Owning it: accepting that your feelings are valid

Photo by Noah Blaine Clark on Unsplash.

We’re more than one month into our adventure and guess what? It’s much harder than we anticipated. We ask ourselves often: What did we miss? Did we want it so much that we ignored logic? Maybe. Would we feel differently had we not contracted COVID? Probably…[read more]

Where happiness + success intersect: overcoming the burden of expectations

 

There’s something to be said about the correlation between loving what you do and doing what you love and vice versa. Similarly, theologian Albert Schweitzer once penned: “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” And, recently, during an interview with WD magazine (March/April 2019), author Min Jin Lee talked about overcoming the burden of expectations. Which ultimately leads to joy. So how do we do this? In “Rekindle the excitement,” I pose the challenge to rediscover what makes us excited to jump out of bed each morning… by starting somewhere. Yet first we have to ask the question: If I removed expectation from the equation, including time and/or money, and if I could be or do that one thing I love doing, that brings me joy and spells success (in my book), what does it look like? And will I regret the not doing?

Are you doing what you love doing?

Photo source: pinterest.com.

Purging and prioritizing: housekeeping for the soul

Hard, this life thing. Over the past few weeks I’ve engaged in significant housekeeping tasks that, below the surface, denote a clean slate—a ‘starting over’ in practice and in theory. On the home front, I’ve tackled clutter and tossed what is no longer necessary, bagged up things to be sorted through eventually and donated items I hope might bless others. My personal life also experienced a collective loss, which has become the catalyst toward a sense of peace and healing—an opportunity to put my priorities in right order, to live with intention instead of allowing life to happen to me. Every regret or mistake I’ve made is a lesson learned, a temporary memory purged much like photos that fade over time or are deleted off a hard drive. And then replaced by the truth of knowing I’m finally on the right path as I leave behind my self-centered ways and prepare to step into my fabulous new life.

How do you ‘get over’ regrets or mistakes?

‘Tis the season

[Image credit: tungphoto]

Having a second chance makes you want to work even harder.
~ Tia Mowry

This past week has been a particularly challenging one for my daughter.  She’s had to make some tough decisions and many days all I’ve been able to do is sit back and watch, listen and offer mama-sized hugs.  And although during the last couple of years the dynamics of our mother-daughter relationship have evolved (and I wouldn’t have it any other way), I can’t help but fight the regrets over years’ worth of selfish parenting rather than selfless parenting.  I mentioned my remorse to my best friend and she patted me on the back, then told me the timing is perfect for my daughter now.  Those words encouraged me to begin moving past the misgivings and dwell, instead, on the daily opportunities in front of me to do it right.  Or at least do it better this time around.  Second chances are a beautiful thing.

Have you discovered a new season of do-it-right opportunities?

Spring-cleaning checklist

[Image credit: Suat Eman]

The trick is to enjoy life. Don’t wish away your days,
waiting for better ones ahead. ~ Marjorie Pay Hinckley

A couple of days ago I wrote about the rut I’m in and the possibility that it’s related to a case of spring fever.  But I also suggested a good seasonal cleaning might be beneficial.  I’m not talking about donning the rubber gloves and scrubbing the windows and screens, or purging closets and cupboards (although definitely not out of the question).  What I’m referring to is getting rid of the stuff — baggage with labels such as disappointments, failures, poor choices, regrets, (fill in the blank here) — we’ve accumulated since the beginning of the new year (or well before that) which hinders our daily living.  The past is the past.  Let’s purpose to leave it there right this very moment and focus on Today.  We can still wait for a better Tomorrow, but let’s work at arriving there with a much cleaner slate.  I think that may be the trick Ms. Hinckley is talking about.

Are you in need of a little spring cleaning to remove the baggage weighing you down?