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Nurturing Creative Thinking in Challenging Times

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  “Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” ~ Mary Lou Cook   “Creativity involves breaking out of expected patterns in order to look at things in a different way.” ~ Edward de Bono Our ability to be creative has been called upon so much during these times when everything is different, changing and unpredictable. It’s required for each of us to navigate daily life. And it’s absolutely necessary for… Continue reading

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The Art of Allowing – When Everything is Topsy-Turvy

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Recent years have been topsy-turvy for all of us. So much has changed, so much is uncertain. For some of us it’s disastrous in terms of income, housing and of course health. There is a wide spectrum between those most severely impacted and those who are affected in less extreme ways. But every single person is affected. As someone noted, “We’re all in the same storm, but we’re not in the same boat.” We all… Continue reading

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Dixie, Stephen Foster and the Song Track of Our Childhoods

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    “I wish I was in de land oh cotton, old times dar am not forgotten, Look away, look away, look away, Dixie Land. In Dixie Land whar I was born in, Early on one frosty mornin’, Look away, look away, look away, Dixie Land! Den I wish I was in Dixie, Hooray, Hooray!  In Dixie Land I’ll take my stand to lib and die in Dixie.Away, away, away down south in Dixie….” I picture… Continue reading

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10 Minute Tasks – a Way to Break Through Overwhelm Fog

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Do you ever experience overwhelm fog – kind of like brain fog? I certainly do, especially at times when things are  uncertain and changing. As things change our brains sometimes struggle to keep up. It may be new schedules or juggling different responsibilities. And there is a component of mental fatigue for many of us.  I was looking for an additional tool beyond those I have used to manage various parts of life previously and… Continue reading

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Ways to Use Five Healing Spices to Boost Your Immune System

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In a previous post, A Spicy Approach to Staying Healthy, I introduced five healing spices that are likely in your cupboard and that can help keep your immune system strong. How can we use turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cumin, and cloves to make a difference in our health? Here are some suggestions for using each. How to Use Turmeric You can choose to use either the ground powder or the fresh turmeric root. The powder… Continue reading

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A Spicy Approach to Staying Healthy

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As we continue during a time of pandemic, our concern about not being infected by the COVID-19 virus persists and grows. We know the actions that will decrease our chances of that happening from our public health officials. Generally boosting our immune system is critical even more than usual to ensure our general health and wellness. We need to keep our bodies strong, address deficiencies and be able to ward off other illnesses and conditions… Continue reading

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Are You A Worrier? Managing Worry In Difficult Times, Part II

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 “Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength – carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”  ― Corrie Ten Boom Many of us consider worry a given.  It may be, as a friend often says, “Worrying about my children and grandchildren is a mother’s job. It’s what we do.” Or it may be accepting it as part of… Continue reading

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ARE YOU A WORRIER? MANAGING WORRY IN DIFFICULT TIMES, PART I

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Do you find yourself worrying a lot these days? It may be related to the broad effects of the pandemic or to the specific effects on our personal lives. When there is great uncertainty, worry multiplies. Worry is a word that we use a lot. Let’s use this definition as a base: to give way to anxiety or unease; allow one’s mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles.  As a noun, worry is a state… Continue reading

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Dealing With Our Fear In Times of Great Uncertainty

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Fear is a strong word. Sometimes we can admit we are fearful of things. Other times we couch it in terms like concern, trepidation, unease, apprehensiveness, or dread. Whatever you name it, there are plenty of things that may fall into these categories in this year of uncertainty and change. It may have to do with employment and income, care of children and their educational arrangements, health and recovery, family relationships affected by limitations of… Continue reading

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Creatively Planning for a Season With Many Unknowns

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As we move into the official summer months of 2020, our normal anticipation is drastically changed. Things that we typically spend time doing, whether for adults or children, may be cancelled or modified – or still have unknown status.  Plans we had made or things we anticipated doing are questionable or changed. Some things that are available may not feel safe yet. And things could revert back to more restrictions if the infection rates rise… Continue reading