Dear Journeyer, Nearly every day I read this question or hear someone pleading for an answer to the overwhelming fear or loss they feel inside. A sense of loneliness or of feeling alone can impact any combination of your academic, emotional, physical, social, and spiritual facets and it is one of the factors that could be standing between you and … Read More
Ask Annah: Why Do I Feel Worse 2-3 Years after My Significant Life Loss Event
Dear Journeyer, I am often asked some variation of this question: “It’s been three years since my child/parent/sibling/spouse/best friend died and I feel worse now than I did when it happened. What is wrong with me?” Though this query often references the death of a person, I have also heard it with regard to other forms of loss, including but … Read More
And So It Is
Happy Sunday, Journeyer, Some of our greatest thinkers and spiritualist have these or similar sayings, “Your thoughts create your reality,” and “Change your thinking; change your world.” Part of mindfulness meditation is allowing feelings and sensations to move through us without effecting us in harmful or negative ways. One of the ways we create our desired realities is by creating … Read More
When Happiness is Hard
“Hard times always lead to something great.” ~ Fashion Designer, Betsey Johnson Dear Journeyer, This last week was tough…really tough. After three years of struggle at my other job, I finally faced something that I can’t comprehend. I had two, back-to-back events that ultimately triggered panic attacks. For those of you who have ever endured these physiological symptoms, my heart … Read More
Springing into Action
Happy Sunday, Journeyer! As I type, the sun is blazing through the picture window at my back, a welcome change from the cloud-covered rainy days of recent. Every spring I find myself springing into action in new and refreshing ways. Warren is in Thailand and this cat has a full day of play ahead of her, beginning with last minute … Read More
The Gift is in the Curse
Happy Sunday-Monday, Journeyer! As I reflect on this past week, many of the happy moments I experienced have to do with connections to other people. Not just any people, but those who have suffered tragedy and survived by turning their sadness into support. They are our grief neighbors and our healing allies. But I also pondered other people in my … Read More
A Passenger’s Slice of Life
“When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you and grow.” —Shauna Niequest Happy Sunday, Journeyer! As I reflected on this week’s events, all I could think of was that each moment that fed my happy was like a little slice of Life Pie. And then tonight Warren, Big Guy, his gal friend, … Read More
Healing and the Two Sides of Darkness
Winter is well underway, Journeyer, and Seasonal Affective Disorder looms over many of our heads. This post I wrote a year ago was wildly popular and I can only surmise it is because there are many thousands of us whose bodies don’t work quite right during those winter days and months of shortened daylight. May you find some modicum of … Read More
Making Merry, Nice, and the Most of Life through Changing Our Thoughts
“The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they make the best of everything.” ~ Author Unknown Happy Sunday, Journeyer, You know those expressions about being split wide open or having our hearts swell to the breaking point? Those are the things that happen right before our greatest personal growth moments. They are the loss events that eventually lead … Read More