I agonized for hours over tearing open that package of wipes. The Jewish holiday of Sukkot started Sunday night, and until Tuesday night, those who observe the holiday more stringently are careful not to tear. (Along with some other practices they refrain from: going to work, driving a car, using electricity—the list goes on...) Then … Continue reading Tearing a Paper, Tearing a Heart
Jewish New Year Reboot
"Beep. beep," exclaimed my 21-month-old as the oven timer went off. Whenever she hears the oven beep, she repeats it. She's been doing this for several weeks. One time when she was being a bit unruly (as a toddler is apt to be) I even decided to set the timer with nothing in the oven, … Continue reading Jewish New Year Reboot
Free Time and Mommyhood
Before I was a mom, if I spent my relaxation time editing my resume or applying to jobs, I would be angry at myself for missing out on relaxing. I should have danced or did yoga, or something else. But as a mom, free time is a commodity and taking painstaking care to edit my … Continue reading Free Time and Mommyhood
Patience IS a Virtue: Professional Development and Personal Growth
I recently started working on a new nutrition website and Instagram page with my friend who has training in coding and digital marketing. She wants to plan Instagram posts ahead of time; organize photos based on themes, etc—something I have always wanted to do, just didn't have the time or resources available. I also didn't … Continue reading Patience IS a Virtue: Professional Development and Personal Growth
Less Self-Conscious About Being Self-Conscious
When I took my Pilates certification course, I was 20 years old. I was the second youngest of the 30 women there, but that had little to do with my anxiety when I got assessed. I was always a self-conscious person. Constantly second-guessing myself, an incessant voice in my head telling me what I was … Continue reading Less Self-Conscious About Being Self-Conscious
Self-Acceptance: Seeing Yourself in a Realistic Light
Continuing thoughts from last Friday's post, another reason why I'm not great with constructive criticism is that I always feel like I am getting graded. I was always concerned about my grades in school. I wasn't the best in all the subjects, but I had straight As in math/science/Jewish classes which upped my GPA from … Continue reading Self-Acceptance: Seeing Yourself in a Realistic Light
Creative Writing Is My Jam
One of the things I like about working in a preschool is being able to use my communication and writings skills. In particular, I enjoy writing a weekly synopsis for the parents of what we did each week. Today, it was suggested that I look over another teacher's weekly summary. I took this very personally. … Continue reading Creative Writing Is My Jam
Stress Management Tips
Stress needs to be managed moment to moment, as well as daily, so it doesn't build up to the point of lashing out. Practicing healthy coping mechanisms for stress throughout the day (e.g. breathing, light stretching, positive affirmations) helps diffuse the stress so it doesn't build up. Doing a mindfulness practice for a few minutes … Continue reading Stress Management Tips
Lessons of Myopia
Often when I do yoga while the kiddoes are napping in the preschool room, I have the following thought: G-d gave me nearsighted vision to remind me NOT to care if others are watching. I can't tell: When I remove my glasses, everyone more than 5-10 feet away looks like a blur to me. The … Continue reading Lessons of Myopia
My Current Work-Momlife Balance
Previously I blogged about reducing my hours at my preschool job and wondering what I would end up doing instead. My intention was to have more downtime: for myself, and my toddler daughter too. And I do—that is, when I'm not training to become a water safety instructor in the evening. I guess I'm not … Continue reading My Current Work-Momlife Balance
