Embracing the GAP Last week was rich with Embracing the Middle opportunities. First Maya, my younger daughter, earned her driver’s license. A few days later, she left for an 8-week high school program in Israel (something she’s been actively campaigning for since 5th grade). On Sunday…
Embracing Changing Seasons
Embracing the Changing Seasons I have an amazing fig tree in my backyard. It’s the first thing I notice when I open my curtains every morning and its branches are my constant reminder of the changing seasons (even if the temperature outside is usually 70…
Mindfulness and a Sucky Week
Last week sucked. And I know I am not alone in my experience. The Kavanaugh hearing had an upsetting ripple effect on most everyone I know. Several friends shared their PTSD experience from revisiting their histories of sexual trauma after watching the heroic testimony of Dr. Ford….
Embracing My Mom’s Passing
Embracing My Mom’s My mom passed away three weeks ago at the age of 83. Though she had been in declining health, she was still very active, even having gone swimming the day before she died and to synagogue that very morning. Her quick, unexpected…
Embracing My MRI Results
Embracing My MRI Results! On a glorious San Diego day last September, I started my running app and took my first few jogging steps, just as I have thousands of times over the past 40 years. But on this day, on my first step, a…
Embracing Your New Years’ Resolutions (beyond 24 days…)
One month from today marks the beginning of the infamous New Years’ resolutions – a day of the calendar when we commit to start anew with positive behaviors. If you’re like most of us, you set your goal with resolve, genuine determination and start out…
Courage is Contagious
Personal Growth is not for sissies. Otherwise, there’d be more people on therapy couches instead of in bars, doing retreats rather than staring at screens, owning up rather than blaming. To look at ourselves, own our lives, and claim our power takes commitment, work, courage,…
Embracing My Funk!
For the last several weeks, I’ve been in a funk. I’m facing a number of transitions and challenges in my life, not all desired and many out of my control. I have several close family members with serious medical challenges and needs, I’m going through…
MentalPause – What Is It?
In August 2016, I was participating in my approximate 30th Zen meditation retreat. On the most basic level, the “simple” (i.e., incredibly challenging) directions of the particular retreats I attend is to be present to your breathe and bodily physical sensations. When thoughts arise, as…