Ask
Ask for what you need. This sounds simple, but for nurturers and caregivers like you and me, this is usually a challenging thing to do. Especially as it is for something that is for you personally. I write about asking for and accepting help in a chapter dedicated to it and throughout my caregiver book, […]
No Words
I have no words. Ironic, don’t you think, since I am a writer? But I’ve found myself writing or saying this statement quite a lot recently. Words have power – I know I have much more to say about that in later blogs – but for today’s blog, the lack of words conveys the intensity […]
Mosquito Bites
I live in Minnesota; we have mosquitoes 🦟. No repellent is perfect nor perfectly applied, so there is a high probability of being bitten. And being bitten does not only happen outside because the sneaky suckers, literally, slip inside despite best efforts to keep them out. Hang with me; I promise there’s a life lesson […]
I Got a Tattoo
It was the end of December 2018. The devotion for the 26th included a story of when the author was young, and he had gone with a school group to a botanical garden. He saw a brightly colored fish among many in a pond. He asks the guide, “aren’t goldfish small?” and the guide responds, […]
Coping Mechanism
The day in the life of a nurturer or caregiver, your life and mine, is filled with the beautiful, the ugly, the good, the hard. Often, there is no clear path within each day; it is simply your ability to prepare for the expected and roll with the unexpected. And there are plenty of unexpecteds. […]
Raw and Real
Today I headed out to the park to play frisbee with Sunni while there was fresh snow on the ground and temps in the low 20’s. As we were walking down to the garage, I fully recognized what I was doing – I was in avoidance mode. I’m also aware this came to mind because […]
Take or Make
Take or Make When I create my daily Good Morning message on IG and FB stories (@coach.strand), I interchange take and make when encouraging you to self-nurture and schedule time for yourself. Which got me thinking about the words take and make. Which word most accurately represents what I am trying to express? Make generally […]
Defensive Response
What is your first response to information or situations involving you? Is it a knee-jerk habit, a defensive one? No judgment here, my friend. I have been a master at defensive responses. What I’d like to propose is a different approach. Changing perspective is something I have been learning to do, thanks in part to […]
Self Investment
Do you invest in yourself? Yes, that was a serious question. I’m pretty confident you may have just let out a snort of laughter. Followed by “Are you kidding me?!” Or was it “I’ll get to it” and “when I have time”? Let me guess. You invest your time, money, thoughts, energy, and even material […]
Compassion
Compassion We frequently think compassion is what we feel for and extend to others. It is. But it is also vitally important that you extend compassion and grace to yourself as well. Compassion is the primary message throughout my website and blog posts – encouraging you to give yourself grace, kindness, love, and compassion. Compassion […]