Article by Judy Mosley

Winter has never been far from my mind. And it feels like this particular year had disappeared faster than any other in my memory …

Already, August has slipped away and summer is nearly over.  As fair and gorgeous as Fall is, it’s never long enough.  So I’ve decided ahead of time that I would start preparing for winter now.

I don’t mean preparing by stocking up on supplies like ice salt and snow boots.  I’m talking about preparing myself on the inside.

It started with the idea of making my own Bucket List.  I am, of course, using the term that was used in the movie.  But I thought that instead of making a list of things to do before I die, I could make one for the winter.  It would be my list that I can refer to when I start to feel lost or emotionally down.  But the more I thought about that idea, I realized that there is much more that could be done than just making a list … Read More »

Article by Judy Mosley

Being an introvert, I often find that by the end of the day, I feel like I’ve run out of words.  I don’t want to talk anymore.  I will gladly listen, but I may not want to respond.  At least, that’s how I feel.

But, even when I don’t feel like talking, I have to talk.  I can’t keep from talking. Because talking not only helps me fulfill my own needs, but serves to help the needs of those around me.

Now, we may understand that there are better ways of communicating to those around us … but we may not know how to do that.  In living my own life, these are some things that I have to keep in mind, whether I am talking to my husband, my children, my parents, or the cashier in the checkout aisle:

Be honest

This is meant to be instructive in two ways … First, many people pretend that being honest gives them the liberty, even the right, to say things that are absolutely outrageous.  I believe that you can say absolutely anything if you say it in a way that isn’t disrespectful to the person that you are speaking to.  

But some things should never be said. It’s not being “honest,” it’s called being rude and hurtful … and I would say that most of us know the difference if they are “honest” with themselves. Read More »

“Words, words, words, I’m so sick of words.  I get words all day through … First from him, now from you.  Is that all you blighters can do?”

- Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady

Article by Judy Mosley

Eliza probably stated it best.  If there was anyone who knew about words, it was she.

All day long, words had been crammed down her throat by Professor Higgins and by the end of her experience, she was through with words.

But for the whole of the human race, words are mostly how we communicate.  We can hardly go through one day without hearing, speaking, or reading a word.  But for something that is used so much, this type of communication seems to get us into more trouble than anything else … Read More »

Article by Judy Mosley

I hear that in faraway places, some families sit down and … talk.

If there is a problem, they call a family meeting and discuss the issues that are pressing them.  Urban legends speak of each person using words and sentences that make sense.  And by the end of the meeting, everyone understands what they need to do and how they fit into the family.

Unfortunately, with three children all four years old and under, words are rather scarce in our household.

The children can say lots of things, but most of the time, we don’t have a clue as to what they are really trying to say.  We know that they get frustrated, just like we do.  And we get frustrated a lot!  So until they grow and mature, we have what we call “Grievance Sessions.”

These are our emergency meetings.  They normally happen on an as needed basis and these are the rules. Read More »

Article by Kevin L. DeWitt

Some people are completely happy with themselves, their lives, and their prospects for the future.

I venture to say most of us don’t fall into this category.

What‘s the main difference between those lucky individuals whose lives seem to be on-track and those who, despite colossal effort on their part, appear to have all of the odds stacked against them?  In some cases it may simply be a matter of luck.  However, I believe that many of those whose lives are content in the moment … do not live in the past.

Whether you are thinking about your personality, your career, or your life in general, success means focusing on the here and now.  Yes … it‘s important to acknowledge the choices and experiences which resulted in you being where you are today.  Yet it is even more important to not allow yourself to become so caught up in thoughts of the past that today passes you by.

Self-motivation is one of the keys to ensuring that you don‘t continue repeating the same mistakes.  You may have had one or more errors in judgment which led you to take the wrong path, or to make mistakes that were not in your best interest.  I know I have.  Yet you can acknowledge this without rehashing them over and over again in your mind, and simply be determined to make different, better decisions today.

Then is over; this is now.  The less time and effort you put into looking at the past, the more time and energy you will have for living and experiencing this day. Read More »