We think our lives have a strength to them, but remove a few Jenga pegs, experience a shock, and we can easily topple to the stress. So we build with each other and find new resilience. A couple of mornings ago, my son said “Nice Jenga Dad.” I was puzzled […]
boundaries
62 posts
Storms of life can hit hard against our mental health, but we can learn to stand firm and even advance. Developing resilience is a practice of strengthing your inner Bulldog. It was quite something as I watched this little goat headbutt a Bulldog. Repeatedly it launched itself at the Bulldog, […]
Some people can be difficult to live at peace with. To live peaceably and in harmony requires each person to do the work on themselves. Some people are like bottomless holes. You give and give, and they take and take. They raise a storm, and you’re expected to bring peace. […]
Few of us know how to fully and deeply relax. The noisy neighbors can keep us from the rest we need, but when we feel safe and known, we can restore. He almost went to sleep. That was the first observation he shared with me after a short spiritual meditation […]
Criticism comes to us all, but we can grow through it. We need to listen, ask questions and learn how to handle it with dignity. They knew what was going to happen even before they got home. They were going to have to run through a gauntlet of criticism. Where […]
Criticism, shouting, or being ‘put down’ releases the hormone Cortisol into our blood system. It causes us discomfort. When we know this, we can take greater responsibility for our responses. Four little words will send a shot of terror into a man’s soul. ‘We need to talk.’ On a local […]
Church and Mental Health? How about sitting with someone and being gently curious about the struggles of their soul. Now that is what I call ‘Church.’ I once sat in a church service and seated in front of me were two men. One was a highly paid lawyer, a partner […]
When we are loyal to our lies, we are like an emperor in undies. Delusions believed as truth will destroy. We need to be open to others gently telling us when we have been conned. One of my favorite stories from Hans Christian Andersen is “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” Here […]
When the verbal vomit from a shouting bully has been heaved over your life, you need to recover and get smart. Empower yourself with some worded wisdom. It wasn’t just the loudness of voice; it was also the barrage of words. Condemning, harsh, judgemental words flowing wild and free like […]
Mental health is discovering what you were born to create, building a supportive nest around it and protecting it like a Viking shield maiden. It was the scary wild eyes that made me take a step back. Recently I have been doing some gardening at a retirement village. This isn’t just […]