"LIFE IN A WORD"

The word is MEMORIALIZE

Definition: Merriam-Webster Dictionary: “something that serves to keep alive the memory of a person or event”

Posted 5/26/22

Memorial Day is almost here. “Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings, and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season.”

- History Channel

My Story on Memorialize:

As we approach Memorial Day weekend, I thought it fitting to remember both the brave heroes who served our country and the brave heroes we were fortunate enough to have had in our own lives. We miss them and carry parts of them with us always. They’re the ones we looked up to, learned from, and aspired to be. They’re not the celebrities we see in the media they are the people who held a special place in their hearts for us.

I had a few heroes in my life that I will memorialize this weekend.

The first was my dad. He was someone I saw as a hero because he devoted his professional life to saving the lives of others. By example, he allowed me to embrace the survivor and protector in me.

The second was my paternal grandmother. She introduced me to the world of literature and the world of fashion. She was an independent woman ahead of her time who instilled in me a sense of self; read so you can learn about the world and dress the part to live it boldly.

And the third was my maternal grandmother. She was the trailblazer in the family, the hugger, and the woman who made sure everyone had full bellies. She was a woman ahead of her time as well, an immigrant from Turkey who came to America by means of an arranged marriage. With a smile on my face, I proudly say that my grandmother was one of the few women drivers in all of Brooklyn back in the nineteen-twenties. Her Middle Eastern recipes have passed from one generation to the next. Sharing her love, she treated each of her sixteen grandchildren as if they were the best of the best. It wasn’t a competition, just a fact in her estimation. I credit her for teaching me fearlessness, love, and how to cook a delicious boreka (you might have to look that one up, but it was a staple at every family gathering).

This Memorial Day weekend, I invite you to reflect on the hero in your life. Or the many if you were so blessed. Remember the person you learned from and aspired to. Embrace a few minutes of reflection as you memorialize them this weekend and if you’re so inclined, hold your own little parade to celebrate their memory.

"LIFE IN A WORD"

The Word is: Curiosity

Definition: Merriam-Webster Dictionary: "...the desire to know"

I can conjure up no better example of curiosity than a visual of a child. Isn't that when our sense of curiosity begins? We come into this world with our eyes wide open and take in all kinds of visual stimuli and physical sensations; touch, smell, taste, and sounds. The world is new and inviting. It is a time of awe.

My Story on Curiosity

Close your eyes and picture a toddler sitting on a beach playing with the sand for the first time. He may hold it in his hands and watch as it slips through his fingers. The child has no concept of what he has just discovered, but he knows it feels good in his hands. He may take it a step further and place some of the sand in his mouth, perhaps thinking it might also feel good there. When it doesn't, he will hopefully spit it out. Curiosity and exploration are what allow us to learn and grow.

One could argue that history holds the answers to many of our curiosities. Questions are asked, answered, studied, and viewed from many sides. They are documented for us to learn from.

It’s the same with Life Coaching. Curiosity is one of the most vital tools in my toolbox. My role is to ask questions so I can learn about you. Your answers allow me to understand what you want to change about your life. As I listen to your answers. I take notes. I am documenting your history as I learn about your beliefs, behaviors, and habits.

There is no judgment in my role as your coach. Judgment is the opposite of curiosity; judgment shuts things down, whereas curiosity opens the door. As with history, when we ask questions of ourselves or others, study the answers, and view them from many sides, we will learn and grow too. Like the child curious about the world around him, exploration is also a time of awe for each one of us.

If you're having trouble achieving your goals, it might be time to talk to a Life Coach. I hope you will reach out to me. Thank you for reading my blog and checking back next week for my “Life In A Word” posting.

"LIFE IN A WORD"

The word is ANTIDOTE

Definition: Merriam-Webster Dictionary: “something that relieves, prevents, or counteracts”

Posted 5/11/22

When you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, do you stumble through the day, all grumpy and gray or do you look for the sun? Do you look for an antidote?

My Story on Antidote

What’s new? These days it seems like many unsettling things are what’s new. Bad news catches up to us even when we try to shelter ourselves from it. There's social media platforms, news alerts on our phones, television and radio broadcasts, or just general conversations with family, friends, or colleagues. You can't escape it. Or, can you?

Today, I listened to the morning news far longer than usual. Fifteen minutes has been my limit since the first fifteen minutes usually capture the headlines. Today I hung in for 25 minutes, resulting in an overload of negative national and global news. I could feel the tension rise in my body. Usually, my morning yoga class calms me. This morning I knew it would take much more.

So, if you believe that the universe is listening and sometimes answers your call, please read on. Because that is the only explanation I could come up with this morning. My phone had alerted me to view one personalized photo recap video after another. Videos titled “Best Friends”, “Portraits”, “Holidays”, and “Favorites” kept popping up. Usually, I receive one video recap on my phone every week or so, but six or seven in a row on the same day? That has never happened until today.

The antidote to the bad news of the morning had arrived. Warm and meaningful memories were brought to life with the swipe of a phone screen and the touch of the play button. There were no wars in the background, no crashing market reports, no protests, and no crying children. Instead, there were smiles, milestone days and nights, weddings, births, anniversaries, local trips, international trips, sunsets, and more.

The saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” came to me in the form of videos on my cell phone screen this morning. They lifted my spirits in every way possible. Bad News? What bad news? I received the gift of the antidote. It was something that counteracted the bad news I had heard an hour earlier and took me to a happier time and place. Did it take away the bad things happening in the world? No, but it gave me the ability to put things in perspective. I had received the gift of remembering all the meaningful people and places in my life. That is what allowed me to move on and face the day ahead.

If you or someone you know has lost sight of all the good in your life, it might be time to talk to a Life Coach. I hope you will reach out to me. Thank you for reading my blog and checking back next week for my “Life In A Word” blog posting.