Trusting, Surrendering, and Cracking Open… “We do not always have to hold onto the ideology that our brokenness defines who we are. That it has the final say. To fully surrender ourselves to healing we need to go on an extended journey, a trust walk, a gradual letting go, unlearning, and handing over. Experience an… Continue reading Seeds For Growth
Author: Ed
What is Happiness to You?
A Fearless Heart… My husband and I have “chat time” each evening over a glass of wine. It is our favorite time of the day. We stop all our work, stop all our busyness, and just be with each other. We share our day, our thoughts, our musings, and our love for each other. One… Continue reading What is Happiness to You?
Vulnerability and Courage
“Courage Starts with Showing Up and Letting Ourselves be Seen.” … Sometimes it is not easy to climb out of the prison of pain, silence, and shame. Sometimes I feel trapped in a fortress without a direct way out. I can see the trails that lead into the forest of wonder through the windows, but… Continue reading Vulnerability and Courage
Holding Space
Trapped by Old Emotions and Old Stories… Last Sunday while reading Maria Shriver’s weekly newsletter I was struck by her prayer. “Dear God, please help me feel the full weight of my emotions and not be afraid of them. Allow me to embrace the good, the bad, the highs and the lows that life presents and appreciate… Continue reading Holding Space
Joy and Hope
Can Our Deepest Pain be a Doorway to Healing? … Without question, I had several joy bomb moments this past week while visiting our son. The moment he wrapped his arms around me and held me in the very public setting of a restaurant, I felt joy. I felt peace. I felt tenderness. I felt the… Continue reading Joy and Hope
Joy Bomb
Each Moment is Precious… I am shifting the focus this week to joy. My heart is full of joy as I get to see one of my sons that I have not seen in eight months. As your children grow and go out on their own, the love you felt for them when they emerged… Continue reading Joy Bomb
Change, Transfor-mation and Healing
Coming Out Of Hiding… Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey challenged us to ask the question “What Happened to You?” when faced with an individual’s underlying physical or emotional dysregulation. Rachel Gilgoff, MD, however, took it a step further in her research paper, Opportunities to Treat Toxic Stress, by asking the question “What is Healing… Continue reading Change, Transfor-mation and Healing
Leap and Go Forward
Learned Responses to Danger or Neglect… I have a daily ritual of walking to the mailbox. It gets me out of the house and into the elements. It is quieting and relaxing for me. It also presents a possibility of seeing my grandchildren outside playing and laughing. If I am graced with this interaction, it… Continue reading Leap and Go Forward
Velcro versus Teflon
Holding on to Fifteen Seconds of Positivity… My coach told me after swim practice one day that I did a good job leading the lane. I breathed. I smiled. I held onto her words for 15 seconds. I did not drop them, ignore them, or pretend like she was wrong. I held those words in… Continue reading Velcro versus Teflon
Small Changes Go A Long Way
Self-Compassion is One of the Most Powerful Sources of Strength… I have been thinking a lot this past week about what Dr. Alane Daugherty, author and co-director of the Cal Poly Pomona’s Mind and Heart Research Lab, was quoted as saying in last week’s newsletter, “Who Needed To Hear This Today? Small changes go a long… Continue reading Small Changes Go A Long Way