“It's easy to be afraid right now-- there is so much to be done. None of us can do it all, but we must each do what we can. And we must take care of ourselves in the process, our very human bodies and psyches, our comparatively little but beloved lives. Love gives us hope. Hope gives us courage.” LoveCareHopeFearCommunityCourageSelf CareAltruismAfraid Not Afraid Author:Shellen Lubin
“I often say that the thing we feel we most need in our lives may just be the thing that we haven't had enough of, and we may over-value it because we're missing it. But we have to get relief before we can know. We can't completely rebalance until first we get relief.” DesireStepsPerspectiveReliefSelf CareRebalance Through Relief Author:Shellen Lubin
“...we all need relief. And oh, how we need relief right now, a vacation from this perpetual tension, in so many directions all at the same time-- health, work, family, home, community, country-- and seemingly never letting up. We need a moment each day, an hour each week, a morning or evening every so often, an entire day. Relief. Sweet, soothing relief. Oh, how we need relief.” CountryHomeCommunityWorkFamilyHealthTensionReliefSelf CareRebalance Through Relief Author:Shellen Lubin
“Everything has its own pace its own timing. True of working, studying, learning. True of illness, sorrow, grief. True of change, of transformation. True of conflict. True of peace. You can't change the pace.” MindHeartBodyDestinyBalanceLivingStressTimingSelf CarePace Yourself Author:Shellen Lubin
“I've written about persistence and perseverance and yet for those of us with patchwork lives (projects, earnings, caretaking, home-tending, playing, friending, loving, celebrating, hurting, grieving, healing, assessing, re-grouping) persistence and perseverance has to be allowed in patches, not what from the outside might be viewed as 'normal' (for whatever worth normal has, the top of that overused bell curve). So let me clarify. When I talk about persistence, it isn't about persistence of equal measure every day. It's about not giving up on whatever is important to you, and, especially, not giving up on yourself. Some chapters of your life may allow many facets of your being, others just cannot and the feeling of failure that can arouse is of no value. Sometimes all you can do is ask yourself: What must I do this week? today? next hour? to continue the process as healthily as possible? to accomplish the most? It may be deep immersion in one, or it may be an odd mix. And tomorrow may be different. And an unexpected gift may come and change everything. And a Mack truck may hit and change everything. Our answers to those questions may not look similar but what I hope is similar is the acceptance of what must be. Persist in your own patches. Make your own quilt.” HopeChangePerspectivePerseveranceGoalsPersistenceSelf CareGiftsDon T Give UpPatchquilt Persistence Author:Shellen Lubin
“We saw this sign at the low point of an Arroyo on the backroads of town in Española, New Mexico... 'When flooded Turn around Don't drown'... it seems so true on so many levels in so many situations, so many low points that threaten to wash us away. What a concept: When flooded Turn around Don't drown.” PainLife LessonsChangeDepressionAdversityMental HealthFloodSelf CareDrowningDon T Drown Author:Shellen Lubin
“...anxiety is vilified, underrated, for its value and benefits. Those with anxiety can be more thoughtful about all the possibilities that might play out, more prepared for threatening situations, more empathetic to others' feelings (whether overtly expressed or not).” AwarenessPossibilityBenefitsEmpathyMental HealthThreatValueThoughtfulSelf CareAnxiety Is Underrated Author:Shellen Lubin
“The end never justifies the means because every means is its own end.” MindHeartBodyBalanceStressJustificationSelf CarePresencePace Yourself Author:Shellen Lubin
“Everything has its own pace its own timing. True of working, studying, learning. True of illness, sorrow, grief. True of change, of transformation. True of conflict. True of peace. You can't change the pace without changing its nature, changing the experience. And the experience is its own end. The end never justifies the means because every means is its own end. It's not just about you, your natural pace, it's about what you're doing what's being done butterfly effects over miles and years. The river will not be pushed. The rain will not cease until it has finished pouring down. The sun will not rise before dawn. This is where we are.” LifeDestinyBalanceExperienceStressTimingSelf CareInevitabilityInterconnectednessPace Yourself Author:Shellen Lubin
“People do tend to burrow in for winter holidays but then burrowing can be as damaging (implosion, avoidance) as it can be cozy (buzzword: self-care) maybe one maybe t'other maybe some of both.” BalanceStressWinterDamageSelf CareDualityAvoidanceHolidaysTis The Season Author:Shellen Lubin
“Sometimes the greatest gift you can give yourself give the situation give the world is to keep trying, keep naming, calling, keep the struggle alive, keep hope alive. And sometimes the greatest gift you can give yourself give the situation give the world is to just let go.” WisdomHopeStruggleSurvivalSurrenderGiftReleaseSelf CareFutilityTo Be Done Author:Shellen Lubin
“There are so many ways to relieve the anxiety, and we cannot function if we don't find one of those ways, one that distracts, relieves, and leaves you better off than before not worse, and self-loathing... We know not what storms are coming.” GrowthHealingSelf LoveAnxietyMental HealthStormReliefSelf CareAnxious Times Author:Shellen Lubin
“...don't get more anxious about feeling anxious, especially when the anxiety is so justifiable. It'll just lead to more anxiety. And there is definitely a tipping point... ...know that it's also anticipation ... and possibility ... and hope. Ride the waves ... Feel the excitement. It lets you know you're alive.” LifeHopePossibilityMental HealthExcitementAnticipationJustificationSelf CareAnxiety Is Underrated Author:Shellen Lubin
“Our entire body re-aligns after tension then release.” ReleaseTensionSelf CareAlignmentRebalance Through Relief Author:Shellen Lubin
“Some chapters of your life may allow many facets of your being, others just cannot and the feeling of failure that can arouse is of no value. Sometimes all you can do is ask yourself: What must I do this week? today? next hour? to continue the process as healthily as possible? to accomplish the most?” LifeWisdomSuccessProcessHealthSelf LoveStrategyValueSelf CarePatchquilt Persistence Author:Shellen Lubin
“Rest: as beautiful and necessary a task as any. How else can we remember to breathe? to think? to shut out the world? to not think? to regain the strength to take on the world? to take in the world with all our senses? to dream?” DreamsStrengthSolitudeReflectionMental HealthSensesSelf CareRestBreathEnd Of Summer Author:Shellen Lubin
“When the world is so fraught and full of fire-- hearts and minds and countries burning up burning down-- going in may be the escape urge-- as if it's no longer there-- but it's all still there all the time-- reading news or not-- outside looking at seasonal lights store window displays children's cherry-cheeked faces or not-- even when heads are buried in pillows. Take a break to breathe. The frenzy and furor continue. Take a break to weep. The exquisite beauty is still there. All continues on and will be there upon return.” WarPeaceBalanceConflictStressReleaseSelf CareEscapeHolidaysTis The Season Author:Shellen Lubin
“Can you find some peace today?” PeaceQuietMental HealthSerenitySelf CareTranquilityMental Health AwarenessTime OffLabor Day Author:Shellen Lubin
“You have to extend effort to disengage to tune out the world to get lost be lost lose yourself. But it can be done, in this fitting floundering necessary time.” PeaceEffortQuietMental HealthSerenitySelf CareTranquilityTime OffLabor Day Author:Shellen Lubin
“I am thinking about the joy in loose ends, even the unresolved ones, even the pointy sharp ones that stab me periodically, because nothing nothing nothing is ever completely over. And right now, I'm good with that.” JoyPeacePerspectiveCalmContentmentResolutionSelf CareLoose Ends Author:Shellen Lubin