The Holidays:Part Six – What to do After the Holidays

It is not uncommon for people to get depressed after the holidays.  Sometimes we are on a rush from the holiday season, and when it is over in a blink of an eye we can become depressed.   Sometimes the holidays can bring on a lot of hurt, maybe your family or friends said or did something hurtful, and…

Read More

The Holidays:Part Five – Being Present on the Holidays

“Present(s)” is a word that we hear a lot around the holidays.  After all, this is the season of giving.  I love nothing more than giving my friends and loved ones presents on Christmas.  I love when I get them something that I know they are going to love and watching their faces when they open their gift.  Don’t…

Read More

The Holidays:Part One – Say “NO”

Welcome to our series on “how to survive the holidays and enjoy them.” How to say no, it sure does sound easy. It’s just a small two-letter word, yet at times it can be so hard to say that tiny word. The holidays can be full of demands, questions, wants and needs. Our parents want…

Read More

Wait Wait Wait

Have you ever been waiting for something, and it seems like you are never going to get it? Have you ever waited for something for so long that you have lost hope that you will ever get what you were waiting for? What do you do while you wait for a job, an acceptance letter,…

Read More

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.…

Read More

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…

Read More

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…”…

Read More

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.…

Read More

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…

Read More

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…

Read More