“Yes, but…”
The feeling and the message can be so different when we consciously change that “but” to “and.” It’s more inviting, inclusive, collaborative, cooperative to respond to someone with a “Yes, and…” rather than a “Yes, but…” A “Yes, and” in conversation builds upon the thoughts of the person with whom we are speaking while a […]
is it love or just like?
I love what this drawing reminds me of…that there’s a significant difference between liking and loving. Every relationship we have with another person in our life is like a flowering plant. If the relationship is strong, the plant grows strong and offers lots of flowers to both of us. And I believe that love is […]
Are these ‘seriously funny’?
Ever wonder why some of our ‘normal’ sayings don’t seem to really make sense? Or how about… a plastic glass, a definite maybe, or military intelligence! Each of these is called an oxymoron. A dictionary defines them as “a combination of contradictory or incongruous words.” Still another dictionary defines an oxymoron as a “wittily paradoxical […]
What’s your today going to be like?
Will your mood depend on what day of the week today is? Or will your day depend on what kind of mood you woke up with? Is any day really your “TGIF” or “hump” day? You do realize that you have the choice when you wake up to tell yourself that this is a… Serene […]
2023 is half gone?!
As we moved into July, half of this year had already passed. Time seems to pass ever more quickly as each decade of my life comes and goes! This is a good time, though, to reflect on how the year so far has unfolded. We often act as if we had all the time in […]
Difference of opinion?
Want to diffuse a heated discussion? Here are four words that are easy, not fancy, that you can use to shift the conversation: “You might be right.” This can accomplish a number of things: It admits that maybe they are right. You do make mistakes. Maybe you did something wrong. Maybe you don’t know everything […]
It’s up to me?
There’s merit even in such a misattributed quote as this one that’s often attributed to Saint Francis. I know in my heart that each of us serves as a role model for someone…a child, a friend, a stranger. We all look to others for guidance when we are confused or worried. One song can spark […]
How can I shift?
As I’ve gotten older (and maybe somewhat wiser), I’m shifting what I tell myself… a bit away from just being productive and more towards creativity. Here’s what I can tell myself: Rather than complaining and saying “Look at everything on my list!” I can ask myself “What can I remove from my list (or just […]
2 days free from worry!
There are two days in every week that we don’t have to worry, two days which we can easily keep free from fear or apprehension. And it isn’t one of these! One of these days is YESTERDAY with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. YESTERDAY has passed forever beyond […]
Your “yellow light” policy?
A number of years ago when I was riding as a passenger with my middle sister, the traffic light went from green to yellow. She gunned the engine and I let out a yelp. To me, a yellow light meant slow down and prepare to stop. To her, a yellow light meant speed up and […]