilient
Our nervous system is one of the most powerful resources available to us to improve our well-being. On the other hand, the nervous system can trap us in difficult mindsets, and be one of our biggest barriers to wellness. Rick Hanson, Ph.D. believes that we can access “durable inner strengths” that are “hardwired into our nervous system”. His book Resilient walks us through how Playfulness
I was raised celebrating Christmas and I still do celebrate. However, as an adult the holiday has felt significantly different. As I consider what is different for me, I think about the joy felt as a young child when every holiday activity was charged with anticipation and bliss. Over the years, my family Connection Matters
As humans, we all long to feel connection and belonging with others. For me, the holiday season increases my desire to feel connected to family and friends. However, like most Americans, I was nervous about being around family with differing political views this holiday season. I was recently Labels
I have a history of difficult experiences at dentist offices. So the label "dentist", for much of my life, had a very negative connotation. I had a fear that any "dentist" would cause me harm. So much so that when I was single and dating I would have avoided dating a dentist. In more recent years I stumbled upon a dentist that overcame that "bad" label. His kindness, personality, and approach Find Your People
"In a world of strangers, you don't know who to trust. All you see is danger, try to find what you lost. You can't go it alone, everybody needs help. You got to find your people, then you'll find yourself." (Lyrics from: Find Your People by Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors) Stranger Danger It is so very scary to look around (the neighborhood, city, or country) and feel "different" and not aligned with others. When everyone feels like a stranger, our nervous system tells us we are in Just Like Me
Categorizing By Default How do we end division when our brain automatically wants to label and categorize? We label and categorize automatically because our brains were designed this way to help keep us safe. When our ancestors had to forage for food, the unknown was unsafe. So we learned to favor the known. Dear Disheartened Americans
Recent events greatly impacted the hope, courage, and spirit of many Americans. I have noticed many of you getting very quiet, and even disconnecting from life and other people. Shutting down to protect, is an automatic response of the nervous system when threatened with danger. It can be wise and helpful at times to temporarily retreat. Yet if you retreat into a deep dark cave there is |