trust
When Your Child Is Your Spiritual Coach
Coming from a family who never communicated their personal feelings, I learned a lot about the importance of communication between age groups in my early teens, when I was sent to live with a Dutch family with three children for several months.
I always admired their closeness, but it wasn’t until I actually moved in with them, that I realized just how far their caring and sharing went towards feeling part of such a close knit family. They prayed together too, and included me, always asking for healing for my mother who was having treatment at the time for her ‘nervous condition.’
In later years, as a recovering alcoholic in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), I would often hear the expression, “A family that prays together, stays together.” I am sure this family has stayed close all these years, even though we have lost touch. Continue reading
Trust Your Intuition To Avoid Gaslighting
Gaslighting can be a very destructive component of a toxic relationship. It basically refers to any form of ‘reality twisting’ or ‘crazy making’ that aims to confuse or manipulate the victim. Gaslighting is used to gain power and control in the relationship, by making the victim question their reality.
The phenomenon is typically found in romantic relationships, but it can occur in all kinds of social relationships, including friendships, in the workplace and with neighbors. Sometimes it is done in an obvious way, right under the victim’s nose, but mostly it is done under the radar and you don’t always know who is gaslighting you, or even that you are being gaslighted. Continue reading
The ‘Can Do’ People
Some of us are ‘can do’ people, while others are always saying, “No can do.” Who would you rather be? This has given me food for thought. What do I really tell myself about my own abilities? Can I really do what I want to do, or am I going to do whatever it may be?
Some people tell themselves that they are not smart enough to do what they want to do for their life’s work. Their mind is already made up. No can do. They go through life accepting and settling for their second, or even third choice.
Others have the attitude, when told they can’t possibly do something, they will show the world they can accomplish anything they choose to do. They believe they can achieve anything they put their mind too. Continue reading
Navigating A New Relationship
I believe today’s society has a backward approach on love and it is causing relationships to form quickly and then go nowhere.
It’s exciting when you first meet someone new who has the potential. Feelings become intensified and the possibilities become endless on where it could all go. The problem enters when both parties initially fail to get to know each other or ask the hard hitting questions in the beginning of the relationship.
Are they looking for a short term or long term commitment? Do they still have an attachment to someone else? Do they value and want a family? How well do they handle conflict? Am I able to be myself with this person? Will we be able to compromise on the bigger issues? Will they be a positive influence in my life? Continue reading