They say a smile is magical. When you share it you lose nothing, but the other gains hope, encouragement, and comfort. I’d like to add to this that a smiley, friendly, empathetic remark is priceless. Last week when our water was off due to a block-wide water leak, I went back after my morning workout … Continue reading Empathy Is Key
Tag: emotional wellness
A Photoshopped World, A Tormented Soul
This morning my mom made an innocent comment that the way my daughter was wearing her hair made her look like Audrey Hepburn. I felt uncomfortable with this, because growing up and to this day I struggle with social comparison, including with celebrities. I still remember learning in my late teens that magazines are photoshopped. … Continue reading A Photoshopped World, A Tormented Soul
The Secret to Peace of Mind: The Breath
Do you control your breath or does it control you? The answer is: both. Breath is a unique biological function in that it occurs involuntarily, but can be manipulated through conscious effort. As part of my decade-long pursuit of greater peace of mind, I have engaged in mindfulness meditation exercises focusing on the breath. This … Continue reading The Secret to Peace of Mind: The Breath
Taking Accountability for Your Stress
You know how they say people can't drive us crazy if we don't give them the keys? Or how the only thing we can control in life is our response? Well, I've been thinking about this for a long time—more than a decade in fact—and while I understand this on a rational level, it hasn't … Continue reading Taking Accountability for Your Stress
Channeling Suffering Into Creativity
I read an insightful blog post on turning suffering into creativity by Dr. Eric Perry. I find I resonate and learn from many of his posts. The link to this particular blog post is here. I wrote the following in a comment to this blog post: "I have gone through suffering and have also come … Continue reading Channeling Suffering Into Creativity
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
Feeling More Grounded Socially
Growing up I yearned to be invited to the gatherings of the "cool crowd." Sometimes I was, and sometimes I wasn't, and that made it all the more difficult and sad for me. Recently I got a last-minute invite to Shabbat lunch from a family whom we've been trying to have over for a while. … Continue reading Feeling More Grounded Socially
Inner Child Work: It’s Not You, It Was the Group Setting
Over the past decade I have read books and attended seminars about healing one's inner child. One time in the preschool classroom where I work, I was reminded of this concept. A child was crying and we were all getting frustrated about how to calm him down. And I realized that if this child were … Continue reading Inner Child Work: It’s Not You, It Was the Group Setting
Relearning Meditation at Life’s Transitions
I trained to become a yoga instructor in 2009 and 2010. I was practicing yoga, breathing exercises, and mindfulness meditation on an almost daily basis. Then I got injured at the end of 2011, and all that basically went out the window. Who wants to slow down and be in their body just so they … Continue reading Relearning Meditation at Life’s Transitions
