Life on the Rocks with a Twist of Gratitude

I cannot bake. I consider myself a good cook. Baking, though, is not my strength. My mother had a gift for it that I did not get. I dream of making poppyseed bread like she did every Easter. The concern now is I have under two months to learn.  My daughter gifted me a bread machine last Christmas. This bread machine should have made it possible. Instead, it started a journey. I've been trying recipe after recipe. The results? They are far from perfect. I've tried the recipes that came with the machine. I've searched for bread recipes online. I even experimented with AI-generated recipes. I've even tried to invent my own. The bread always has a problem. It is too chewy, too dry, or flavorless. Sometimes it's burnt or undercooked. I could write a book about bread baking failures. I could call it, "10,001 Ways Not to Bake Bread." I will keep trying. I hope I can figure it out eventually. It's like life. We keep trying despite setbacks.  Just a sunny Monda...

I have been busy lately, and I realize that ignoring the blog isn’t the best way to grow it. I am working on improving that. This season of my life, I want to spend more time writing and possibly even earn some money from it. However, I am unsure if my busy schedule after retirement is due to my commitments or if it relates to having ADHD. In 2024, I did complete a book titled "From Grief to Grace: A Therapist's Personal Journey of Healing After Loss."  As I scroll through my Instagram feed, I am still  hesitate to put myself out there. Still, I feel grateful. I am thankful that my book is published and that it will serve its purpose.  Lately, I have noticed a lot of stress in the world. I am sure EVERYONE notices it,  I receive calls from people feeling overwhelmed by what is happening globally. Their stress often leads them to seek therapy. I'm not sure there is a simple solution to this problem. I believe there is not just one answer. However, I do think part of t...

At times, I find myself caught in a cycle of self-doubt and second-guessing my decisions. I often reflect on moments where I feel I missed out on opportunities or made choices that didn't turn out as I had hoped. For example, when faced with two job options, I often look back and think, "Wow, I should have chosen the other one." These thoughts can be overwhelming, leading me to beat myself up over the past.  Despite this, I try to remind myself that every experience serves as a learning lesson. It’s important to understand that every decision, whether right or wrong, provides something valuable to take away. Life is full of choices, and sometimes we may not know the outcome of our decisions until much later. By processing these experiences, I can begin to understand what they teach me about myself and my journey. Regrets can keep us stuck in the past, making it hard to move forward. Instead of getting trapped by what could have been, it is more beneficial to focus on the ...

Sometimes, life just doesn’t go the way we hope it will. It can hit hard, almost like taking a punch right in the gut or getting smacked in the face with a brick. We all feel a bit entitled to have those moments where we just sit back and wonder, "Why me?" It's totally normal to have those feelings of frustration and confusion when things don't work out as we expected. We might feel down for a bit, and that's okay. But eventually, we have to shake it off and pick ourselves up again. It’s important to get back out there and keep pushing forward, even if that means changing our approach or coming up with a whole new plan. Life keeps moving, and so should we, adapting and figuring things out as we go along. A  twist  for a Wednesday night , on a day when things didn't go as planned

Struggling can sometimes feel like a constant battle. I have a tendency to take on too many responsibilities at once, often overwhelming myself in the process. You would think that, after all the dental work I’ve had, I would have learned my lesson about biting off more than I can chew. It’s almost ironic. There is definitely something important about keeping ourselves busy and productive. However, there is also something equally important about recognizing the need for balance in our lives. Finding that perfect line between activity and relaxation is crucial. When the only time that I can consider to be my downtime is the time I spend sleeping at night, it raises a red flag. Maybe this is the moment to stop and think about how I manage my time and responsibilities. If my life is so packed that I can’t find moments to breathe, it might be time to reevaluate my choices.  Just a Saturday Morning Twist

Lately, I’ve found myself in the deep end of the thought pool, splashing around in reflections like some kind of philosophical dolphin. You know how it is — you reach a certain point in life, and suddenly, everything feels like it’s up for review, as if the universe handed you a cosmic audit checklist. When you're in a situation like mine, there’s this magnetic pull toward introspection. I mean, the idea of reinventing oneself — that shiny, daunting possibility — starts tugging at your mind like an overenthusiastic puppy. And then, of course, comes the million-dollar question: Do I have the courage (and maybe the caffeine) to actually dive into this whole "transformation" thing? Honestly, right now, I’m not entirely sure if I’m ready to jump off that metaphorical cliff into the swirling abyss of the unknown. I kind of like the cozy edge, drinking coffee or sipping  and looking down at the brave souls leaping below. But then, I remember this poster I had on my wall as a te...