On a particularly difficult day for me last month, a friend gave me a book that he knew would lift my spirits. It was a collection of quotes and drawings that contained simple wisdom for living a life of peaceful presence (I've mentioned the work of Francois Lange at Sketches in Stillness on the blog before - I remain a huge fan). Having experienced that thoughtfulness and kindness myself, I was reminded of how offering up a gift is a powerful act for both the receiver AND…
Today I read a statement/affirmation/words of wisdom that I want to share. I'll get to that. But first I want to briefly talk about visibility. Visibility in chronic illness is a frequent topic. Or rather, invisibility is. Although some of the symptoms and side effects may be obvious, much of the experience plays out beneath the surface or behind the curtains, where friends, colleagues and even family do not see. These silent and insidious side effects are far reaching and include both physical and psychological processes. …
A video post today about how values can help you in both good times and the tough moments. Values
Acceptance is such a common theme that I am revisiting it again - you can see my first video post on the topic here: Acceptance Naturally, when we are faced with something unpleasant, we want it to go away. As with any problem we encounter in life, our natural instinct is to find a solution. We may seek this solution through consulting with a health professional, requesting input from our community or attempting self management. Thankfully, one of these options generally provides the answers we seek…
I recently came across this: I immediately loved the quote and set about finding the source. I was even more thrilled to see it came from this article: 11 Quotes to Remember When You Feel Exhausted Take a read through whenever you are feeling worn out - hope comes from just doing the next best thing. Sometimes that thing is reading other people's wisdom.
For mental well-being, taking breaks (and vacations from work) is essential. An interesting article by Cari Romm on the Science of Us blog earlier this year highlights the importance of scheduling in those breaks! It turns out we are actually more productive after planned breaks (vs. taking them when we think we need them). Who knew? Follow the link below to read the whole story... Taking Breaks Is Good for You — But Scheduling Your Breaks Is Even Better
If you are feeling weary of trying so hard to manage your health and manage your life, you may be interested in the next offering of the Rising Strong™ curriculum on October 14 and 15, 2017. What: A small-group experience co-presented by Karen Gilbert, OT, CDWF. This experiential group is based on the Rising Strong™ book and curriculum of Brene Brown and will focus on supporting you in creating your own story throughout the challenges of a health condition. When: Saturday and Sunday, 9:00am – 2:30pm, October 14-15, 2017 Where: Oak and…
We all wear many different hats in the various parts of our lives. The person you are at work is slightly different than the one you are with your children and they are both different than who you are when you are at the doctor's office. This is normal and adaptive. Life's many contexts require us to share aspects of our personality with discretion. From time to time, though, you may start to ask the question "who am I really?". This might occur after a particularly…
Have you ever felt embarrassed that you needed to be learn the same lesson more than once? In today's video, I explore this common human experience. I also provide tips on how to deal with the frustration of finding yourself learning a lesson you thought you had already learned. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBxffwRHWhI
Both here on the blog and in my client sessions, I talk a lot about self care. Sometimes I feel the words start to get a little tired and worn from over-use. Yet I continue to stress self care because I truly believe it is vital to living and thriving. We very simply NEED to engage in practices that care for ourselves. An article recently touched on the subtleties of self care. The article beautifully distinguishes acts of daily human maintenance from more intentional acts of self-care. Please read…