Do you find yourself saying "yes" when you really want to say "no"? Do you end up doing more than your share at home or at work? Do your needs come last—after your husband or wife, your children, work, community service, in-laws, siblings, and friends? If you answered yes to even one of these questions, you need to strengthen your boundaries.
Posted in Communication & Interpersonal Skills, Emotional Intelligence & Fitness
Empathy. Tolerance. Understanding. All these key ingredients are essential in thriving families and communities.
It was unfamiliar terrain. I walked in the early morning sun of Tucson, Arizona. One figure captivated my attention: a magnificent cactus that was 150 years old. This Giant Saguaro Cactus was home to many birds and a multitude of insects; it was a bustling beehive of purposeful activity. Single-handedly, it supported a whole community, providing shade, food, and shelter. This environment created by a cactus organically is something that we, as humans, struggle with, regardless of [...]
Posted in Communication & Interpersonal Skills, Emotional Intelligence & Fitness
Everyone has core values, but how well we live by them will determine how happy we are. Values guide us to wise action, yet stress or life's curveballs can get in the way. How do we learn to align more fully to be the best version of ourselves? And how do we support each other when we fall short?
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Posted in Communication & Interpersonal Skills
When we think of our relationships, we tend to think of connection, closeness, and love—at least that's what we long for! So, if we all desire connection with other humans, particularly our loved ones, what gets in the way?
What we often overlook is that to create openness and closeness in our relationships, we need to love ourselves first—much harder than it sounds. Secondly, we need to remove the blocks to loving, which go hand-in-hand with healing. As Rumi has said, “Your task is not to seek and find love; your task is to seek and find all the barriers within yourself you have built.”
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Posted in Emotional Intelligence & Fitness
Most parents are aware that their children are developing cognitively at an amazing rate. However, in our busy and hectic lives, it's way too easy to turn on cartoons or a movie for our children as a much-needed babysitter.
Do you know how to meet the needs of the different stages of cognitive development? Do you understand just how crucial your engagement with your children is and how everything you say and do is downloaded in the first six years? Being a conscious parent requires us to provide an environment that nurtures and challenges our children. This environment includes parental [...]
Posted in Perfectly Imperfect Parenting
Years ago, a mom told me of a time when she was on an important phone call and her three-year-old son kept bugging her. In desperation, she went to the fridge, reached for a jar of jelly, took off the top, and handed it to him. Delighted, he sat gobbling up the entire jar of jelly with his fingers while she finished her call.
We've all been there as parents. However, bribery and concessions are short-term solutions. They send the wrong message, and they can cause more power struggles and difficulties later. Kids quickly figure out that if they whine or bug you long enough and loud enough, [...]
Posted in Perfectly Imperfect Parenting, Parenting Favorites
