As much as I try to appreciate and dwell in the precious current moment, it’s hard not to wonder and worry about how things are going to turn out.
When focusing on how things are going to turn out interferes with my ability to appreciate the present, I redirect my attention, over and over again, to being here, now.
Nevertheless, I do wonder how things are going to turn out today, tomorrow, and on Election Day this Tuesday. I worry about how things are going to turn out for my son Aaron and future generations. I hope Americans turn out in record numbers to vote this time.
I don’t know how the future will turn out, but I do know how things turned out yesterday for me, because I
In the week before the U.S. midterm elections, I am searching for tranquility.
Can you find tranquility in my images for today?
I’m very aware of stress on National Stress Awareness Day, so I’m going to search for “tranquility” on YouTube.
Ahmad Jamal’s music has given me tranquility and much more over the years, so thanks to him and everyone else who helped me create this Tranquility post, including YOU.
… I thought about a recent therapy session when I had suggested that someone — who was dealing with many slings and arrows of outrageous fortune in their lives — visualize and design some imaginary body armor to protect themselves. This person loved that assignment and looked forward to sketching some cool body armor they could then imagine putting on when they were feeling vulnerable.
This morning, as I get ready to go out into the world, I feel like I could use some body armor, too. My body armor would be colorful, strong, comfortable, and allow myself to move and react nimbly. My body armor would repel bad news, aggression, and toxicity from the outside and let my own self-defeating thoughts escape easily.
Do you see any examples of body armor in today’s images?
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Do you think imagining and wearing body armor might help you live your best life during these scary times?
Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “body armor.”
When I spent hours looking at tiles for our shower remodel yesterday, little did I know that I was looking at body armor.
Thanks to all who — like imaginary body armor — help me feel safer, including YOU.
As I recover from a bad reaction to the booster shot, yesterday was a better day than Friday. I’m thinking today might be even better, especially because I’ll be ZOOMing with my son Aaron and my ex-husband Leon.
Tomorrow, I’ll be facilitating my first in-person therapy group since the beginning of the pandemic and I hope that makes it a better day for approximately eight people. I’ll have markers there in case anyone wants to make the day better by drawing a facial expression on their mask.
Do you see better days in any of these images?
What could be a better day than National Dictionary Day AND Global Cat Day?
Here’s the song I keep hearing in my head as I’m writing this “Better Days” post.
Thanks to all who make my days better and brighter, including YOU.
I just looked up “a fear of forgetting” and found this, which I hope I don’t forget.
I have a fear of forgetting
to take my medicine, especially my Coumadin,
people’s names,
people’s birthdays,
how to operate my car whenever I bring it in for it’s yearly inspection,
other important things I need to do at infrequent intervals,
something I’m going to need whenever I leave the house,
how to do a therapy group in person (which I’m going to do this month for the first time since the pandemic started), and
how to reassure myself and calm myself down when I’m having fears.
I also have a fear of being forgotten, so maybe I really do have (hold on, what’s the name again?) ….athazagoraphobia!
I actually don’t have a fear of forgetting that name, because I can always look it up again.
I tell my patients — who often have a fear of forgetting, especially as they age — that anxiety makes us more forgetful and that forgetting things is often normal. For example, as we age, we often have trouble retrieving nouns and names. And althazagoraphobia is a noun and a name.
Oooops! So close …. it’s athazagoraphobia.
Do you see the fear of forgetting in any of my images for today?
I have a fear of forgetting to share the National Days on Twitter, but so far so good.
Here’s what I find when I search YouTube for “a fear of forgetting.”
I have no fear if forgetting to thank all those who help me create these daily posts, including YOU!
That got me thinking: Who IS responsible for damage?
I’m responsible for having conflicting thoughts about this question.
If we focus on blame (which is also a cognitive distortion), that can get in the way of moving forward with next steps for solutions. But if we don’t take responsibility, we’re likely to remain stuck in old patterns.
Maybe we can be responsible for our own lives — mistakes and all — AND resist getting stuck in blame and finger-pointing.
Who’s responsible for the images in today’s post?
People sometimes ask me who’s responsible for those National and International Days, and the truth is that I don’t know. But I’m celebrating National Scribble Day by being responsible for this daily scribble of a blog.
For months, I’ve been asking the question “How are you going to celebrate this precious day?” on Twitter, every day.
Today, I know the answer for many, many people.
Growing up in an Orthodox Jewish home, I didn’t celebrate Christmas Eve back then, but I do now. Indeed, the older I get, the more I celebrate.
How are you going to celebrate this precious day? I hope my latest photos and images help you celebrate.
Because I was born with a very rare heart condition, I’ve known since I was young that we all have limited time. That seems to be my deepest and oldest wisdom — that we should celebrate every day as best we can.
I am going to celebrate this precious day by sharing this video of the ballet dancer Marianela Nunez.
I am also going to celebrate this precious day by thanking everyone who helps me create this daily blog, including YOU.
The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally 