You Control Your Mind

How you perceive everything – positive or negative – is yours to control. I don’t know that I can fully put into words the tremendous positivity that comes from you being in control of your mind. But I’m going to try. First – please accept this statement: Human beings are animals. Our brains, however, have evolved beyond the simplicities of survival and propagation of the species. We can dream of new wonders beyond the comprehension not only of the rest

Who Stands by You?

As you traverse your paths in life, who stands by you both matters – and doesn’t. Introverts or extroverts, human beings are social creatures. Some people need the energy and connection – literal and figurative – of others in their lives frequently. Some people need that same energy far less often. But it’s a fact of life and human nature that we’re social and need at least SOME interaction and connection. When I began to be more authentic in how

Better is Always Possible

One aspect of positivity is that better is always possible. When things are bad, they can – and generally do – get better. Maybe not immediately. Certainly not as quickly as you might prefer. But they can, and will, and do. Because consciousness creates reality – this is something to be mindful of. When your thoughts and feelings are mostly subconscious, seeing better in a negative or even neutral situation can be challenging. But when you practice mindfulness and are

Working With an Attention Deficit

Recognizing this – and what an attention deficit means – is the first step in working with it. For me, I know I don’t have ADD or ADHD. Often, I have what I call ADOS – Attention Deficit Oooooooo Shiny syndrome. I get distracted by something that catches my attention and takes over my focus. I know a lot of people who, as adults, have determined they suffer from either Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD).

Small Positives Add Up

All the little, small positives you encounter are huge. Positivity comes in all shapes and sizes. Often, we look at these “big picture” notions and ideas of the world. Lots of people spend a tremendous amount of time focused on these things. Hyperfocused. And that makes it easy to get drawn into them. It’s great to be in the know. I totally advise it. But there is a difference between informed and inundated. Yes, you should know all about the

Reason and Reasonable Are Not the Same

Knowing the difference between reason and reasonable can smooth-over any path you choose. We live in a fear-based society. Everywhere you turn fear is used to prevent growth, create artificial limitations, stifle creativity, and disempower the masses while keeping a select few “in power.” If you don’t believe me, just look at the GOP here in the United States. The vast majority of their party line is how the “other” – be it liberal, immigrant, black person, woman, LGBTQ person,

Positivity Empowers Everyone

But beware of toxic positivity. I strive to be optimistic and positive. Because I am human – and I have good days and bad days – I don’t always get it right. There are days it’s hard to get out of bed and face what’s coming. They’re not frequent, but they happen. Further, things can and do occur during a given day where you might get thrown off your game. Just over seven years ago, I get onto Facebook on

Normalizing Mental Health Matters

Let’s get real – normalizing mental health matters is the elephant in every room. What the hell is normal, anyhow? The answer is far easier than we tend to make it. Normal is what’s right for you. Yet society has concocted numerous bizarre notions of what normal should be. For example – man and woman marry and produce children; you work a 9-5 job Monday-Friday; hobbies are gender-specific. Then, it often goes deeper and becomes a lot more insidious. Rather

You are Responsible for How You Feel

To some this is harsh. But being responsible for how you feel empowers you and doesn’t invalidate your feelings. Feelings are complicated. This is true for numerous reasons. Feelings are a matter of both how and what. How you feel and what you feel can have very different meanings, and even conflict. What are you feeling? This tends to be the name you put to the feeling you have. This can be challenging because there are lots of nuances in

Balancing Mindfulness Within and Without

Nobody lives in a vacuum. Balancing mindfulness within and without provides perspective on this. The last four years – at least here in the United States – have been tumultuous. One of the biggest takeaways from all that has transpired has been a new impression of people. We’ve seen some of the best of humanity – as well as some of the worst. There have been amazing examples of generosity, love, caring, kindness, and compassion. But then, there have also

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