“Be kinder to yourself. And then let your kindness flood the world.” Pema Chodron I’ve always been told that life is not what happens to you, but how you respond to it that matters. That is a quote I’ve often heard from the Toddford, my dad. We as people are able to manage our reactions […]
Do you listen to hear, or do you just wait to talk? Caring about and being motivated to contribute to the well-being of one’s family, friends, school, community, the environment, and the greater good is the basis for social awareness, the third of five Social Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies. Listening and observing are the most […]
Relationship skills are critical to success in life and work. Healthy Relationships show: -Mutual respect. Respect means that each person values who the other is and understands the other person’s boundaries. -Trust. People should place trust in each other and give each other the benefit of the doubt. -Honesty -Compromise -Individuality -Good communication -Anger control […]
“Permanent reminder of a temporary feeling.” Jimmy Buffett sang that one, and the Toddford, my dad, uses it a lot. Choices. Decisions. We’ve all got them to make, and daily. Kids of all ages are faced with critical decisions as well as adults, decisions that could change lives forever. Responsible decision making is the fifth […]
“Now what?” What if the government decides that for you? Does that mean you have no choice? As long as you’re conscious, you’re making choices. You’re not always aware of the process but it’s there. This is important: the conditions that conspire to present you with your current set of choices are not always under […]
“There’s something happening here, but what it is ain’t exactly clear…” Buffalo Springfield said it best in “For What it’s Worth” in 1966. And that is just what’s happening here in my book, Hold Your Breath…Breathe. I was influenced by my distant cousin, Pete Gent, who wrote The North Dallas Forty in the sixties and […]
Have you ever been forced out of your comfort zone? Did you adjust and flow with the changes, or did you fight your new normal?
“If we fail to adapt, we fail to move forward.” John Wooden
“If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet…” (or in our case, paws!) Rachel Wolchin
