Is someone smart because they went to an Ivy League school? I know a lot of very intelligent people who went to state schools. So why do I connect intelligence so strongly where one has gone to school? Furthermore, how well they have done in school? I remember being so elated when my first therapist … Continue reading You’re Smart—Independent of Where You Go to School
Author: Gila Daman
Latest release: Inner Piece: Decluttering a Soul. Also by Gila: Pandemic Poetry, She Pooped, I'm Pooped!: Motherhood Year One, First Comes Self-Love, Then Comes Marriage, and The Roadmap Ends Here: Entering Adulthood.
Who Are You—On the Inside?
Along with the thrill of moving into a larger home, are the negative thoughts it triggers. Feelings that I don't deserve to live in a large space, and then ironically, feelings of jealousy over other homes which are far bigger. My brain ping pongs between these two unsavory mental states. This past weekend I went … Continue reading Who Are You—On the Inside?
New Home, New Beginning
Moving into a new home gives one an opportunity to make changes. A few changes I have made are putting the TV to the side of the den instead of in the center—to make it dominate the room less. Another change is putting much fewer objects on top of our dresser in our bedroom. This … Continue reading New Home, New Beginning
Our Zen Den
I have been having a lot of fun in setting up the rooms of our new home. It started out empty and I am determined to keep it as close to that as possible: decluttered, bare. Store our things in the closet, a few pieces of furniture—not too much to take away from the space … Continue reading Our Zen Den
No Community Is a Perfect Fit
For years I've been agonizing over the shul (aka synagogue) I attended. Trying to find the perfect fit. The perfect community. Where I feel accepted, where I feel safe, where I feel appreciated. As in most areas of my life, I had very HIGH expectations: to get along with everyone, to feel no social pressure … Continue reading No Community Is a Perfect Fit
Serenity and Consicous Living
I started reading a book called Serenity by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin. He uses the word to represent inner peace and living in the moment. I've tried to live in the present—let go of the past, stop mind-racing toward the future. I've attempted this on and off for more than a decade. Maybe this time will … Continue reading Serenity and Consicous Living
Where Did I Put That?! The Art of Letting Go
Recently we moved. There were a couple of items I put aside to MAKE SURE I wouldn't lose track of them during the move. Guess what? I lost track! I made my husband go back to the apartment again and again to check. "It must be there!" I thought. Then this morning I accepted, I … Continue reading Where Did I Put That?! The Art of Letting Go
Connecting to Your Inner Rhythm: We Are Humans, Not Machines
At the end of my morning yoga session I lay in savassana. Lying in savassana (corpse pose) is a way to integrate all the physical benefits of the yoga poses, as well as a great tool for calming the nerves! As I lay in savassana, I heard something rhythmically pulsing in my house. And that … Continue reading Connecting to Your Inner Rhythm: We Are Humans, Not Machines
Father’s Day, Remembering Dad
My father passed away suddenly when I was 21. That was almost 13 years ago. Father's Day has been weird ever since. Well, every day has been weird ever since. This year though, instead of memorializing my father on Father's Day—or more commonly, ignoring Father's Day altogether—I posted something on Facebook that celebrated small things … Continue reading Father’s Day, Remembering Dad
A Lesson on Self-Regulation and Sensory Processing
Recently the preschool where I work gave a talk on sensory processing and self-regulation. I still have a lot to learn about these topics as it relates to preschoolers—as well as, as it relates to me! These lessons are giving me extra insight and self-awareness. A greater vocabulary with which to understand my own psyche … Continue reading A Lesson on Self-Regulation and Sensory Processing
Mindful Nuggets 