The Impact of Parents, 2

Present. If your parents were able to break through the chaos of adult problems and find moments of eye contact and present warmth, the message was, you are valued, you belong here. If olympic strides were needed to gain engaged connection with your parents, you began to wonder, do I matter here? If thoughts and feelings were dismissed, minimized, or even ignored, steel footprints for 30-story buildings began to form for protection. It would be easy for a child to begin to wonder if they are really alone here. The impact is found in your current adult relationships. Do you live with a sentiment of value and belonging? Is your 30-story building fully built-out with stainless-steel appliances and a doorman? Journal Prompts: My parents were present when... My thoughts mattered when... I needed my parents to be present when...

The Impact of Parents, 1

There are no perfect parents. There are human parents. And, there were parent experiences that helped you find a step ladder to reach the top shelf instead of walking past while you were reaching and straining from your tippy toes.Why does your parent experience matter? It was your first social relationship. It laid the tracks … Continue reading The Impact of Parents, 1 →

Diapers: An Essay About Rory

Today marks 13 years since my son Rory died. This year, I’ve grieved him through writing. I am abundantly aware that I am far from the only one robbed and run over by horrendous grief. Yet, I am reminded that suffering is not meant to be endured alone but carried together.

Boundaries, 4

Boundaries, 3

Boundaries, 2

Boundaries, 1

A Journal Prompt for Dropping the Ball

Does dropping the proverbial ball need to define you? Might you shelf your character assassination for the acknowledgement that there is much happening outside of your control. Journal Prompt: ...is out of my control

Gaps

You respond to what is missing. Life will absolutely leave gaps. If you spend your life arranging everything around what is missing, you live in reactivity. What would it look like if the gaps were not in the driver’s seat? Journal Prompts: I arrange around... If my gaps didn’t drive, I would...

Journal Prompt

Mental piling is when you stack and track several things at one time. Even small triggers will push you over the edge if you are always riding near your capacity. Your emotional system has limits, even if you have trouble with them. Journal Prompts: I am currently tracking and stacking... My emotional system says the limit is...