No matter how much we might try and avoid difficulties and pain, the path of living involves not just the joyful and pleasant, but the painful and unpleasant problems as well.  Have you noticed that avoiding what might be in the path of your life can create resistance that shows up in anxiety, insomnia, and

Mothers give and sustain life.  You might automatically think of a female parent as in the image above, but the definition of mothering goes far beyond that.  Mothering is fierce, compassionate love that nurtures and heals. It knows when to gently push, and when to let go.  It is defined by moments of love followed

“Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Howard Thurman (click here for more on this great philosopher) This is a time of great change. Not only great, but rapid change as well. It can feel like your internal internet speed got

It seems to me that to feel any positive emotion such as love, joy, empathy, enthusiasm, we have to be present in our body to feel it, know it or give it away. As a highly sensitive person, this “tend and befriend” response to others can go overboard, particularly when anxious.  In other words, when

I love scalloped potatoes but without my sister here to make them, they’re not happening.  Too much work.  So I was grateful to my friend for pointing me in the direction of Betty Crocker’s instant scalloped potatoes for our family Easter dinner.  Yup… just add water and milk. Delicious. Notice if any judgement arose in

Happy Spring Equinox! If this seems like an unusual title for a mindfulness blog, stay with me.  So often we live our lives based on “this is ok, and that is not.” Think right now of all the things you deem acceptable, and what you spend energy working against.  It is noble to work for

“You can live your life as if nothing is a miracle, or as if everything is a miracle.” Albert Einstein Don’t worry, I’m not going to tell you that life is all sunshine and roses and that everything is a miracle, that’s not my way.  But I am going to ask you to stay open

“The small things, they’re not small things.” Jon Kabat Zinn Have you ever been “whatevered”? If you are a parent of a teen, or a teacher, you already know what I mean.  Don’t speak to me that way. “Whatever” Please clean up your desk/room/socks. “Yeah, whatever” I’ve told you many times… “Got it. Whatever” One

Bell “Let’s Talk” campaign to reduce stigma about mental illness raised a record-breaking almost $8 million this year! That is such great news but I am always stumped by the question… What keeps it so secret? Why do us humans find it so difficult to talk about our difficulties when clearly everyone experiences them to some degree? I have

Something very profound happens when we are worried, anxious, lonely or confused and are in the presence of someone else who is fully accepting, fully loving of who we are in those moments.  Nothing needs to be said. We connect on the level of humanity, of love. We know we are inherently ok, and we