Blog

Mercury is Retrograde!

Have you had any challenging communications in the past week or two? Any confrontations or frustrations in making decisions or working things out with others? I have been talking with friends and family and colleagues and there is a lot of wacky stuff going on out there these days!

So far this week I personally know of an assault on a hospice facility security guard by an irate family member, a major theft from a family member’s bank account, a friend who couldn’t take it anymore and suddenly quit her job, and a friend who after being super CDC careful for the past 18 months was diagnosed with Covid19 and is now in bed sick and frustrated.

Can you relate?

We bought a new vehicle this week. For months, Steve had searched high and low to find the perfect truck to replace the one we’ve had for 18 years. We spent 3 frustrating hours with the slick salesman and finally signed the deal. We got our new truck, drove it for 2 days...

RESPITE

RESPITE

For the past 18 months (which feels like 18 years!) we have talked about endurance and resilience and bucking up to stay strong during these crazy times.

But today is about relief! RESPITE.  In the Medicare Hospice Benefit, there is a level of care called Respite. Where caregivers can get a rest by having their loved one admitted to a facility for up to 5 days to give the caregiver a much-needed break.

What kind of a respite do you need today?  What will give you a breather from the chaos swirling around all of us? A nap? Is it a walk?  Is it a drive to see Fall unfolding?  Is it a funny movie or blueberry pancakes with extra syrup and no guilt? 

Things that fill my soul offering respite from my daily routine and reality are a boat ride and a walk in the wilderness on Cumberland Island, GA  then watching the sunset with my sweetie. 

Along with Music, Poetry, Art, Nature, laughter, BEAUTY, and yes, college...

Stillness

Very often my mind is so full and active it’s like New York City in there, churning and noisy, I have conversations with myself that often run me in circles.

At night, I’m tired, I go to bed, pull up the covers, and close my eyes and my brain says “YEA! No distractions it’s time to solve problems and wonder ‘why I did I say THAT to THEM’ or ‘why did I eat that for dinner?’ or ‘WHAT IF I CAN NEVER GET ON AN AIRPLANE AGAIN?!…” and on she goes. 

I do all sorts of things to distract myself to quiet my mind and find some stillness. 

I will begin with repetitions like “all is well, and I am well” or “the time to rest is now” and say it 20-30 times, just to get my mind to slow down.

Or, I’ll begin to say the Lord’s Prayer in my head until I find myself saying… “Our Father, who art in Heaven … hum, what I should cook for...

Walking Through Honey

4.17.21

OK, I'll admit it, I sometimes feel befuddled, not every day and not all the time. But as a woman who thrived on motion, constantly feeding off the energy in an airport concourse filled with rushing people as I traveled to see clients, my world is very different now. My current reality is sitting in the same chair in front of the same computer screen for hours on end, then thinking, "what day is it?" or "what am I doing here?".

Productivity has taken on new meaning. I have a fully edited new book just waiting to go to a publisher. I have new online courses that I have been working on that are lolly-gagging around in my files. I created a new group coaching course, and I haven't let anyone know about it yet. WHO AM I?! I don't recognize this formerly driven woman!

Some days it feels like I'm walking through honey and not in a good way. Years ago, in my days as a hospice Executive Director, at a leadership retreat, we did an exercise of...