tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40871400198745796432024-03-05T00:31:50.349-08:00PeaceworkMake the world a better place. Follow this blog each week with posts that encourage and inspire creating a better world.Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.comBlogger403125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-14326974250219723662020-09-23T06:40:00.000-07:002020-09-23T06:40:42.284-07:00I Guess Not<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDd3x68Xj4R4ReR1JBj_Gl6v7l9fMSkuCw9CbnIEpSUZFq1ZDWg6bhdMGAnDB3ZvBbnlSAPhGv_c1sbK1oWybtkfkNPgUuL46ID8L2VHv2c-fGUoh_wroPQgY2Fxv1bFNrycutxL1gYcM/s640/ice-4685227_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDd3x68Xj4R4ReR1JBj_Gl6v7l9fMSkuCw9CbnIEpSUZFq1ZDWg6bhdMGAnDB3ZvBbnlSAPhGv_c1sbK1oWybtkfkNPgUuL46ID8L2VHv2c-fGUoh_wroPQgY2Fxv1bFNrycutxL1gYcM/s320/ice-4685227_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/LNLNLN-1131094/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=4685227" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px;">Leonhard Niederwimmer</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=4685227" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span><br /><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I find that there is no response to my absence on this blog, so have decided it should change. Just not sure what direction to take it. I find that trying to be consistent with posting to be anxiety producing, which is something I don't need right now. So whatever I do, I don't think it will be on a regular schedule, at least not for awhile.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'd still like to make a positive difference in someone's life, to help the world be a better place one person at a time. So shall I be commentator, an encourager, educator, instructor, inspiration? What? And what do I want from that? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If I want acknowledgement, how do I get you, Reader, to respond/comment/contribute? Should I be controversial? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Should I consider using the blog for profit? Fill it with ads that I get paid for? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">What do YOU think?</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRTB6PoR4mlQJw_-RLEioXrqAVJvGA_HYZGuj6EZsikLgrL3oROPSUPkWb1guzK0TCpdg2kH6n7oGPp1UcEums3l1vXJV0LtBmaKUTQHhiE1LpkT6gKuKJ3__N15cXWG363hxyetoJtdk/s640/time-for-a-change-3842467_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRTB6PoR4mlQJw_-RLEioXrqAVJvGA_HYZGuj6EZsikLgrL3oROPSUPkWb1guzK0TCpdg2kH6n7oGPp1UcEums3l1vXJV0LtBmaKUTQHhiE1LpkT6gKuKJ3__N15cXWG363hxyetoJtdk/s320/time-for-a-change-3842467_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Image by </span><a href="https://pixabay.com/users/Alexas_Fotos-686414/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3842467" style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: none !important; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">Alexas_Fotos</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> from </span><a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3842467" style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: none !important; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">Pixabay</a></span><p></p>Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-92130448497121592012020-08-23T04:00:00.000-07:002020-08-23T04:00:05.098-07:00Did You Miss Me?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUoRYJR752oqBzLWVrYTapsu_mNx0yZf8eBoQTcuJVSV7eImTEtazLcEzu8iGc6h0JBzD8NMIMhCLNvqniGngrelC1IcbYw2fpAESgeW55X3eEDIW9xEWd8eDVoi9Po7uAannzxfjEGrQ/s1600/sorrow-1714779_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="640" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUoRYJR752oqBzLWVrYTapsu_mNx0yZf8eBoQTcuJVSV7eImTEtazLcEzu8iGc6h0JBzD8NMIMhCLNvqniGngrelC1IcbYw2fpAESgeW55X3eEDIW9xEWd8eDVoi9Po7uAannzxfjEGrQ/s320/sorrow-1714779_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/Alesya-Lesechka-3435076/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1714779" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Alesya-Lesechka</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1714779" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I didn't post last week. I was wondering if anyone noticed. Did you miss me?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is there anyone else you haven't heard from or seen in a while? Have you checked on them? Do you know how they are doing?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this Covid-19 world, checking on folks could be really important. We don't really know what friends and family are going through if we don't hear from them. Isolation, especially for older folks, can be pervasive. While many, probably most of you are out and about, those at higher risk are still trying to stay safe at home. Contact with others is very limited, especially if they don't have internet access.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So check in. See how they are doing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Personally, I'm struggling with loss of emotional stamina. I seem to have lost the ability to "go with the flow." World, national, local and family events have worn me out. Early this week a major personal loss kind of did me in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, I'll recover. It is just so rare for me to not to be able to deal with life well. I'm just having to take extra care of myself. And, I do get tired of having to do that, too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I would like for you to do is for you to let me know if my blog makes any difference. Is it worth continuing? Or would it make any difference if I didn't post a weekly blog post?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Comment, please.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeH8TCQt6KquzAdeahPLm-yTI7-hg4BsmSh1KLqKQU7UYL-wFOj4oxyz1MOiIPzVdSU_y3Jdodko4IbMo6hAYtFvtwyIYvRGqFNQbwyh2HUXXssGK9dmGhcMZ_mtTS-pWgnHuBMlip-U4/s1600/write-4564247_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeH8TCQt6KquzAdeahPLm-yTI7-hg4BsmSh1KLqKQU7UYL-wFOj4oxyz1MOiIPzVdSU_y3Jdodko4IbMo6hAYtFvtwyIYvRGqFNQbwyh2HUXXssGK9dmGhcMZ_mtTS-pWgnHuBMlip-U4/s320/write-4564247_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/silviarita-3142410/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=4564247" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">silviarita</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=4564247" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span>Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-30584480446685913252020-08-09T04:00:00.000-07:002020-08-09T04:00:04.158-07:00Break or Be Broken?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBzQmQNMbSBSUqGGW1nY6FtOGPgHiCBD-yxHzVjqhPZh3-9liM1JUWH0_diPAoTh7ijDOhHNCF-FO9RuHkqFwZmSvlwcs2jmSd185tD2rjDfqswOfI6hoMqr2ECdadunvfSPuD9Dd24YA/s1600/broken-window-960188_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBzQmQNMbSBSUqGGW1nY6FtOGPgHiCBD-yxHzVjqhPZh3-9liM1JUWH0_diPAoTh7ijDOhHNCF-FO9RuHkqFwZmSvlwcs2jmSd185tD2rjDfqswOfI6hoMqr2ECdadunvfSPuD9Dd24YA/s320/broken-window-960188_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/skeeze-272447/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=960188" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">skeeze</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=960188" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is no question that the stress levels are very high these days. There are so many uncertainties, so much chaos, fear, pain, grief, etc. So it is imperative that we take special care of our mental and physical health.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Accumulated stress can break you. You can become overwhelmed, depressed, physically ill, and feeling out of control. You can lose your sense of direction, hope, even your faith.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We can't let that happen. The troubling times are not over. We need stamina to make it through the months ahead. But if you are broken, you won't make it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, let's all take a break! Taking a break means "interrupting activity briefly." Take some control by consciously setting aside time to simply stop. Temporarily stop attending to those things that create your stress.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maybe you need a few hours less on social media. Or maybe you can stop watching the news every evening. Or you can meditate on beauty or nature or joy. Give your mind a break from the stimuli that keep the chaos churning in your brain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Try reading a novel for pleasure or watch a funny movie or something that takes your focus away from your own life. Or start taking walks on a regular basis, without your cell phone!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Find something that takes you away for a few minutes, at least. And you'll be better prepared for re-entering the fray.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take a break. Don't get broken. </span>Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-83389733018392791132020-08-02T04:00:00.000-07:002020-08-02T04:00:00.337-07:00False Evidence Appearing Real<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMbB8B3QrlIughpfa37SHoMJgBW4aQFVd-xtzQtEmH11z00WOZS6iJsmbud_ZhFaK9Pz2vcXcQk_7ZkWSEf46XJKNQPyb2gAeMoC3yjtEHpB6vPD6feaVthFCePKjemvmSQyfbJJAlmg/s1600/stress-2902537_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMbB8B3QrlIughpfa37SHoMJgBW4aQFVd-xtzQtEmH11z00WOZS6iJsmbud_ZhFaK9Pz2vcXcQk_7ZkWSEf46XJKNQPyb2gAeMoC3yjtEHpB6vPD6feaVthFCePKjemvmSQyfbJJAlmg/s320/stress-2902537_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/TheDigitalArtist-202249/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2902537" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Pete Linforth</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2902537" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">F.E.A.R.: False Evidence Appearing Real</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fear is a natural reaction to a present threat. It helps us protect ourselves from present danger. It is when the danger isn't present but is anticipated that can keep us stuck, prevent us from moving forward.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Check out this article b</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #747474; font-family: Lato; font-size: 18px;">y </span><a href="http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Transform-Your-Fear-Into-Courage/3" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lato; font-size: 18px; text-decoration-line: none; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: color, background-color, border-color; transition-timing-function: linear;" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Ed and Deb Shapiro</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://awaken.com/2013/01/overcoming-f-e-a-r-false-evidence-appearing-real/#:~:text=This%20self-generated%20fear%20is%20found%20in%20its%20acronym%3A,makes%20you%20cling%20to%20the%20known%20and%20familiar." target="_blank">Overcoming-f-e-a-r-false-evidence-appearing-real</a> from AWAKEN.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't let these fears keep you frozen, unable to move through them. We can't afford to let fear win.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-68972879132179665042020-07-28T04:00:00.000-07:002020-07-28T19:11:56.579-07:00Fear: I See It Everywhere<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6booAfLoeaP3Bo04V4-NX8g8ND0psELGW1ZgqKQTNDUHdKQDrOrrGknqMVh_-z0QmviyPl-tor5YUq84m2xMbbpW9f7ye2-6v8CXTDGYiOKtxJnQXjWyez3VMaO2x_Kl5d3KZ6go2K-8/s1600/soldiers-311384_640.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="640" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6booAfLoeaP3Bo04V4-NX8g8ND0psELGW1ZgqKQTNDUHdKQDrOrrGknqMVh_-z0QmviyPl-tor5YUq84m2xMbbpW9f7ye2-6v8CXTDGYiOKtxJnQXjWyez3VMaO2x_Kl5d3KZ6go2K-8/s320/soldiers-311384_640.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The only way to diminish all the anger and violence is to reduce the fear. Anger or pain are the most common causes of fear.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">People feel angry when they fear losing something important to them, or when they are in pain. Remember the last time you stubbed your toe or hit your finger with the hammer? What word did you say - or at least want to say?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, we see a lot of anger and violence, and we seem to have trouble understanding why. It is because of all the fear and pain (including emotional pain) people are experiencing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">People are afraid to wear masks because they think they will lose their right to choose more than they fear the Covid 19 virus. They tell themselves that they wouldn't die of it, and usually don't consider that they might have permanent organ damage from it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">People are in pain from losing jobs, income, the ability to provide for their family. They are in pain from losing social interactions, from losing loved ones to Covid-19, from dealing with so many changes in their lifestyles. People fear they will lose their home, their belongings. They lose contact with their elderly family members in long term senior facilities.They fear losing their plans and dreams of their future.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">People are afraid of losing things that they care about. Some of their fears are realistic - but not all. Many are based on "what ifs" that have very little chance of happening. Some are things they can prevent if they put their minds to it and ask for help. Some are things they are told or seen in the media that are just not true. The T.V. and Internet send out false information to sensationalize the information and to manipulate the public to do or not do things.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">People fear themselves. Well, actually they fear learning who they are at their center. And all this time of quarantine and isolation leaves them without their usual busyness, and they are confronted with "empty time". For many, this is very scary, and they frantically fill it with TV marathons and constant time on their cell phones and internet checking out all the sensationalized posts.. Or they compulsively cook or bake and eat. Or their addictive behaviors get out of control.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Depression and anxiety increase. We hear of more and more suicides and murders.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fear and distrust multiply when the truth and lies compete for their attention. This is why we see so much anger and violence. This is what we must confront in order to find our way of the chaos.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Start by looking within yourself. Get to know your own feelings of fear and develop a method that helps you confront your own fears. Then listen to others to learn what supports their anger or pain. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is only when we reduce the pain and anger, </span><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the situations that create those </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>feelings</i>,</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> that we can begin to reduce the chaos. We must provide accurate</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and true information and confront the false, manipulative information. We must teach ourselves and others how to deal with those fears, to confront the likelihood of the occurrence of what is feared and/or develop plans for how to prevent or deal with them if they do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We need to take back the power of truth, honesty, integrity. It is time that we addressed the problems and not just the symptoms, the pain and fear and not just the anger and violence. Of course, we can't ignore the violence, but we must work extraordinarily hard to reduce the pain and fear that fuels it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We must make peace in our communities and our country. We can't wait for someone else to do it. We must invest our time, energy, money in changing the experiences that cause pain and fear.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Only we can make this a better world</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-2579455414285218152020-07-19T04:00:00.000-07:002020-07-19T11:12:31.463-07:00Listen to Understand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A lot going on in our country/world these days. And a lot of it is sometimes hard to understand. When we don't understand, we increase our stress, making our lives harder. Let's try to find some understanding. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm learning to listen differently. Listen through a different perspective than our own. For me, I have to consider a perspective of someone younger, someone with a different income level, someone with a different childhood experience, someone with a different cultural heritage, someone with a different family experience. Those are just some of the differences that can shape what a person thinks, feels, and believes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And each is valid for that person. "Different" is neither good or evil. It just is. Our values are formed by our experiences throughout life. Yes, it is possible to change one's values if they aren't working for us. But not everyone knows that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So when I listen to someone who is different, I need to consider their perspective from where they are in their life. What shaped their values? What would it be like to be, say, twenty years younger? What life events did they not experience that you did? The assassination of JFK was significant for me.Times were very different after that in our country. Assassinations of prominent people was not part of my youth before then. After that followed Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, etc. A different world for our country.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What would it be like to have been born into a lower or higher income family? What if our parents hadn't finished the 8th grade or had been college graduates? What if food was hard to come by, if we never knew when we'd have a full meal, if we didn't have lunch money for school? Or what if everything came to us easily, we always had whatever we wanted, never went without anything, never went without any necessity or want? Our attitude about life would be very different if everything was given to us without our struggle, or if we never had enough no matter how hard we tried.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What would it be like to be a child in a dirty backstreet alley with no toys but junk we picked up, with no grass or trees, no one at home most of the time, with violence and poverty the norm. How would that shape someone differently from someone growing up in clean, well kept neighborhoods where at least one parent was home during the day and both at home at night. Where bikes, wagons, basketballs, and dolls were the norm;Where you didn't experience violence or going without what you needed, and those things only happened on t.v.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How might you be different if your family and neighborhood were from a different culture? Are you aware of what those differences are? Cultural histories have a great bearing on a person's values and point of view. What if your grandparents had been interred in camps because of theire nationality? What if your parents didn't have access to the jobs or education thay wanted because of their nationality? What if you were ridiculed and bullied in school because of your heritage? How would you see the world differently?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What if you grew up in a very different kind of family? Maybe you didn't experience a two-parent family, that that wasn't the norm when you were growing up. Maybe your siblings each had different fathers that came and went in your lives. What if you grew up with a parent that was drug addicted? What if you were removed from your home by community services and then bounced around in foster care. Or what if you were raised by your grandmother of aunt because your parents were absent for any variety of reasons? What if your mother was abused by your father or other men in your life? What would your beliefs about family, about women, about marriage, about all of that be later in your life? How would you see the world differently?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you listen to learn these things about others, it is easier tu understand them, the things they do and say. You can begin to see things from other perspectives and can open your mind to the differences in people's experiences.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But in order to do that, you have to connect with people who are different, people you don't understand, and have meaningful conversations. You need to listen in a different way than when you listen with the intent to disagree and convince them their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs are wrong. Acknowledge the differences and look for common ground. You will find you are more alike than different and that there are many things you have in common.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Listen, and come together to make a better world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;">Image by </span><a href="https://pixabay.com/users/johnhain-352999/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=422196" style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: none !important; white-space: nowrap;">John Hain</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;"> from </span><a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=422196" style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; white-space: nowrap;">Pixabay</a></span></div>
<br />Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-81169493674956165202020-07-12T04:00:00.000-07:002020-07-12T14:02:33.880-07:00Remember When Computers First Became Popular for Homes?<br />
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<span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/andreas160578-2383079/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1895383" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">andreas160578</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1895383" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Pixabay</a></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Computers were supposed to make life easier. And we were told to look forward to a paperless society. Do you remember that? You are probably too young. Most folks have lived their whole lives with computers as part of their normalcy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I remember our first computer. It wasn't even on line. The internet wasn't for personal use yet. Basically it was a word processor that soon went to online use, email and for academic research mostly. It made library research much easier.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And paper was on these connected pages that rolled through sprockets on your printer. The printer was louder, too. But we really didn't print that much then.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then came the Internet and faster computers and more ways to use them. We are now to the place of information overload. With social media and digital news sites we can spend days learning new things, or playing computer games. FaceBook has half the world on line at any given time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, has it made your life easier? Not mine. I've had to learn new languages, techno speak, interpreting error messages, finding the correct web links, keeping up with email.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">EMAIL! Currently I'm changing email providers. Have you ever done that? Argh. What a process to get old address books to new inbox. Letting everyone know your new address, including the sites you log into. I'm ready to go back to a paper address book! Lots easier to copy into a new one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the process I'm also unsubscribing from a lot of junk mail that comes my way. That's a good thing, just time consuming, especially not each site has the same link to do it. And some of them require more than just a click on a link to make the cancellation. They really don't want you to go!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, about that paperless society? Before you had a computer, did you ever buy paper by the ream? Crazy. Now, I guess since the coming of iPhones, etc., lots of those things I print to take to the store or blood drive can be done with a scan of the phone. I'm just not there yet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been dragging my feet about getting an iPhone. But it is getting to be that there are things you can only do with a cellphone. So we are shopping for one now. Sometime down the road I'll probably have a blog about that whole experience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the meantime, enjoy your easier life with less paper.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/myrfa-3126475/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1614223" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Ag Ku</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1614223" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Pixabay</a></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span><br />
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<br />Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-45300311739605934992020-07-05T04:00:00.000-07:002020-07-05T04:00:06.804-07:00It's Just Too Much<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/whoismargot-840119/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2912424" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px;">Małgorzata Tomczak</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2912424" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These days it is just too much to handle. My brain feels like it might explode. So many conflicting thoughts. So much conflict. And with the fireworks, I feel like it is an actual war zone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The quarantine fatigue, the crisis fatigue, and political fatigue pile up. At the end of the day I'm wiped out. Am I the only one? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm sure that for me it is magnified by my sense of helplessness, because of my age and physical limitations, to participate in the causes I believe in. Makes it harder. And all the family challenges we've had lately take a toll on emotional energy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I often play games on the computer as a way to escape it all. I also crochet and watch mindless television in the evenings when I'm too tired to do anything else. I communicate with family and friends, I'm still quarantining, you see. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And sometimes writing this blog is a way for me to let off a little steam. I don't know who, or if anyone, reads it. But writing itself helps. Sometimes I focus on the issues and sometimes I focus on special topics. Either way I am focusing on something beyond myself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope you are staying safe: keeping social distance, wearing a mask, washing your hands. The virus is not a trivial thing. If you read last week's blog you know why I am sure of that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Care about others enough to wear that mask when you are around other people than those you live with. Stay home as much as you can. We have to stop the virus from spreading and killing more and more people. If we don't, we kill our country. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yep. Plain and simple, that is the outcome of our not paying attention to the science, of not caring for each other enough to stop the spread.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So respect and care about each other. Make this a better world with just those small things to do. We are in this together. Do your part.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Questions:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is it like for you these days to live in the midst of all this? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What are you doing to stay sane? How do you deal with the emotional fatigue?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd like to write about what others are curious about. Any suggestions?</span>Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-50199596702644368522020-06-28T04:00:00.000-07:002020-06-28T04:00:08.699-07:00Ruth Was More Than A Number<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="The Only R-word in Our Dictionary is RESPECT | Mary Ellen ..." src="https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.OiOvxQES9WV15qmEuOiEvAHaDt&pid=Api&rs=1&c=1&qlt=95&w=212&h=106" /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you see the number of persons in the U.S. who have died of Covid-19 in the posted statistics, what do you actually see? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Really. What DO you see? Do you see people or just numbers. Numbers aren't very real, are they? They are easy to dismiss. But what about Ruth?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ruth was my mother-in-law. She died of Covid-19. We buried her Friday. And, because of the pandemic, it was a rather surreal experience. But she is definitely dead. And we all are grieving her death. And she is only one of those hundreds of thousands of other people who have died from the virus that so many think is<i> no big deal.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ruth was a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother. She had cared for her family, taught school, volunteered, was active in her community as long as she was able. She had friends she had stayed in contact with for decades. She would help anyone with anything. She had respect for others, for her country, for her heritage. She was more than a number.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>As are each of those others</b> in the "deceased from Covid-19" statistics.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And there are also the people, not in that statistic, who "recovered" with permanent damage to vital organs. They know Covid-19 is a big deal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am so offended</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> when I see people not wearing masks and gathering in large groups without distancing indoors, people who don't think they will get the virus, and even if they do, they won't have a bad case. I am so offended by people who think it is "not a big deal", and therefore don't have to wear a mask..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maybe they won't get the virus. But they could easily pass it to someone else. And that someone else might have underlying health issues that make it more likely for the virus to take their life or cause permanent damage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, I don't get offended easily. But when people are unwilling to wear a mask to protect those of us that are at high risk for fatal or life threatening cases of the virus, I get offended, feel disrespected. Why are so many people unwilling to care about other people, about their community, or even about whether the spike in cases might close the economy again? It boggles my mind.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A mask is an inconvenience. I don't enjoy wearing one either. But I do. We don't seem to have a problem wearing seat belts, which I find more uncomfortable than the mask. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are willing to obey traffic laws, at least most of the time. Why not wear a mask when out in public? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most of us respect property lines, we don't trample other peoples plants, we even say "excuse me" if we accidently bump into someone. Respect for others! Why not respect the health of others by wearing a mask?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What has happened to respect for others? How would you feel if you knew that someone died because YOU didn't wear a mask?</span><br />
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<img alt="S.C. Gov. McMaster says mask requirement unenforceable" src="https://s.yimg.com/fz/api/res/1.2/icHlX2zOGlwezAN1VMpiPw--~C/YXBwaWQ9c3JjaGRkO2ZpPWZpbGw7aD05MjtweG9mZj0wO3B5b2ZmPTA7cT04MDt3PTE2NA--/https://www.bing.com/th?id=ON.38DC482DAA31D376BCCDDE13E0D174D4&pid=News&w=700&h=466" /></div>
Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-82213697982397502252020-06-21T04:00:00.000-07:002020-06-21T04:00:06.126-07:00The More You Know, The More You Can Understand<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXLML4IJ-SrhhqcRbNEKkILjrDagvfNzWLh5CL11u4t0zwxPm81PQTf_7QAfHgdqKtvBLZBJlwR0yB_3kTxLyhVKITGoGLwbErrKg9EHE8VYmec0yO0RGY9_bFQXY6NmcWmJnJNpc7ZQ/s1600/face-985977_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="640" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXLML4IJ-SrhhqcRbNEKkILjrDagvfNzWLh5CL11u4t0zwxPm81PQTf_7QAfHgdqKtvBLZBJlwR0yB_3kTxLyhVKITGoGLwbErrKg9EHE8VYmec0yO0RGY9_bFQXY6NmcWmJnJNpc7ZQ/s400/face-985977_640.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We seem to be seeing a wave or empathy moving through our country. Why now? Why not in all the years before the death of yet another black man?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Empathy is the ability to share and understand each other's experiences. We think of it as an innate trait. But it is really a skill. The correct experiences, habits and practices can increase empathic capacity. The more it is exercised the stronger it becomes. On the other hand, other experiences can cause empathy to atrophy, like a muscle that is unused.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seeing a police officer kneel on the neck of a man for more than 8 minutes, even after he had obviously lost consciousness, shocked the nation when the video went viral. The officers' obvious lack of concern for the life of a man who was suspected of passing a counterfeit $20 bill was an experience that gave us clear knowledge of the black experience. The ability to share that experience helped us understand what we had ignored for so long.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Researchers have found that power and privilege sap our ability to understand others. Psychologist Michael Kraus and his colleagues measured people's socio-economic status and their ability to decipher emotions in pictures and in-person interactions. They found that people higher in status were less accurate about other people's feelings. And more recent work has replicated these results and also found that high-status people make more errors when trying to take another's perspective.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Empathy is a skill that we need to make the world better. When we know and better understand others, the more we can create peace, inclusivity, collaboration, etc. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, if you are someone who wants to make the world better, you need to create experiences where you can get to know people who are different from you in some way, so that you can understand them and know what they are about, what they need or want. Practice listening to others without trying to shape what they say or think. Make a habit of connecting with more people to learn more about them and their lives. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is especially important if you are in a leadership role. You will make much better decisions as a result. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make this the Empathy Era. </span><br />
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<br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Postoni, BodoniSvtyTwoITCTT-Book, georgia, serif;"> </span>(from "<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Postoni, BodoniSvtyTwoITCTT-Book, georgia, serif;">Calls for racial justice gained steam with</span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Postoni, BodoniSvtyTwoITCTT-Book, georgia, serif;"> empathy" </span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Postoni, BodoniSvtyTwoITCTT-Book, georgia, serif;">by </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Franklin, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="author-name font-bold black" style="color: black; font-weight: 700;">Jamil </span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Franklin, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="author-name font-bold black" style="color: black; font-weight: 700;">Jaki</span></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Postoni, BodoniSvtyTwoITCTT-Book, georgia, serif;">),</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Postoni, BodoniSvtyTwoITCTT-Book, georgia, serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/calls-for-racial-justice-gained-steam-with-empathy/2020/06/19/fc33c39c-b190-11ea-8758-bfd1d045525a_story.html">https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/calls-for-racial-justice-gained-steam-with-empathy/2020/06/19/fc33c39c-b190-11ea-8758-bfd1d045525a_story.html</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZbAGHUEeaEPc6hPpDWCF2M3nQsvMpRP3ghixxnwmc7FegieLqThxeUKFWLtTKNcMwmjSpCQKyRY4uAGGjgwJx4FdAjJWTEJ3FQSP8Zn3qXdIdMzgKwOrIUenO4JkpuUh8-fp-QFEEIk/s1600/letters-3720920_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZbAGHUEeaEPc6hPpDWCF2M3nQsvMpRP3ghixxnwmc7FegieLqThxeUKFWLtTKNcMwmjSpCQKyRY4uAGGjgwJx4FdAjJWTEJ3FQSP8Zn3qXdIdMzgKwOrIUenO4JkpuUh8-fp-QFEEIk/s320/letters-3720920_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; white-space: nowrap;">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/geralt-9301/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3720920" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Gerd Altmann</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3720920" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span></div>
Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-63599028183358485202020-06-14T04:00:00.000-07:002020-06-14T10:57:55.984-07:00What's Compassion Got to Do With It?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmxep1nxviRqPeROmz9pVHX2syUqiusAnW9QUoPcITH7pt3aekGs5_IGx3wPpg0WU6MYvha3RYXHgLb1sIlamv6JkkFL9LgmaerL81fzWD8IHxBpKFPtafySVedGEXi2KdQ-NQ9gQE_Q/s1600/demonstration-5267931_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmxep1nxviRqPeROmz9pVHX2syUqiusAnW9QUoPcITH7pt3aekGs5_IGx3wPpg0WU6MYvha3RYXHgLb1sIlamv6JkkFL9LgmaerL81fzWD8IHxBpKFPtafySVedGEXi2KdQ-NQ9gQE_Q/s320/demonstration-5267931_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; margin: 0px; white-space: nowrap;">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/UnratedStudio-15520502/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=5267931" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px;">UnratedStudio</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=5267931" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have you been watching T.V.? "No Justice, No Peace," "BLM", "Equal Justice for All," " Defund the Police."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">George Floyd.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What is your very first thought when you hear that name, when you see those protesters?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Stop. Think carefully. Was that <u>really</u> your <u>very first</u> thought? Or did you instantly filter it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If so, it's probably a good thing, a sign that you want to change your thoughts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why would you want to do that? My hope is that it is because you felt something when you saw how black men and women have been treated in our country, when you saw how black boys are trained to be careful how they act with police so they won't get killed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My hope it that sometime during the past week you have had compassion for George Floyd when you watched him being killed. I hope you had compassion for the mothers who have lost their sons to police violence, so often so unnecessary violence. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I hope you have compassion for the people in the protests that have finally had enough and want more from out country, people who want us all to change how we think about equality, about justice, about racism, and about our part in it. Because we each have a part to change our country for the better.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Compassion is not just a feeling. It is a call to action. Be part of the solution.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm an old white lady. I acknowledge my privilege. I continue to address my racist reactions that come from so many years of programming. I see a black man in my white neighborhood and remind myself that he is not a threat. But my first reaction is fear. I'm working on changing that. These are the small things that we need to change, inside ourselves, as part of the solution.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I hope this week has challenged you to explore your own biases and challenge them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We are all in this together.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; margin: 0px; white-space: nowrap;">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/truthseeker08-2411480/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1917895" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">truthseeker08</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1917895" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></div>
Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-44638113160691542842020-06-07T04:00:00.000-07:002020-06-07T04:00:07.044-07:00Too Overwhelmed to Write<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/geralt-9301/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3069053" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Gerd Altmann</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3069053" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm sorry I don't have a decent blog post this week. I'm just too overwhelmed to write with any sense. There is just too much stress.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course there is the pandemic and I've be quaranteened since March. Starts to get to me at times. But I'm coping. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then I learned about a month ago that my older daughter is diagnosed with terminal cancer and is undergoing powerful chemo every three weeks. She lives in another country.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then two weeks ago we learned that my 98 year-old mother-in-law is positive for Covid 19 and is in a Covid unit in her senior housing facility. It is three hours away. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But, in either my daughter or mother-in-law case we can't be there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then we watched a police officer murder a black man on video. While we are encouraged by the Black Lives Matter movement's demonstrations growing around the world, and we hope that things will change as a result, it is still disturbing to see the violence that sometimes blows up in the midst of them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For my 78-year-old spirit, it has just piled up the stress and is just too much. So, I'm begging out of blogging this week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stay safe.</span>Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-67488525555405043072020-05-31T04:00:00.000-07:002020-05-31T04:00:02.474-07:00All Means All<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03kl5WMZ7rZdSCqZzVTkNN3EVWpMKQHC5b7ANiz3TTKqzhT45UHNIVWFn6GT4YrFbsvx4da0Vh-aqxNaSHlxa47LhklB-EKJvHEJButIl00PmfF8tI_uSuPOXNJl0a0Jasqenx1KDbxI/s1600/share-1411235_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03kl5WMZ7rZdSCqZzVTkNN3EVWpMKQHC5b7ANiz3TTKqzhT45UHNIVWFn6GT4YrFbsvx4da0Vh-aqxNaSHlxa47LhklB-EKJvHEJButIl00PmfF8tI_uSuPOXNJl0a0Jasqenx1KDbxI/s320/share-1411235_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/BarbaraBonanno-789784/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1411235" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Barbara Bonanno</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1411235" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We seem to have a habit of saying things that we don't actually believe. We may think we do. But we don't.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For instance, our Constitution of the United States says, "All men are created equal." So did the founding fathers really believe that? If they did, they must have left out the qualifier. If they believed all men were created equal, how did they reconcile slavery, poverty of some while the wealthy were supported? Did they mean that all men are created equal if they are white, wealthy, and empowered?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's not what they said. So what did they mean? Did they mean that every living man deserved the same privilege and power? If that is what they meant, why didn't they create a government that worked toward that end? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I won't even go to the point that only men were considered deserving of privilege. At that period of time women were legally chattel, the property of their father or husband. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, over time did the powers that be evolve to be more focused on making all people have the same privileges from birth? Well, let's see. How about the Pledge of Allegiance of the United States? We pledge to a country with "Liberty and Freedom for All". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seen a lot of that over the years. That was in June of 1942. The military was still segregated. In fact most of the country was segregated. I was born in 1942, and eight years later I couldn't invite a black friend from my class to a swimming party because blacks weren't allowed to use the pool. When I was 13 we traveled to Florida and discovered that drinking fountains were designated for blacks and whites. I'd never heard of such a thing. I thought the country was changing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And during the WWII our government rounded up Japanese American citizens and held them in camps because of their ancestry. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The South continued segregation in schools for decades after that. And in cities, people of Jewish descent are still assaulted, their homes and schools and temples vandalized to this day. Oh, and don't forget homesexual citizens who have been targeted by homophobic brutes who assault, torture, kill people they believe to be homosexual. Their houses get vandalized, even burned down. And wasn't it only last year that several black churches were burned down?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, let's get this strait, when someone replies to "Black Lives Matter" or "Blue Lives Matter" or any of the other responses like that, with "All Lives Matter." What do you mean? All lives can't matter when some don't. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All means all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't usually come anywhere near a political post on my blog. My goal is to help folks make the world a better place. So this is not political in the sense of party politics. This is about actually making the world a better place. The world won't change unless we change.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yRE66YeWcSIfP9D5Sgpt6RHZAVTwjHvK6fsRKa-6P4a3VGyXYNgQKQoHuIFHCLcVBifECFJ6ABkVoWlL3arEZLcQZacBx6Wp6p5CFh7KvQxzmXW56JAxnt7TXQG5dmEv8ZpOP8MZ5-w/s1600/peace-dove-4077264_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="640" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yRE66YeWcSIfP9D5Sgpt6RHZAVTwjHvK6fsRKa-6P4a3VGyXYNgQKQoHuIFHCLcVBifECFJ6ABkVoWlL3arEZLcQZacBx6Wp6p5CFh7KvQxzmXW56JAxnt7TXQG5dmEv8ZpOP8MZ5-w/s320/peace-dove-4077264_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/geralt-9301/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=4077264" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Gerd Altmann</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=4077264" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span>Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-61998047153027546942020-05-24T04:00:00.000-07:002020-05-24T04:00:00.935-07:00Who Will You Remember?<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Remember, Memory, Remembrance, Memorial, Mind" height="120" src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/10/18/13/11/remember-1750119_960_720.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Memorial Day we remember and honor those who have fought for our country in wars around the world, all the wars. And there are many. Seems like every generation has had its war.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This generation is no different. Not only are there the long wars in the middle east, but there is also the war against a pandemic, Covid 19.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we remember those who fought in all the wars in other countries, let's not forget those who are fighting the pandemic here in the U.S. You know, this is the first war that has raged on our land since the Civil War in the 1800's,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had relatives in both World War I and II, as well as Korea. And I know that during both World Wars the people left at home struggled to get by, working to provide for supplying the military. They did without certain foods and products, many things were rationed. Women went to work in factories making amunition and bombers and other things required in large numbers for the war effort.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Children grew up without fathers at home for many years of their childhood, some fathers never returned. Men were lost in every war and continue to be lost today in far off countries to come home in body bags, in coffins draped with the U.S. Flag. In current wars, women are also serving on the front lines. Sometimes they don't return, either.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Women have served in most wars, but seldom were they fighting on the front lines. Some were nurses, medics, support workers. Eventually a few were allowed to fly. Of course, now they are able to serve in any position they are assigned.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the war against the pandemic, at least in the U.S., most of us serve by staying home, wearing masks, and observing physical distancing. Men and women are called on to serve this way. However, there are essential workers who are on the front lines defending us. These front line fighters deserve to be honored as well. Many of them lose their lives to the virus, the enemy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So this weekend, let us remember everyone who fights for our country, past and present, and honor all those who have died in service.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHytJKjhQKB0HEhyphenhyphennHJzx05YAVGQ_qYVibtL4fm8SNMAsgBpQOnuPBd4Mm4o2Osq2HpN-8EXczOLib_t81NWOHyjp08VRpg51-Qkqt1uYWrz-PP2lQo8zkY4_r2t8PrPXRRu5OAEBlpc8/s1600/flag-958343_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="640" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHytJKjhQKB0HEhyphenhyphennHJzx05YAVGQ_qYVibtL4fm8SNMAsgBpQOnuPBd4Mm4o2Osq2HpN-8EXczOLib_t81NWOHyjp08VRpg51-Qkqt1uYWrz-PP2lQo8zkY4_r2t8PrPXRRu5OAEBlpc8/s320/flag-958343_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">Image by </span><a href="https://pixabay.com/users/jkmoller11-1441657/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=958343" style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">Keturah Moller</a></div>
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<br />Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-43152738480723907902020-05-17T04:30:00.000-07:002020-05-17T04:30:02.588-07:00Accentuate The Positive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4ExDl2xEub70AeWmf73ygjHuSD6sk3kMj62_9Us4ihQhyaaYaTmcA4yVdbyeCyu-hW5GOCK0RSsb9Wci1uTWph7kYNc4KBJA7069eZU-jDOSEenmIfAZ391A_313hI8hAx6j9dD_LXA/s1600/goodness-440313_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="562" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4ExDl2xEub70AeWmf73ygjHuSD6sk3kMj62_9Us4ihQhyaaYaTmcA4yVdbyeCyu-hW5GOCK0RSsb9Wci1uTWph7kYNc4KBJA7069eZU-jDOSEenmIfAZ391A_313hI8hAx6j9dD_LXA/s320/goodness-440313_640.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Staying positive isn't the easiest thing to do these days. But it is SO important. Your health and wellness and that of those around you are dependent on positivity. Negative thinking brings us down and actually lowers our immune system. So we need to be more positive today than ever.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The thoughts/ideas in this post are taken and/or inspired by an article by Gregory L. Jantz, Ph.D., <u>6 Ways to Become More Positive Today.</u> Perspective is destiny. Here's how to improve yours. Posted Sept. 24, 2014;</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He quotes Lao Tzu: "Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habit. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In each of us are a set of message that play over in our minds. These may be words you heard as a child in your home growing up. Or they may be things you were told in school by bullies or negative teachers. Wherever they came from, they have taken over your thoughts, and like Lao Tzu cautions, they effect your destiny.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Too many of us have negative self-talk created from those messages. And they can create a negativity that creates a dark ripple that moves throughout your life. And you can only see the negative in everything. This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that creates difficulty after difficulty and fuels the negativity. "Many studies confirm the correlation between positive thinking and success."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are some ways to interrupt the negativity and replace it with positive thinking.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> Practice Gratitude</b>-One of the quickest ways to shift your focus away from negativity, judgment, and disappointment is to list the things in your life for which you are <em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2d30; font-size: 18px;">grateful</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2d30; font-size: 18px;">. Practicing gratefulness can cause almost an immediate shift in your perspective. Keeping a daily gratitude journal, even </span><a class="ext" href="http://happytapper.com/gratitude-journal" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #477be4; font-size: 18px;" target="_blank">digitall</a>y can help you keep your life's blessing in front of you. "Find a gratitude partner, someone who can support you in your journey to positive thinking. Each day, text, email, or tell each other 3 things for which you are grateful</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Two Steps Forward</b>-The shifting of your thoughts takes time. So be patient with yourself, and begin by just observing your thoughts. See if you can catch yourself judging other, focusing on failures, complaining, criticizing yourself or your body. When you observe thes thoughts, take a moment to counter each negative thought with two positive observations or gratitudes.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Positive Posture</b>-The mind and body are highly connected-each has an impact on the other. If moving your mind into a more positive perspective is a struggle, try mvoing your body there first. Stand up straighter, shoulders back, chin help high, stretch your arms out as wide as they will go. "Feel powerfu. Feel positive. Carry yourself with positive posture encourages your mind to feel more positive as well." </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Smile</b>-This also can trick your mind into being more positive. Simply smiling, even if there isn't necessarily anything to smile about, can instantly change the way you feel internally. You will be surprised at how your mind reacts. Practice smiling at a co-worker or stranger. They might smile back. You've just help someone else feel more positive.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ditch the Crabs</b>-Surround yourself with positive people. It is easier to maintain a positive perspective if you are constantly pulled down by the negativity of others. If you find yourself caught in a negative conversation, gracefully try to change the subject to something more positive. If you find yourself surrounded by negative people, it may be time to change your circle of friends to find mor uplifting individuals.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Do Something Kind</b>-Rather than get submerged in your own misfortune and forget about the people around you, step outside your regular routine to help someone else. "This can provide an amazing perspective and fill you with positivity." Do random acts of kindness. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Life isn't always easy. Sometimes it gets really hard. "But it is our own perspective that ultimately determines if we will druge through life puckered and sour, or skip along with a glass of sweet lemonade."</span></div>
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<a class="profile-bio-link" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/experts/gregory-l-jantz-phd" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(44, 45, 48) !important; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none !important;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #477be4; font-family: "proxima nova bold" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Gregory L. Jantz, Ph.D.</span>, founded The Center for Counseling and Health Resources in Edmonds, Washington.</a></div>
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<br />Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-16360329401184055052020-05-10T04:00:00.000-07:002020-05-10T04:00:02.286-07:00Who's Your Mother?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/fancycrave1-1115284/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=821625" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">fancycrave1</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=821625" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mother's Day this year is probably different for you this year because of physical distancing. It makes it hard to be with your mother to celebrate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who do you celebrate on Mother's Day? Your birth mother? A foster mother? An adoptive mother? A grandmother? A daughter that gave you grandchildren? A granddaughter that gave you great-grandchildren? An aunt that raised you? All mothers everywhere?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope you take some time to think about what it means to be a mother, about someone who mothers. It is more than giving birth. I'm in awe of mothers today that are sheltering at home with kids who may not understand why they can't go anywhere, with kids that have to be taught via computer videos to finish their school year, of kids that are getting a bit stir crazy. Those mothers really deserve a special day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The tasks, worries, feelings, and experiences of mothers are complex and multitudinous. Many mothers have jobs and homes and families to manage. And no matter how old their children become, they never really stop worrying about them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, here's to mothers this Mother's Day. Give thanks for those who mothered you.</span><br />
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<br />Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-56150630144533879282020-05-03T04:00:00.000-07:002020-05-03T04:00:04.843-07:00Have You Laughed Today?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Laughter: The Best Medicine</h1>
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Laughter reduces pain, increases job performance, connects people emotionally, and improves the flow of oxygen to the heart and brain.</h2>
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By <span class="field field-name-field-author field-type-entityreference field-label-hidden" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Hara Estroff Marano, </span>published <span class="field field-name-field-article-publication-date field-type-datetime field-label-hidden" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">April 5, 2005</span> - last reviewed on June 9, 2016</div>
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Laughter, it's said, is the best medicine. And there's lots of evidence that laughter does lots of good things for us.</div>
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It reduces pain and allows us to tolerate discomfort.</div>
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It reduces blood sugar levels, increasing glucose tolerance in diabetics and nondiabetics alike.</div>
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It improves your job performance, especially if your work depends on <a class="inline-links topic-link" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/creativity" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(153, 153, 153); box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(44, 45, 48) !important; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none !important; word-break: break-word;" title="Psychology Today looks at creativity">creativity</a> and solving complex problems. Its role in intimate relationships is vastly underestimated and it really is the glue of good marriages. It synchronizes the brains of speaker and listener so that they are emotionally attuned.</div>
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Laughter establishes -- or restores -- a positive emotional climate and a sense of connection between two people, In fact, some researchers believe that the major function of laughter is to bring people together. And all the health benefits of laughter may simply result from the social support that laughter stimulates.</div>
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Now comes hard new evidence that laughter helps your blood vessels function better. It acts on the inner lining of blood vessels, called the endothelium, causing vessels to relax and expand, increasing blood flow. In other words, it's good for your heart and brain, two organs that require the steady flow of oxygen carried in the blood.</div>
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At this year's meeting of the American College of Cardiology, Michael Miller, M.D., of the University of Maryland reported that in a study of 20 healthy people, provoking laughter did as much good for their arteries as aerobic activity. He doesn't recommend that you laugh and not exercise. But he does advise that you try to laugh on a regular basis. The endothelium, he explains, regulates blood flow and adjusts the propensity of blood to coagulate and clot. In addition, it secretes assorted chemicals in response to wounds, infection or irritation. It also plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease.</div>
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"The endothelium is the first line in the development of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries," said Dr. Miller. "So given the results of our study, it is conceivable that <a class="inline-links topic-link" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/laughter" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(153, 153, 153); box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(44, 45, 48) !important; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none !important; word-break: break-word;" title="Psychology Today looks at laughing">laughing</a> may be important to maintain a healthy endothelium. And reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease."</div>
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At the very least, he adds, "laughter offsets the impact of mental <a class="inline-links topic-link" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/stress" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(153, 153, 153); box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(44, 45, 48) !important; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none !important; word-break: break-word;" title="Psychology Today looks at stress">stress</a>, which is harmful to the endothelium."</div>
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The researcher can't say for sure exactly how laughter delivers its heart benefit. It could come from the vigorous movement of the diaphragm muscles as you chuckle or guffaw. Alternatively, or additionally, laughter might trigger the release in the brain of such <a class="inline-links topic-link" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/hormones" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(153, 153, 153); box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(44, 45, 48) !important; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none !important; word-break: break-word;" title="Psychology Today looks at hormones">hormones</a> as endorphins that have an effect on arteries.</div>
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It's also possible that laughter boosts levels of nitric oxide in artery walls. Nitric oxide is known to play a role in the dilation of the endothelium. "Perhaps mental stress leads to a breakdown in nitric oxide or inhibits a stimulus to produce nitric oxide that results in vasoconstriction."</div>
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Dr. Miller offers a simple prescription that won't bankrupt you and could save your life. "Thirty minutes of exercise three times a week, and 15 minutes of laughter on a daily basis is probably good for the vascular system," he says.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 17px;">Psychology Today</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 17px;">If you haven't laughed lately, watch this: <a href="https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-pty-pty_email&hsimp=yhs-pty_email&hspart=pty&p=contagious+laughter#id=3&vid=6babd88a71193d514edfdc40d9942773&action=view" target="_blank">https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-pty-pty_email&hsimp=yhs-pty_email&hspart=pty&p=contagious+laughter#id=3&vid=6babd88a71193d514edfdc40d9942773&action=view</a></span></div>
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Here's a video about the importance of laughter</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2qM1I-JCEQ&t=197s" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2qM1I-JCEQ&t=197s</a></div>
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Take good care of yourself, laugh!</div>
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Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-70828405095006427812020-04-26T04:00:00.000-07:002020-04-26T04:00:10.156-07:00What Makes You Smile?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijz4XJa3nfJ8tskBz3mKaTmg-u3Tl3_5rOBRVWDhq6ojAf8zGWwVkBL2-mCXgC8Sh8FkhGq0Erlgixq2mnwWdj_e03D036qvmARoFxFxkdWhSan5RDh8hKimozvGYk2ReHaPUTOHqNbGg/s1600/babe-2972221_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijz4XJa3nfJ8tskBz3mKaTmg-u3Tl3_5rOBRVWDhq6ojAf8zGWwVkBL2-mCXgC8Sh8FkhGq0Erlgixq2mnwWdj_e03D036qvmARoFxFxkdWhSan5RDh8hKimozvGYk2ReHaPUTOHqNbGg/s320/babe-2972221_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/Victoria_Borodinova-6314823/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2972221" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">Виктория Бородинова</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2972221" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These days can be challenging to our mood. It is important to look for smiles and laughter. Science has proved that smiling and laughing are good for your physical health as well as your mental health. So this is a great way to stay healthy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What DOES make you smile? Here are some things that make me smile:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunshine</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spring blooms</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Babies</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Laughing babies.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My great granddaughters. I can't visit them now but I get photos and videos on the computer.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Puns</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Accomplishing something challenging.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spending time with my daughters, these days on the phone or on Zoom.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My cat.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seeing people be kind.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Making this list!</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I suggest you make your list.Smile. Laugh.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/geralt-9301/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3673836" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">Gerd Altmann</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3673836" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span></div>
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<br />Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-43586452407051084932020-04-19T04:00:00.000-07:002020-04-19T04:00:04.237-07:00Are You Ready to Come Out?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/qimono-1962238/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1590024" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px;">Arek Socha</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1590024" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you ready to come out of quarantine? Are you ready for shops to be open and business to go back to opening to the public?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you feel safe enough to go back to shopping for clothes and shoes and whatever?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not. I don't feel safe, even with everyone wearing masks, to go into public places where people gather, even in small groups. Until our state has enough testing for everyone, until we can be sure that everyone has immunity, including me. I won't feel safe going to church or to shop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The rate of infections is still high, even though it may be coming down. This virus is so infectious that even six feet may not be far enough. And it stays on surfaces for hours, sometimes days. You don't know you have it for as much as two weeks, as that is how long it takes for symptoms to appear. And some people have such mild cases they think it is flu or something else. And even after you are no longer symptomatic, when you think you are cured, it takes up to two weeks for you to stop shedding the virus.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So it is a silent, invisible monster that moves among us, killing many. And, until we have nationwide testing and a vaccine, it will continue at some level.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For each of us it is a matter of deciding at what point you feel safe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm elderly with a heart condition, as well as other issues, so I am high risk. I'm not looking forward to having to make the decision to risk going out and about. I will have to decide if the odds are good enough for me to take the risk. I'll have to decide how big the risk is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, not being a scientist, I really don't feel prepared to make that decision.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What about you? At what point will you feel safe? What will you have to see to have enough information to make your decision?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How will you determine how high your risk is?</span><br />
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<br />Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-43529376988300979112020-04-12T04:00:00.000-07:002020-04-12T04:00:06.076-07:00What Did You Do During the Pandemic?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">I mage by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/geralt-9301/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3552247" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px;">Gerd Altmann</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3552247" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span><br />
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When your grandchildren ask you, "What did you do during the pandemic of 2020?", what will you tell them? This year is historic. I often think of it as World War III.<br />
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There are parallels with WWII. But the difference is that this war is not (yet) among countries. The enemy is invisible and much more deadly. We were under prepared for it, the whole world was.<br />
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I treasure my mother's stories of what she experienced during the war. She was raising two children under five on her own. She had trouble finding reliable childcare. So she moved in with her mother and step-father. They took care of us kids while she worked at Curtis Wright making airplanes for the military.<br />
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She was thin and able to fit in the tight quarters of the tail of the bombers, where she bucked rivets. This was a physically demanding job, as you can imagine. The transportation to and from work was on a truck with benches on the back that transported people from the city to the plant. The called it the "Cattle Car." At that time the plant was not surrounded by the city as it is now.<br />
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This was the first time they hired women for this kind of work. Women and men not able to fight worked making what the military personnel needed to fight in other countries. The men fighting required protective helmets, tall boots, uniforms, guns and ammunition. So those industries were doing well.<br />
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The homefront, back in America, had to make sacrifices. Materials needed for the military were rationed for civilians back home. Leather, steel, rubber, even some foods. The shoes for civilians were not very sturdy. Children wore through them in no time, as well as outgrew them. It was hard to keep your children shod.<br />
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Today we fight a very different kind of war. The frontline is the medical personnel, first responders, even grocery store clerks in many places. And this time we don't have nearly enough of what they need to fight successfully without losing many of them to the disease they are fighting. They sometimes have to work without adequate protective equipment . They fight not only the disease, but also exhaustion from 12-hour shifts day after day. They also fight the emotional exhaustion of having patient after patient dying on their shifts. They also fight the fear that they can easily contract the disease, as well as take the virus home to their family.<br />
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When the warriors were fighting WWII, they were fighting to keep the people back home from being attacked and to keep the country safe. These warriors are also fighting to keep the virus at bay, but it is on the homefront. They see friends and loved ones sick or dying. Their grief is heavy.<br />
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Those of us on the homefront in this war feel unable to do much to help win the war. The biggest weapon we have is staying home and washing our hands. Hardly compares, does it?<br />
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Many have started making cloth masks for civilians. While they are not totally effective, they do help slow the spread. And handwashing is the biggest thing we can do to defeat the virus from the homefront.<br />
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In Ohio, many companies have jumped in to make medical personal protective equipment in new ways. There are also labs that are working feverishly to develop treatments that may work to combat the virus and vaccines to prevent it developing in those who have not yet been infected. But all of that takes time, something we don't have. People are dying by the thousands every day.<br />
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My mother's generation made huge sacrifices at home to support the warriors on the frontline. And when we are asked to quarranteen for two months it is not as big a sacrifice. Yet we are feeling it in lots of ways. One of the biggest ways is by loss of income for jobs deemed unessential. Most are not prepared to go without paychecks for even a week, let alone up to two months or more. And our financial support systems are not made for the number of people who are out of work all at the same time.<br />
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We also share the grief and fear. That wears us down as well. We can't be with our loved ones if they are sick or dying. We see the news and wonder when it will end.<br />
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But I listen to people who are appalled by the suspension of sports activities for months, I remind them and myself that it is saving lives. There will be sports next year if we do this right this year.<br />
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The important thing we can do now is to support each other in all the ways we can while staying at a physical distance of at least six feet. We have technology that connects in ways we never could have done before. Even if we don't have computers or smartphones, we can write letters, send cards, make phone calls. Folks sing and dance on the street to connect with neighbors. People put up encouraging signs in their windows and chalk hopeful messages on sidewalks. They tie white ribbons on their houses and trees to honor the medical and first responder personnel.<br />
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So what are you doing during the pandemic? And will you be able to tell your grandchildren how you helped us to all get through this together?<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; white-space: nowrap;">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/johnhain-352999/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2078026" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">John Hain</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2078026" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span></div>
<br />Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-29396820099568117162020-04-05T04:00:00.000-07:002020-04-05T04:00:06.954-07:00Dealing With Depression Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/1388843-1388843/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1492052" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">1388843</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1492052" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">Pixabay</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-weight: 400; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week we talked about how to identify depression as something significant to be dealt with. If you have noticed your depression has lasted two weeks, seek help.</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While being depressed there are certainly things you can do to to lower its effect. Whether or not you are using an antidepressant medication, these lifestyle changes can help.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Talk to someone. You don't need to talk about your depression, talk about anything. The important thing is that you have person to person contact on a daily basis with another person. Total isolation will make depression worse.</span></li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Avoid mood altering chemicals, including alcohol, non-prescription drugs, even nicotine. While these may temporarily raise your mood, they will then plunge you back into depression. The roller coaster of feelings will continue to get higher and lower if not interrupted. If you need medication, see your doctor for the best choices and follow his directions.</span></li>
</ol>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fifteen to 20 minutes of exercise that causes you to increase your breathing rate, aerobic activity, at least every other day. If you are not an active person, simple walking at a brisk pace may work for you.</span></li>
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunlight! The ultraviolet rays of the sun interacts with the brain to lighten your mood. If you cannot be outside, sit by a window to get direct daylight for 20 minutes each day. If you live where there isn't much daylight, you can purchase a light box that creates sunlight you can sit beside. I have one called SunTouchPlus. It was not at all expensive.</span></li>
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do something for someone else. When you are doing something for someone else your focus is not on your own troubles. And the sciences have shown that doing for others increases our endorphins that lighten mood. Acts of Kindness benefit the giver and the receiver. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've learned the value of the behaviors both in working with mental health clients and myself. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I worked for twenty years as a mental health therapist. And I've struggled with depression most of my life. It was only when I was in my mid-thirties that I learned these for mine and clients' treatment plans. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And even though I now use anti-depressant medications, I occasionally need to go back to using them. I have a light box that I use in the winter months when we have shorter days. I have not only clinical depression, but it is aggravated by Seasonal Affect Disorder during the darker days. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Depression can really interfere with your daily life. But you don't have to let it take over your life. Get treatment. Change some behaviors. Confront your self-talk. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Life a better life. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/trevoykellyphotography-7814005/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3104635" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">TréVoy Kelly</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3104635" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">Pixabay</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span> </h4>
Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-60521633064340392082020-03-29T04:00:00.000-07:002020-03-29T04:00:17.289-07:00Dealing with Depression<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/Counselling-440107/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=980784" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">Ulrike Mai</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=980784" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Depression is a medical condition and the most common mental health issue in our population. Most people experience some days of depression, especially in troubled times. If you are depressed for more than two weeks, you probably should tell your doctor and get a referral to a mental health counselor.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How do you identify depression?</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Persistent Sadness: When sadness lasts for days or weeks, especially when it is accompanied by feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, helplessness, depression, might be the cause. Sometimes you might feel sad and have no idea what you are really sad about.</span></li>
<li><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you feel hopeless you become even more depressed. And you may believe there is no way to ever feel better. It is important to break the cycle of negative thinking in order to escape from all these negative feelings. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Feelings of worthlessness </span></span>Worthlessness can lead a person to suicidal thoughts and even suicidal attempts. If a person feels worthless than he/she is more likely to withdraw from social contact, to become lethargic, start abusing with alcohol and often with drugs too. Over time a person may even neglect self-care like eating, taking a shower, changing clothes, washing clothes, etc.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A depressed person will respond differently to guilt compared to a person without depression. There will be exaggerated guilt over little things, leading to more and more negative thinking.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Anhedoinia is a major sign of depression. Anhedonia is the loss of interest in family, friends, food, any of the things that once felt good. This then feeds into the guilt and other negative feelings.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Disrupted sleep pattern. Depressed people may go to sleep but not be able to stay asleep. Or they may lie for long periods of time without being able to go to sleep. Of course, this is going to change their energy level even more. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Loss of focus and memory problems are another sign. They will have trouble getting things done and function normally.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Suicidal thoughts are the most dangerous symptom of depression. Anyone who has thoughts of suicide or death needs to get help right away. They should not wait when they seem to go away, because they will probably return and bring them closer to self harm actions.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Constant fatigue, low energy, and tiredness are part of the experience of depression. It isolates them, which will make them feel even more tired and even more depressed. This is a circle is hard to escapefrom which it’s hard to escape. Fatigue will affect a depressed person both physically and emotionally.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Weight gain or loss is common. Overeating is more likely in early stages of depression, while loss of appetite and not eating may be present in deeper depression.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">( Information taken from : <a href="https://10faq.com/health/signs-of-depression/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrqPOqLa96AIVFYrICh1mkA0iEAAYBiAAEgJrffD_BwE">https://10faq.com/health/signs-of-depression/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrqPOqLa96AIVFYrICh1mkA0iEAAYBiAAEgJrffD_BwE</a> where there is even more detail.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been depressed for most of my life. For many years I didn't know what was wrong with me. Eventually I had a doctor who recognized what was going on and prescribed antidepressants, which helped.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I became a mental health counselor and learned a great deal more about my malady. In the years since I've had periods when the struggle was difficult and times when I functioned well. I have learned that the medication alone isn't enough and that I have to take some life-style steps.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is these steps I will share next week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-2041207968258245512020-03-22T04:00:00.000-07:002020-03-22T04:00:17.655-07:00Anxious?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/geralt-9301/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=615989" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">Gerd Altmann</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=615989" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you aren't anxious at some level, you aren't paying attention. There are a lot of things going on that can be frightening and frustrating. So much we don't know, yet we have to deal with it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let me remind you that almost everyone is dealing with some level of anxiety. When people are anxious they can be irritable, angry, depressed, quarrelsome. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Living with such limitations right now can bring out the worst or the best in a person. You can choose that for yourself. But you can't control that for others.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, tread lightly with family, friends, and neighbors. Find an outlet for yourself or your kids. Do something to burn off the anxiety without causing greater problems. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Limit alcohol and drug use. It only makes things worse. Ask yourself what you can do to help others in this time of trouble, then do it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are healthy, donate blood. Contact your local Red Cross and arrange for a safe donation. They desperately need blood.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Check in with your friends and family, by email or phone or skype. Make connections without physical presence. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are healthy and out of work, supermarkets are hiring people to clean and restock shelves.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't let yourself get mired in a sense of total powerlessness. We may not be able to control the virus completely, but we can do our part to reduce the risk for people. We must all pitch in to do what is necessary to beat this invisible enemy. Physical distancing, washing hands, cleaning surfaces, avoiding touching your face. Wash your hands. Please.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And please stay home to protect everyone from spreading the disease.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Be safe. Be cautious. But be determined to do your part.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> image by </span><a href="https://pixabay.com/users/Prawny-162579/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1705063" style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">Prawny</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> from </span><a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1705063" style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">Pixabay</a></span>Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-42811963429783517562020-03-15T04:00:00.000-07:002020-03-15T04:00:05.946-07:00National Emergency: What Can We Do?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; white-space: nowrap;">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/ar130405-423602/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2082630" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">ar130405</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2082630" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First of all, don't panic. As the British say, "Keep Calm and Carry On." That is exactly what we must do. As Americans we can pull together our talents and our compassion to make it a smooth passage through the chaos.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In order to contain the covid19 virus we all have to do our part. That means we need our wits about us. We need to listen to the facts from the experts about how to behave in a way that prevents spreading of the virus.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It will mean that we will temporarily make sacrifices to have the best outcome. We will be confronted by lots of inconveniences for a while. And we can do that. And we will need to look out for the folks who don't have what they need to follow the guidelines.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are solutions to every problem. We just need to put our creative energy to coming up with alternatives. We will need to think out of the box for a while.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Companies, corporations, and agencies are getting together to help. For instance, in Columbus, OH, the electric company is waiving shut off orders for a limited time. The school system has spent the weekend preparing several weeks of class study sheets for students to learn at home and they are offering free to-go lunches to be picked up at various places, with school buses delivering to some areas. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Citizens are banding together to petition the state to order banks to freeze mortgage payments until the crisis is over. Wherever possible, employees are working from home. Many businesses and restaurants are staggering shifts so that parents can care for children who are out of school. Meals on Wheels are expanding to provide meals to more people who are too high risk to leave home. We are trying to get the large grocery chains to waive delivery or curbside pick up fees until the crisis is over.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you'll notice. These are things that people do together, things that can't happen if only one person or entity can do alone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Neighbors are checking on neighbors in the high risk category. They are running errands, doing shopping, etc., for them so they are not exposed to places that they are more likely to be exposed. I'm 78 and have a heart condition. I don't want to go to the public places where I might be close to someone who is carrying the vaccine. Thankfully, I have an adult and healthy granddaughter who has offered to shop for us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Talk to folks on the phone or on line to find out what they need help with. If you are young and healthy, maybe you could baby-sit with school aged children that need to stay at home. Research activities for kids that keep them engaged in learning and healthy activity. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And we must each do what we can to keep ourselves healthy, keep our immune systems strong enough to ward off the worst of the symptoms if we do come in contact with the virus. Each healthy, get enough sleep, avoid excessive alcohol (which dries out your body and diminishes your immune system), stay active, and find ways to distract your mine from being too focused on the situation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Think about how to help others instead of worrying about yourself. You must, of course, be aware of your own caution. But helping others also helps you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are so many things we CAN do, Think about that and stay positive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are going to take care of each other. That is what humans are meant to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remember: Stay calm, and carry on!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;">Image by </span><a href="https://pixabay.com/users/Prawny-162579/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1315159" style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important; white-space: nowrap;">Prawny</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;"> from </span><a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1315159" style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; white-space: nowrap;">Pixabay</a></span></div>
Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4087140019874579643.post-51115716049154872020-03-08T04:00:00.000-07:002020-03-08T04:00:06.997-07:00What Did You Learn Today?<br />
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<span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/Wokandapix-614097/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1820039" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px;">Wokandapix</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1820039" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I celebrated my 78th birthday last month. So I decided I needed to learn something new. That's how we keep our brains young, isn't it?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm building a FaceBook page to sell my crocheted items. I've crocheted for years. But I have always done just somewhat simple things. Using the same few stitch patterns. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had to learn some new stitches and follow new patterns. But that was just the start of what I had to learn. There was the whole experience of developing a page to sell what I make. And, believe me, current technology is way above what I've known how to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I'm learning about developing a page, a catalog, pricing, shipping, marketing, inventory management. Whew. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I'm learning lots of new things. What are you learning? Let's encourage everyone to keep learning, at any age.</span><br />
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Learning Something New</div>
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<br />Lucindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17444246891857411559noreply@blogger.com0