Joy is easy to be around. When life is going well, people know what to do. They celebrate with you. They like the photos. They send congratulations. They show up for birthdays, promotions, weddings, new homes, holidays and all the moments that come with smiles already built in. Pain is different. Pain makes people uncomfortableContinue reading “Who Stays When It Hurts”
Tag Archives: self-care
Strong Enough to Bend
A Japanese bamboo craftsman once said, “The bamboo survives the storm because it knows when to bend.” We often picture strength as standing firm. Hold your ground. Refuse to move. Keep your face calm while the wind gets louder. That works until the pressure becomes heavier than your body, mind, or heart can carry. BambooContinue reading “Strong Enough to Bend”
Meant for More
Maybe you didn’t get what you wanted because you deserved more. That’s a hard thought to accept when you’re standing in the middle of disappointment. You wanted that job. You pictured yourself in that relationship. You worked toward that promotion. You prayed for that opportunity. You had already imagined how life would look once everythingContinue reading “Meant for More”
Some days, the burdens are easy to count.
The bill that showed up at the wrong time. The conversation that keeps replaying in your head. The person you miss. The plan that fell apart. The work problem waiting for you tomorrow morning. The worry you carried to bed and somehow found sitting beside you when you woke up. We become good at keepingContinue reading “Some days, the burdens are easy to count.”
What Are You Still Carrying?
You can’t reach for anything new if your hands are full of yesterday’s junk. I keep coming back to that idea because it feels painfully simple. We talk a lot about wanting something new. A new job. A new relationship. A new city. A new project. A different version of ourselves. Then we wonder whyContinue reading “What Are You Still Carrying?”
The Person Who Helps You See Yourself Differently
Some people enter your life and change the way you see yourself. They may not give you a perfect plan. They may not have an answer for every problem you bring them. Sometimes, they simply notice something in you that you have stopped noticing yourself. That is what a good mentor does. There are momentsContinue reading “The Person Who Helps You See Yourself Differently”
Put Something on the Calendar
There’s a simple trick that can change the way you move through life: always have something on the calendar that you’re excited about. It doesn’t have to be a huge vacation or some life-changing achievement. It could be a weekend road trip, a concert, a dinner with friends, a new restaurant you’ve been wanting toContinue reading “Put Something on the Calendar”
That’s Enough of That
There’s a strange amount of freedom in realizing that you can change your mind. You can wake up one morning and decide, “That’s enough of that.” Enough of the job that drains you every Sunday night. Enough of saying yes to things you have no energy for. Enough of staying in a routine just becauseContinue reading “That’s Enough of That”
Build a Life Where Dinner Takes Longer Than Meetings
Somewhere along the way, we started measuring a good day by how much we got done. How many meetings did we attend? How many emails did we answer? How many tasks did we cross off before dinner? Then dinner became another appointment squeezed between everything else. There is something strange about that. We can spendContinue reading “Build a Life Where Dinner Takes Longer Than Meetings”
The Heart Learns Slowly
Some wounds change the way we move through the world. After being hurt, the heart starts paying attention to things it once ignored. A delayed reply feels heavier. A change in someone’s tone can raise questions. A promise can sound beautiful and still feel difficult to believe. Even when someone kind walks into your life,Continue reading “The Heart Learns Slowly”
