Last post, I talked about struggles with mental health. When I have struggled, I have often prayed, sometimes in desperation, asking over and over for help. And there have been often times when I didn't feel anything. I wanted the peace of the Spirit so many times, and I couldn't feel it. Recently, I read… Continue reading Prayer in the midst of despair
My experience with bipolar 2
A few months after the birth of my third child, I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease or hyperthyroidism, where my thyroid was working too hard. Medication worked really well, putting me back to normal with no side effects. I went into remission and then relapsed two and a half years later, but medication worked again.… Continue reading My experience with bipolar 2
Questions to ask for conversation
Is there anything new happening? What are some challenges you have right now? What sort of music do you like? What hobbies do you enjoy? Have you read any good books lately? Where did you grow up? Watched any good TV shows lately? What projects are you involved in? What do you like to learn… Continue reading Questions to ask for conversation
Gratitude for the things you don’t like
The other day, I was saying my morning prayers and I decided to say I was grateful for everything I didn't really like in my life. I am grateful for bad days. I am grateful for sticky floors. I am grateful for toys all over the floor. I am grateful for when my kids scream.… Continue reading Gratitude for the things you don’t like
A meditation
Breathe. Breathe. Time moves forward, linearly progressing. After one breath, there comes another. Your heart beats. After one beat comes another. And another, always moving. And your thoughts move as well, one after the other. Notice your thoughts. While they may seem to jump around in distraction, they are always linear, one after the other… Continue reading A meditation
Technology
(written a few months ago) My five-year-old son had a meltdown today because I suggested he had to play outside before getting on the tablet. So I made a decision that we were going to take the week off of technology. The tablet is set up for educational purposes. The kid wanted to do math.… Continue reading Technology
A collection of thoughts
I think it's dangerous to make simple issues complicated or to make complicated issues simple. We like to do a lot of both, but we should try to remember the complexity as it really is. *** You don't discover who you are as much as choose who you are. I think it's dangerous to think… Continue reading A collection of thoughts
Stages of life
Baby. Incredibly fast learning and growing. Toddler and preschool. Discovery that there is a physical world. Elementary. Discovery of self in that world. Middle school. Loss of self as the world gets bigger and more metaphysical. High school. Rebuilding self in expanding circle. Young adult. Connecting with the world as it really is. Adult. Parent.… Continue reading Stages of life
Doing things and getting things done
I like to make lists. But then I have a problem: I am so caught up in getting the list done and checking it off that I don't spend any time actually enjoying what I'm doing. This creates a lot of stress in my life because I am rarely present and mindful. Instead, I just… Continue reading Doing things and getting things done
Recent life hacks
Rituals are really helpful in order to express love. We love our children and our spouse and our family, but often we just think expressions of love will happen naturally and spontaneously. They don't. We have to plan it a bit. Love means that we always kiss each other good night. Or that we tuck… Continue reading Recent life hacks