Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again. ~ Nelson Mandela When life seems reasonable, few of us feel compelled to look deeper. We ride the high of ease, coasting on the feel-good sensations and life’s great moments. Then, when those moments fade, we are left with what has been there all along, without the feel-good chemicals…
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You have to push hard, do hard things. But you also have to be able to say, ‘OK, today’s not the day.’ ~Alex Lowe There is a quiet truth we often ignore: if the process empties us, the outcome won’t save us. Who likes running when it’s raining to get in the miles, especially after a long day at work? Who likes waiting until the heat of the day…
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You’ve got to go slow to go fast. ~Tom Dorrance We live in a world obsessed with speed, yet the things that shape us, the things that last, cannot be rushed. Life continues to remind me that slowness is not a flaw in the process; it is the process. I’ve been told I ride my horses too fast, implying that it is wrong. I can ride fast; however, do I ride…
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“If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it.” This quote was traced back to several publications from the 1800s, though in more recent years it was attributed to Lucille Ball. Regardless of its origin, the message holds. Just as life begets life, energy begets energy. There is a time to do less. But if we have lingered in the “do less” mode for too long, lethargy…
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“When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.” ~ Dalai Lama Communication is about transferring information. So, when I recently saw a post that said, “I suffer from a disorder when I speak the truth, it pisses people off.” I paused and reread it several times. The person writing it missed a crucial element in communication; being confrontational rarely…
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When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. ~Confucius Do you announce your goals to the world, or keep them private while you test the waters? Each approach has pros and cons; the manner we choose can vary, yielding different results. If you share goals, what method is best for reaching them? Science suggests the answer isn’t as simple as…
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The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. ~Alan Watts Each year, we leap forward with enthusiasm, believing obstacles will vanish with the turn of the calendar page. We think that with the change of date, the obstacles in our paths will miraculously disappear; life will be different. And you know what? It is, and it isn’t.…
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Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still. ~ a Chinese Proverb. Often, we attach to the illusion of completeness, yet life whispers otherwise. When we think we have everything figured out, the universe tests us to see if we actually do. If we move through it calmly and with mindful consciousness, we can pat ourselves on the back, tallying one more lesson understood.…
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Someone who has experienced trauma also has gifts to offer all of us – in their depth, their knowledge of our universal vulnerability, and their experience of the power of compassion. ~Sharon Salzberg Vulnerability is a topic that awakens discomfort in many, and because of this, I am drawn to it, curious to explore why. Vulnerability should not be mistaken for weakness; it is, in fact, a true measure of…
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