Anger was palpable in my home. Unfortunately, my parents were unhappy in their marriage as far back as I can remember, leaving them with a hefty dose of rage and grief. I’m sure there was a time when they had fun and high hopes for a fulfilling life together, but these early dreams . . .
Continue reading...Families
Love Avoidance:
Regulating the Emotional Distance (Part 2)
Face it. We all long for love yet push it away at times. This is the human condition. So how can you learn about this part of you? . . .
Continue reading...Love Avoidance:
Regulating the Emotional Distance (Part 1)
Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it. ― Rumi
All of us come into the world defenseless and vulnerable, and in the best of circumstances, we have a good enough parent, . . .
Continue reading...Cultivating Contentment (Part 2)
Action Step #1: Ask yourself the following question: “What matters most to me?” which is a shortcut to clarifying your values. For example, my top answers are relationships, love and ease. It took me several years to understand these core values, and now . . .
Continue reading...Cultivating Contentment (Part 1)
I think I’ve always struggled with happiness although I do have some fond memories with neighborhood friends when I was a kid. On the inside of my home I saw a lot of suffering that showed up as competition, criticism and envy, just to name a few painful ingredients. My childhood was not a happy time of my life, but somehow I managed to shut the door to my bedroom and create a mini-sanctuary equipped with . . .
Continue reading...The Rhythm Within (Part 2)
When it comes to slowing down and listening more intently to the rhythm within, there is no one formula. It will take some trial and error to see what works best for you. Here are some possibilities you may consider: . . .
Continue reading...The Rhythm Within (Part 1)
Having grown up in the 70s in a turbulent family, I found creative ways to cope with the chaos of our home. First of all, I worked really hard to make good friends. As a matter of fact, I was adopted by at least four families before the age of 12. I also tried to be as busy as possible and do all of my homework and my chores. Except for stopping long enough to watch the innovative sitcoms of the 70s such as All in the Family, M.A.S.H. and the Mary Tyler Moore Show, I was always on the go. Doing, achieving and perfecting became my survival strategies to avoid the sadness, hurt and anger within me. If I did enough, achieved enough and perfected enough, somehow . . .
Continue reading...