I confess – I’ve always had a secret love for the dictionary. I find language to be fascinating, care about the way that things are said, and appreciate the nuances in the choice of one word over another.
I found myself the other day thinking about how we have a tendency to interchange the words thankful and grateful. So I decided to do a little research and what I found really surprised me. It’s changed the way that I look at the idea of gratitude.
Many people seem to just be chomping at the bit to get back out there, sometimes even before the divorce is final. I’ve heard various responses to this question. One “formula” is to wait a year for every year that you were married before pursuing dating again. This seems a bit extreme, especially for those who had many years of marriage under their belt – they might not ever date again at that rate!
When tragedy happens, we all react differently. Some become vocal; some become silent; others need a hug or a listening ear. Athletic teams are no different than a traditional family unit. The individuals may cope in various ways, but the team has a choice of leaning on each other or going separate ways.
My “escape hatch” has always been California. That’s right, the state of California. I’ve always fantasized about picking up and moving there when life got tough. If I thought something might not work out, be it a relationship or a career move, I’ve comforted myself with a secret plan to leave town, move to California and never look back. Something about this thought soothes me.
Today, many young athletes are interested in exploring sports as a source of exercise, extra-curricular activity, or future career opportunities. There are an array of physical and mental developmental milestones that are necessary for young athletes to accomplish and participate in sports successfully. It is essential that parents are aware of the potential negative effects participating in sports could have on their young athlete.
If you struggle with anger, taking the time to measure your angry outbursts can be a helpful tool. Anger has such a negative reputation because of the way people react when this emotion surfaces. I often tell clients that anger is a signal that flashes across our lives to indicate that something is happening which may be very important in that one moment in time.
Community is a word that we hear often. We have our work community, our neighborhood community, community outreach, and even the television comedy Community. Regardless of how you are thinking of the word ‘community,’ we are all members of various groups. These groups help us shape our view of belonging, purpose, and commitment to the group.
Part of the challenge with this kind of stress is that it is outside of our control. Most people can handle almost anything for a few days, but after that window of time, endurance fatigue starts to set in and people begin to feel overwhelmed and hopeless. It’s important to do what you can to manage the stress of the uncertain and unknown. Here are a few things that we recommend to our clients during times of stress…
Going to college is an exciting time in an adolescent’s life! Everything is new: new freedoms, new experiences, new friends, and new life paths. It is also a major life transition that is stressful and demanding. This transition often triggers an eating disorder in those who are genetically pre-disposed or otherwise vulnerable. Early detection and intervention are critical as eating disorders can be so devastating.
Aggressive behavior is a style of expressing one’s feelings and needs in a way that violates the rights of others. This pattern of behavior will often generate fear in others and alienate them from the aggressor. An individual with a pattern of aggressive behavior will blame others instead of taking accountability for their actions.
