October 19, 2020 – The lens of hope encourages us to put things in perspective.  Do your current problems look different when you put them in the context of your long-term goals?  We can’t prevent bad or difficult things from happening, but we can control how we respond to them.  Hopeful people learn healthy coping skills, so life’s challenges don’t derail their progress.  … [Read more...]

October 5, 2020 – We all have a choice about which lens we use to view life.  One powerful lens is “hope”. Dictionary.com defines hope as, “the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.” Hope is a muscle that can be developed and strengthened by choosing to focus on the positive aspects of life. When things are going badly, hope chooses … [Read more...]

September 28, 2020 -  This month we’ve focused on self-compassion. Here are some final thoughts. Which self do you want to be today? The person that is self-critical and doesn’t deserve compassion? Or the self that is your friend, who’s imperfect but ultimately wants to, and will do, the right thing? Choose to be a compassionate friend to yourself! — Janet Leatherwood, … [Read more...]

September 21, 2020 - Using a “going home” checklist to create resilience and self-compassion is a good idea and simple to hardwire in your daily routine with 5 simple steps: Take a moment to reflect on your day Acknowledge one thing that was difficult during your workday. Take a deep breath and begin letting it go Next, consider three things that went well Now consider … [Read more...]

September 14, 2020 - Self-compassion takes practice.  There are some great self-compassion exercises listed on Dr. Kristin Neff’s self-compassion website. Exercise 1: How would you treat a friend? Exercise 2: Self-compassion break Exercise 3: Exploring self-compassion through writing Exercise 4: Supportive touch Exercise 5: Changing your critical self-talk Exercise 6: … [Read more...]