The Joys of Summer

Some people LOVE summer and some people HATE it. I’m in the LOVE category. Summer opens up opportunities that winter does not. Summer has been known to be a mood booster. The sun shines and it stays light later. I love when I drive home from work at 8:00pm and the sun is still shining.…

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Bullying

  Bullying is something that some of us are all too familiar with. Bullying can affect someone’s life in a way that is so incredibly hurtful that it is almost incomprehensible. Bullying stays with someone for a very long time. It is possible to get through it but it always stays with us. Individuals and…

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Saying Good-bye to the Winter Blues!!

Finally, it is that time of year.  We can put away our boots and winter coats and break out the sandals, shorts, tank tops and even bathing suits.  For some people, your heart just sank when you read, “bathing suits.” Believe me, I understand. Isn’t it crazy to think about how much weather affects our…

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Of Barrenness and Burning: When Life Seems Bleak

As far as the forest is concerned, the season has switched from fall to winter.  The branches are bare, and the forest floor is evidence of a year gone by.  The other day, as I arrived at the trail I like to run on (first time since fall was in full foliage), I was surprised…

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Mental Health and Running

It’s a chilly Oregon spring day, and an 11-year-old boy is about run his first competitive race, in all his 6th grade glory; the 800-meter-dash. The short shorts and tank-top barely cover his slight frame which is subsequently covered in goose-bumps caused by chill and nerves. Through the crackly bull-horn comes, “Runners take your mark…”…

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Shame, Part 3

As we continue on in this series on shame it is important to know that shame and guilt are two different things.  Sometimes they overlap and we can get them confused.   But here is the difference, Guilt: “I did something bad.” Shame: “I am something bad.” Sometimes our guilt causes us to feel shame.…

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Shame, Part 2

When was the first time you felt shame?  Do you remember an instance when you began to feel shame?  Maybe you didn’t know it was shame, maybe you would categorize it as embarrassment.  That is where shame starts, with embarrassment.  Maybe you did something and were criticized for it.  Maybe something happened to you such…

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Shame

Welcome to our series on shame.  Shame is powerful and if we let it, it can take over.  Maybe you are wondering if you have ever experienced shame, or maybe you are struggling with shame right now and you are wondering how to break free from it.  Most of us have experienced shame at one…

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Vulnerability

Whew…that is a scary word!  Who wants to be vulnerable?  I don’t think many of us would elect ourselves to be vulnerable.  Lets look more into this world of vulnerability. The definition of vulnerable is “Susceptible to physical or emotional attack or harm.  (Of a person) in need of special care, support, or protection because…

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Waiting…

What do you do when you don’t know what to do? This question might be a bit of an odd question to some people.  To others you might be dying for an answer to that question.  Unfortunately I do not have the exact answer to this question.  There have been countless times in my life…

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