I discovered a quote the other day by J. Krishnamurti about his “secret” to well-being. “You see, I don’t mind what happens.” What power is there in that simple statement! How much of our pain, anxiety, heartbreak, and stress are the result of putting meaning in what is happening? I often speak about this concept in […]
As for many of you, 2017 has been a challenging year for me. Through these challenging experiences, I learned about how meaning and expectations affect stress. Much of the stress I experienced was increased because I put meaning into results I could not affect. If an expected outcome didn’t happen, I was devastated. I believed […]
Monotony. Dealing with the same challenges, the same tasks, the same routine day after day, week after week, can increase our stress levels. We are Sisyphus trapped, more likely doomed, to experience the same thing again and again and again without finding success or relief. Redundancy without resolution in our daily work can dull our […]
Netflix has many terrific shows lately. One of them is “The Crown” which is about Queen Elizabeth. A scene in the first season really struck me. It is a dialogue between Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary. Here is a condensed version: Queen Elizabeth (QE): “It doesn’t feel right as head of state to do nothing.” […]
Many parts of the world are going through major natural disasters right now. Cabo San Lucas, my home and my heart, is no exception. On a Thursday morning, it started raining and it did not stop until late Friday dumping up to twenty-seven inches of rain in this dry desert climate. Not since 1933 has […]
On a recent visit to Chicago, friends were asking about living in Mexico. One topic that came up was time. I explained that if a contractor said they would come at 9am Monday, it may actually mean sometime Monday, but not necessarily 9am. It could also mean 9am Tuesday. Or it could be some time […]
For random reasons, I heard interviews with two well-known atheists recently and found some amazing insights. The interviews were not about atheism per se, but some of the questions branched into their beliefs. Many of us believe in some sort of a God and an afterlife. We live our lives in the hopes of a […]
Sometimes people don’t understand me because I don’t let my emotions run away with me (for the most part). A car cuts me off and I smile and wave. When someone is rude to me I only become more kind to them. In the current world where righteous indignation is prized and promoted, I don’t […]
In our fast-paced lives, we are often “doing” and not “living.” One tool to help us truly live is to hold a reality check every so often. How much of our day goes by in a blur versus being in the moment? How much of our life is routine versus conscious choosing? How much of […]
Back in the 80’s I remember a song, but not the title or artist, where the musicians ponder if the glass is half full or half empty. The song purported it didn’t matter because sooner or later one would spill it. At the time of my teenage angst at an unfair world, the lyrics spoke […]