The Cartesian Question Tool is a set of 4 questions that can lead to new awareness of what inspires you and what blocks you from making a decision or seeking a particular goal. These questions may seem a bit strange or repetitive at first, but please bear with me. The 4 Cartesian Questions, formulated by Rene Descartes, a 17th century French philosopher and mathematician, are ideal for any critical thinking process you face. They can help you to: Find new solutions and
Read more →“It’s only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth-and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up-that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had.” (Elisabeth Kubler-Ross) Facing our feelings about our own death can be a positive thing. Allowing ourselves to experience rather than deny our death-feelings can help us cultivate a life-affirming death awareness. Such awareness
Read more →Is your life overstuffed? Are you giving up things that really matter to you for the sake of many trivial things that don’t? This excellent article from the Harvard Business Review will get you thinking!
Read more →How optimal is comfort for you? How willing are you to push yourself out of your comfort zone? We all have a comfort zone: activities, places, people and routines that feel reassuring, predictable and comfortable. Comfortable has been defined as: • being free from stress and anxiety • being contented and undisturbed • being at ease • being relaxed • being free from affliction and pain For many of us, being comfortable is a desired outcome. We set up our
Read more →When we’re clear on what we are responsible for and what we are not responsible for, we’re poised to take appropriate personal responsibility for our lives. I often ask my clients to make two columns on a big piece of paper with these two headings: “What I Am Responsible For” and “What I Am Not Responsible For”. We brainstorm together and gradually fill in the columns with words or images that represent things happening in the client’s life. Over time, the same
Read more →Our important relationships can suffer when we avoid difficult truth-telling conversations. When we’re experiencing pain and discomfort in a relationship, an honest conversation about the problem can be a good first step towards positive change in the relationship. Initiating such a conversation can be challenging though, especially with someone who is easily threatened or irresponsible. Sometimes, when we’ve been hurt in the past or when our previous attempts at truth-telling conversations have failed, we begin to avoid such
Read more →Who Are the People You Turn To? Who are the people you turn to for support? The people you choose to have with you at your special times like holidays and celebrations? The person or persons you want to talk with in good times and bad? Who is really there for you? Who’s in and who’s out? Research demonstrates that our well-being is tied to our connections with other people who love and support us. Our well-being improves when there are people
Read more →Is it time for you to shake it up? To initiate some daring positive change in your life? Shake it up changes don’t have to be major, like moving to a new city or taking a new job. Smaller changes like rearranging the furniture, cleaning out a closet, taking a pottery class or changing a few daily behavior patterns can have similar growth-producing effects. Shake it up changes can prevent us from getting static, stale and stuck in our ways.
Read more →Can A Song Change The World? I’m a musician. I write songs. I just hope when the day is done I’ve been able to tear a little corner off of the darkness. (Bono of U2) Do you ever feel overwhelmed by all the suffering in this world and wonder if your life is making a difference? I do. All I have to do is watch the evening news. When in less than five minutes I hear about an airplane crash,
Read more →Negative self-talk can make moving forward difficult. When we listen to our negative voices and believe them, we can end up sabotaging ourselves. “You aren’t working hard enough!” “You should be further along in your career!” “You aren’t smart enough, attractive enough, wealthy enough, experienced enough, old enough……..you’re not enough!” “You’re too introverted, too extroverted, too aggressive……you’re too much!” Negative self-talk is often the result of unrealistic shoulds that we carry. When we don’t measure up to our shoulds, they scold us.
Read more →