We all know people who see life from the perspective that their glass is always half-full and not half-empty. Their perspective defaults to an upbeat way of looking at life. Are you drawn to people like this or do you see it as a “Pollyanna” approach that’s annoying and not realistic? Your perspective will determine how joyful you are in life. You can choose to moan about reality or take the route Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) did in the classic film, Dumb and Dumber. It’s up to you. We … [Read more...]
Are Your Feeling Out of Control?
We all have periods in our lives where it feels like we’re emotionally out of control. It’s as if our emotions are running the show and others are responsible for how they play out. We’re simply at the mercy of our emotions. We are their victim. If you recognize this happening in your life, try grounding your emotions. Being accountable for your own emotional reactivity is tricky business. What do you do when the emotions just seem to overwhelm you and you don’t want to be reactive? You … [Read more...]
Are Your Emotions Frozen?
Emotional reactivity in our selves and those around us has a cost. It limits our abilities to choose differently. When you begin making your needs a priority, this change can create reactivity in others. You’re no longer predictable emotionally and your new inner strength can be unsettling. When we are anxious about how others will react,we don’t pursue our needs because we’re afraid of getting their reactivity thrown at us. It’s just easier to keep pleasing others. This is especially true … [Read more...]
The Cost of Blind Intolerance
We live in times where we can’t see our own intolerance - especially of our own inner needs. Our needs for rest, for nourishment, rejuvenation, for love, and peace. We’re especially intolerant of our need for change. We treat ourselves in ways that make these needs seem irrelevant. We often notice, but don’t address the expectations and intolerant ways of the employers we work with or the people in our lives. It’s as if we’re incarcerated and don’t even know it. In the movie The … [Read more...]
Life at The Speed of Technology
When someone is impatient and says, "I haven't got all day," I always wonder, How can that be? How can you not have all day? - George Carlin We all at times try to jam too much into every moment feeling irritated when the world isn’t fitting our timing. It truly feels like 24 hours isn’t enough and we just don’t have enough time. We get many opportunities to be aware of our impatience, be it the traffic jam when your late for work or an appointment, or the chatty checkout person at … [Read more...]