This is going to be a weird weekend, I thought. There aren’t any football games this weekend. What will Emily and I do to occupy our day? For the past twenty-plus weeks, Emily and I have watched football. Saturdays have been a sprinkling of college games (this is the first year we have watched them).Continue reading “Unexpected JOY in a Reluctant YES”
Category Archives: Mental Health
Gratitude is a Practice
According to Merriam-Webster, Gratitude is a noun. Gratitude is defined as the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Is gratitude just a noun? I have always thought about gratitude as an action. Something we do. It is something to be practiced like yoga and meditation. I am gratefulContinue reading “Gratitude is a Practice”
Some Days Are Like That…
When my children were young, I would read to them every night. It was a great way to connect with my kids at the end of the day. I enjoyed revisiting books of my youth and was also introduced to new book series that Justin loved. One of our favorites was Alexander and the Terrible,Continue reading “Some Days Are Like That…”
Apply Grace and Grit Liberally
Recently I created a short video for We Are Brave Together. The prompt was to share a piece of helpful advice for moms with children diagnosed with a disability. It was easy to talk about the two things that have helped me the most on my journey. I am talking about grit and grace. TheseContinue reading “Apply Grace and Grit Liberally”
Consistency Over Intensity
As I write this, we are already a week into 2022. I am not someone who charges into the new year at warp speed. I like to ease into the year. I take time to reflect on the year that has gone by. I slowly assess what I accomplished in the previous year and whatContinue reading “Consistency Over Intensity”
Dear 2021
I wasn’t sure what I wanted to express this week. Some weeks I have many ideas, and I have trouble deciding what to write. At other times, the words flow as I sit to write. This week I decided to do something a little different. I love to reflect on the year as it isContinue reading “Dear 2021”
Action Lessens the Fear
The last few days, I have not slept well. I have been tossing and turning. Waking up often and having bad dreams. I think Oprah said, “When you know better, you do better.” Well, Oprah, I disagree. My toolbox is full of techniques and protocols to optimize sleep. You can have ample knowledge, but ifContinue reading “Action Lessens the Fear”
When Gratitude Eludes You
We celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States in November. Stories of thanks and gratitude are abundant. But what if gratitude eludes you? What if in the storm you do not see any clear skies or rainbows? When the world seems high on life, and you are not, then what? I saw a post that read:Continue reading “When Gratitude Eludes You”
Holiday Expectations and Stress
The holidays can bring up a lot of emotion. The most wonderful time of the year is often the most stressful time of the year. The actions we choose to cope with or diminish the stress are not always the healthiest. We over-commit, overspend, overeat, over-drink. Holidays can seem more challenging when you have aContinue reading “Holiday Expectations and Stress”
Caregiver Burnout: Understand it. Prevent it.
Caregiver burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. It may be accompanied by a change in attitude, from positive and caring to negative and unconcerned. Burnout can occur when caregivers don’t get the help they need, or if they try to do more than they are able, physically, emotionally, or financially. ManyContinue reading “Caregiver Burnout: Understand it. Prevent it.”
Conversation for Change 