The journey to heal myself and my life…
Posted in Attitude / Beliefs, Quotes on Jun 15th, 2011
I love inspirational quotes. They only take a moment to read, yet they can impart immeasurable wisdom on a variety of topics. For this reason, I’ve decided to include quotes as a regular feature of “The Healing Project.” The topics will vary, but I know that I will enjoy sharing some of my favorite inspirational [...]
Posted in Fears / Worry, Gay Hendricks, Gratitude, Health Issues on Jan 14th, 2011
About two months ago, I found a lump in my breast. I tried to remain calm, but I immediately scheduled the mammogram I’d been putting off for quite some time. In fact, my mother would be horrified to learn that I hadn’t had a mammogram in six years! Fortunately, I was able to get in for the mammogram the day after I made the call, but my fears were not alleviated. I was asked to come back for a breast ultrasound to get a better look at the suspicious area. I learned that I would have to wait two weeks for the ultrasound.
While I was waiting to have the ultrasound done, I did my best to maintain a positive attitude. I told myself that what I had was just a benign cyst and that it would soon disintegrate. I affirmed my health and vitality the best I could and devoted my attention to my to-do list. I reminded myself of the two powerful questions which Gay Hendricks (in “The Big Leap”) suggests we ask when we find ourselves immersed in worry:
1. Is it a real possibility?
2. Is there any action I can take right now to make a positive difference?
In my case, the answer to the first question was yes. It was a real possibility that the lump in my breast could be malignant. However, the answer to the second question was no. I had taken the necessary actions to determine the state of the lump by having the mammogram done and scheduling the follow-up ultrasound. There was really nothing else I could do until I knew the outcome, so it was not in my best interest to worry. There was little I could do except wait and go about my life as per usual.
Posted in Attitude / Beliefs, Gratitude, Relationships on Dec 16th, 2010
As this is the holiday season, I gave some thought as to what might be an appropriate post for “The Healing Project.” While for many people, this is a joyous time of year, for countless others, it’s a time of stress and despair. As I am not a particularly religious person (I always call myself “spiritual but not religious”), I have had to give some consideration as to what this time of year represents to me. In this post, I share some of my personal insights on Christmas and the holiday season and what I consider to be the greatest lesson for this time of year.
As Christmas approaches, we start to see the holiday decorations in the stores and television and newspaper ads for gift suggestions and sales. We are told to show our love for those in our lives by buying them the “perfect gift,” often at a premium price. Since many people are already strapped for cash in the midst of the recession, the stress induced by the pressure to buy is higher than ever. We wrestle with questions of who to buy for, what to buy and how much to spend. We rush out to crowded shopping malls and comb the packed aisles and racks in search of a gift which will either serve to express our love or fulfill an obligation. Most of us don’t stop to wonder, “Is this what Christmas is all about?” Religious or not, we can probably all agree that Christmas has been distilled down to a shopping and buying related event in this country for many people. If we think about it, we may consider it a sad reality, but a reality nonetheless.
Posted in Dennis Prager, Gratitude on May 3rd, 2010
Today’s post focuses on a concept introduced by author Dennis Prager in his book, “Happiness is a Serious Problem.” I highly recommend this book as a concise and extremely informative book on the often elusive subject of happiness. Dennis presents a number of life-changing philosophies in his book, but one of the best is the concept of the “missing tile syndrome.”
Imagine this Scenario…
Imagine that you are in a dentist’s office having your teeth cleaned and are thus focused on the ceiling above you. As you glance around the room, you notice that one of the ceiling tiles is missing. Although the majority of the ceiling is pristine and perfect, you would likely be transfixed upon that one missing tile for the remainder of your visit.
As human beings, we have a tendency to focus on what is missing instead of on what is present. That is fine for ceilings, as they can be perfect. The danger is when we apply the same focus and filter to our lives…
