I was touched when our 7 year-old-granddaughter told me during a short talk last week, “I can’t wait to come and eat at your big table”. She knew this would not occur until the threat of COVID-19 passed. We were having a social-distancing visit with our family who stood on the walkway as they brought […]
Lifestyle
Mentality of Scarcity
For many, living through this pandemic has created a mentality of scarcity. It began in early March when toilet paper flew off the shelves as did bleach and disinfectant wipes. Next came a rush on flour and yeast as everyone began to bake bread, and/or cinnamon buns while isolated at home. Recently, fear that meat […]
Joy of Slow Living — A Blank Calendar
Since March 13, my husband and I have experienced what some call ‘slow living’. Thanks to Public Health Canada’s advice to stay at home to avoid the threat of contracting the COVID-19 virus, our retirement schedules are clear of activities and obligations. There’s a blank calendar. Everything is cancelled or closed. My gym and pool are […]
COVID-19 — My Way of Keeping Perspective
Keeping perspective when subjected to a daily barrage of media about numbers of people contracting COVID-19 and numbers of people who die is not easy. My husband and I both fall into high-risk categories for a serious and, possibly fatal episode if we should contract the virus, because of our age. Though not frail, my […]
Mistakes and Bad Decisions — Understanding the Difference
All of us make mistakes; all of us also make bad decisions. Do we understand the difference? If I take a wrong turn when driving or miss an exit, it’s a mistake. When I decide to stay up late watching multi episodes of a Netflix show and then have difficulty getting up in time for […]
Keeping Promises to Yourself
What’s your track record on keeping promises to yourself? Most of us work hard to keep the promises we make. Solemn promises such as wedding vows or professional oaths, or commitments to professional standards of conduct are high-level promises — to ourselves and to others. Our word becomes a commitment. When I make a promise […]
Psychological Fitness
How much time and effort should one devote to psychological fitness? Many of us pay attention to physical fitness, especially after the December holidays. January is the time of year when people typically start new exercise programs or go back to the gym after a couple of weeks away. Sadly, most of us give little […]
Nurture Creativity As You Grow Older
It was surprising to read that creativity studies in adults conducted by psychologists at the University of California Berkley showed that creativity tends to decline with age. Their research found that older adults showed fewer creative thought processes than children. https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/114/30/7892.full.pdf This study supports the idea that older people aren’t creative. Society generally regards elders as […]
Year-End Assessment
With two days left before 2019 closes and a new decade begins, I’ve been working on my year-end assessment. The year-end assessment helps me to identify areas in my life that need changing. It also helps to point the direction for plans and aspirations in 2020 and beyond. The year-end assessment provides an ideal time […]
December Holiday Anticipation
Yesterday when I picked up our granddaughter for our weekly ‘date’ after school, she was full of anticipation for Christmas. ‘It’s too early’ I said. She disagreed and then told me that one of Santa’s elves had visited their house the night before and wrapped the living room pictures in Christmas paper with big red […]