Regardless of what has happened to you, how much you have, what you do, or what other people think or say about you*… you are loved, celebrated, and cherished. On the 11th anniversary of my traumatic brain injury today, I want to warmly and assuredly whisper to you that you are celebrated for the person…
Tag: Self-Care
My Needs Matter
I’ve been reading snippets from Respectful Parents Respectful Kids over the past year. I’m especially mindful of parenting these days, as parenting –especially during Covid– is HARD, we have an adorably-active toddler, and also, I’m very very pregnant (expecting baby girl any day now). Among other things, this workbook so kindly and firmly highlights the…
I CAN. I am capable
It was the Little Blue Engine’s attitude that got her up over the mountain to deliver all the dolls and toys to the good boys and girls on the other side of the mountain ( haha, can you tell we read Watty Piper’s The Little Engine that Could with our daughter a lot?!) In psychological…
How to Improve Brain Health
Neuroplasticity basically means that your brain is able to change (it is NOT static): it can grow and strengthen, build new connections, etc. The fact that I am writing this right now is an example of the amazing miracle of neuroplasticity: even when the traditional routes are damaged or innately weak (ie. such as from…
Beginner’s Guide to Mindfulness
Late last February (two weeks before the national shutdown), I went to a cluster of lectures facilitated by the famous Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis. I remember feeling exhilarated as I walked to this workshop, gleefully rejoicing that my 2-month-old was sleeping (on me), that I figured out how to use the baby carrier and felt good…
Set Limits
In a society that proclaims that people are (and should be) limitless, it can be really hard to believe the truth sometimes. It’s OKaY (and normal and expected!) …. when you feel or know that you are limited. when you feel or know that you can’t do everything. when you feel or know that you…
Integrate Racial Justice as part of Life Rhythm
My dear friend, Teesha, co-wrote a book with her friend, John, called Black & White: Disrupting Racism One Friendship at a Time. Teesha is a black woman and John is a white man. They are friends, both pastors– and met at the church they were working at in Atlanta, GA. The book that they wrote…
Nourishing Ourselves with Kindness
It’s okay that it might take longer for you to [ X]…. or it takes more effort to do [ Y]….. or that you do not excel at [ Z] …… You did not excel at these things before this worldwide pandemic. And, you’re reacting and responding in the best way you know how, given…
Power of Social Support
During quarantine, the ways that we seek (and also receive) social support probably look different. But, we eagerly and abundantly need it. “Social support is the most powerful protection against becoming overwhelmed by stress and trauma” Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD and leading researcher on trauma Restoring relationships and community is central to restoring well-being…
A Quick Grounding Exercise
Hey there! Try this! Let me know if this helps to ground you in the present moment. Name… I’ll go first. In demonstrating this for you, you might be able to guess what I’m doing: I’m munching on carrots and hummus. 🙂 This grounding activity is an exercise towards building mindfulness, which has been researched…