again, check this out!

Fairy tales go back thousands of years
http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/20/europe/old-fairy-tales/index.html

enjoy!

Check this out 5

Hi folks, The play reading was great! It was good to hear someone else read my work for a change. The movies are coming along and I'm looking for work again. ReRead last weeks post on job hunting if you are too. I lost weight! (yay!) so I had to get new pants. They are smaller but I still had to go to the big mens shop insted of getting them off the rack. Heavy sigh. See you next time.

CHECK THIS OUT 4

Top 10 Ways to Cope with Job Transition

by Lawrence Berger

Job transitions can be stressful—whether they’re due to layoff, a new job or working extra hours because others workers were laid off. If you’re facing one, consider the following.

1. Take an honest look at yourself. What are your strengths, weaknesses, skills? How did those influence—positively or negatively—your transition?

2. Step up your self-care. Major changes are physically and emotionally taxing. You need self-care now more than ever.

3. Engage your curiosity. What went wrong, or right? What could you have done better? What worked really well?

4. Focus on what you want, and less on what you don’t want. Keep your eye on the prize.

5. Find support. Since your transition affects your family as well, it may be better to seek the outside support of friends or professionals.

6. Work on your thoughts. Calm your fears and reinforce your sense of hope and happiness.

7. Reassure (or avoid) those who are threatened by, or jealous of, the change.

8. Create your own rite of passage. Ceremony and ritual help with all transitions.

9. Let go of how things were “supposed to be” and accept “how things are.” Find appreciation for what is.

10. Keep things in perspective. Or try on a new perspective. Don’t get stuck. Remember, the only constant is change.

Author’s content used with permission, © Claire Communications

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Accessing the Power of Gratitude

by Lawrence Berger

The practice of gratitude as a tool for happiness has been in the mainstream for years. Long-term studies support gratitude’s effectiveness, suggesting that a positive, appreciative attitude contributes to greater success in work, greater health, peak performance in sports and business, a higher sense of well-being, and a faster rate of recovery from surgery.

But while we may acknowledge gratitude’s many benefits, it still can be difficult to sustain. So many of us are trained to notice what is broken, undone or lacking in our lives. And for gratitude to meet its full healing potential in our lives, it needs to become more than just a Thanksgiving word. We have to learn a new way of looking at things, a new habit. And that can take some time.

That’s why practicing gratitude makes so much sense. When we practice giving thanks for all we have, instead of complaining about what we lack, we give ourselves the chance to see all of life as an opportunity and a blessing.

Remember that gratitude isn’t a blindly optimistic approach in which the bad things in life are whitewashed or ignored. It’s more a matter of where we put our focus and attention. Pain and injustice exist in this world, but when we focus on the gifts of life, we gain a feeling of well-being. Gratitude balances us and gives us hope.

There are many things to be grateful for: colorful autumn leaves, legs that work, friends who listen and really hear, chocolate, fresh eggs, warm jackets, tomatoes, the ability to read, roses, our health, butterflies. What’s on your list?

Some Ways to Practice Gratitude

•  Keep a gratitude journal in which you list things for which you are thankful. You can make daily, weekly or monthly lists. Greater frequency may be better for creating a new habit, but just keeping that journal where you can see it will remind you to think in a grateful way.

•  Make a gratitude collage by drawing or pasting pictures.

•  Practice gratitude around the dinner table or make it part of your nighttime routine.

•  Make a game of finding the hidden blessing in a challenging situation.

•  When you feel like complaining, make a gratitude list instead. You may be amazed by how much better you feel.

•  Notice how gratitude is impacting your life. Write about it, sing about it, express thanks for gratitude.

As you practice, an inner shift begins to occur, and you may be delighted to discover how content and hopeful you are feeling. That sense of fulfillment is gratitude at work.

Author’s content used with permission, © Claire Communications

check this out 2.

How Well Do You Maintain Balance?

by Lawrence Berger

If trying to maintain balance in your life makes you feel like a tightrope walker, you’re not alone. Most of us have so many demands on our time and energy, life can feel like a three-ring circus. Take this quiz to see how well you are meeting responsibilities, while also recognizing and fulfilling personal needs and wants.

True  False

m   m  1. The only way I can successfully manage my life is to take care of myself physically and emotionally.

m   m  2. Nurturing myself enlarges my capacity to help others.

m   m  3. I eat healthfully and exercise regularly.

m   m  4. I get check-ups, go to the dentist, and take preventative precautions.

m   m  5. I set aside personal, quiet time for myself, whether I’m meditating or simply letting my thoughts drift. 

m   m  6. I experience the gifts of each season: ice skating, sledding, bundled-up beach walks; gardening, hiking, more time outside; camping, swimming, barbeques; harvesting the bounty, gathering wood, spending more time inside.

m   m  7. Creativity nurtures me, too. I do what I love, whether that’s cooking, drawing, painting, writing, dancing, singing or another creative pursuit. 

m   m  8. Reaching out to others enriches my life. I spend quality time with family and friends.

m   m  9. Contributing to the world provides connection and purpose, so I give my time, energy and experience where it is most useful. 

m   m  10. I notice and heed the emotional signals that tell me I’m out of balance: irritability, overwhelm, resentment.

m   m  11. If I feel that I’m catching a cold, I realize I may have stressed my immune system with over activity, so I stop and take care of myself.

m   m  12. When I need or want to, I say no to requests for my time.

m   m  13. I listen to and honor the requests my body makes for such things as a nap, a walk, green vegetables, hot soup.

m   m  14. If I have something planned for myself, I don’t just toss that aside when someone makes a request of me.

m   m  15. I’m busy, but I find time to do the things I want to do.

m   m  16. I’m happy. I regularly experience well-being, contentment, even joy.

If you answered false more often than true, you may want to take a look at the questions to which you answered false and see if you can incorporate something of its message into your life. Please don’t hesitate to call if you’d like to explore this issue further.

Author’s content used with permission, © Claire Communications