Lies (Pretty Much) Everyone Tells On Valentine’s Day

“The more we feed into the socially reinforced, overly-romantic messages about love as a promise to be together forever, only have romantic feelings for one other human, and guarantees about how you will feel, act, and think in the future, the more we perpetuate unrealistic expectations of romantic relationships.”

“A quick perusal of the cards at your local store displays the unrealistic, fantasy versions of romance perpetuated on this holiday with sentiments like:

  • You’re my one and only true love, forever.
  • You’re my everything.
  • You always take my breath away.
  • My heart is all yours, always.
  • You’re my forever love.
  • My heart belongs to you, now and always.
  • You complete me.

Truth be told, most of us love hearing these sweet sentiments from our current flame. They make us feel special, wanted, and adored.

But should we? None of these statements actually reflects what a person can honestly promise or say.

You can’t know the future. You can’t own another person or their heart. In fact, the only guarantee we have in life is that things will change over time.” Source: Lies (Pretty Much) Everyone Tells On Valentine’s Day

How to Forgive Your Parents

Taking responsibility, overcoming the past, and moving forward. Source: How to Forgive Your Parents

Whatever it is you’re seeking

Death Comes to the Banquet Table by Giovanni Martinelli

I visited the Raclin Murphy Museum at the University of Notre Dame yesterday and had the opportunity to learn from an intern about observing art. “Death Comes to the Banquet Table” was one of the two artworks we observed and discussed.

Llyleila Richardson writes “While their story-telling symbolism is as old as Christianity itself, “memento mori” paintings saw a particular popularity in seventeenth-century Europe. It was a time of tumultuous politics and religious instability even as wealth flooded in from overseas. The Baroque art that bloomed during this period reflects the contrast between these two realities, as tensely captured here by Florentine painter Giovanni Martinelli in NOMA’s Death Comes to the Banquet Table.

Continue reading “Death Comes to the Banquet Table by Giovanni Martinelli”

5 Mindsets to Help You Stay Grounded During Life Transitions

Adopting these self-compassionate mindsets can make hard times easier. Source: 5 Mindsets to Help You Stay Grounded During Life Transitions

 

3 Minutes of Grooving to the Music Could Make You Smarter

Moving to a beat for three minutes boosts brain power. Source: 3 Minutes of Grooving to the Music Could Make You Smarter

The Problem With Striving for Fun Rather Than Abiding in Joy

Find the happiness you’re looking for. Source: The Problem With Striving for Fun Rather Than Abiding in Joy

Can Sex Keep Our Brain From Aging?

When it comes to our brain, is sex the fountain of youth? Source: Can Sex Keep Our Brain From Aging?

A Short Journey Into Male and Female Brains

Exploring gender differences in brain architecture. Source: A Short Journey Into Male and Female Brains

10 Green Flags for Relationships

Use this guide to move toward what you want. Source: 10 Green Flags for Relationships

The Two Souls Within: Hermann Hesse on the Dual Life of the Creative Spirit

“Coursing through every civilization are the myths that shape what its people come to believe about reality and possibility. Some of them are healing and some damaging. Some are easy to recognize for what they are — almost all isms are damaging myths. But some are more subtle, more pernicious, permeating the substratum of culture and the marrow of the psyche.” Source: The Two Souls Within: Hermann Hesse on the Dual Life of the Creative Spirit

Living Apart Together Is the Best Relationship Decision I’ve Made

Leah Rockwell writes “Every Monday, I wake up at 5:45 am and I drive, half-asleep, to a local pool for my morning laps, my every-other-day routine for more than 20 years. I swim in complete silence, the water blissfully making conversation impossible. I breathe deeply, sinking into my body’s rhythm, slowly awakening over the course of those 30 minutes.

Then I melt into a warm shower, followed by a cup of coffee in solitude. Before daybreak, I relish the peace of not answering any questions or coordinating who’s responsible for packing lunches or doing the day’s grocery run, surrendering to this daily self-reflection practice before transitioning into my workday. And I’m able to do this despite having two daughters, ages 15 and 12, plus a committed partner with three teenage boys of his own.

How? My partner and I don’t share a home, unwittingly joining the Living Apart Together (LAT) movement, and I can have these mornings when my kids are with their other parent.” Source: Living Apart Together Is the Best Relationship Decision I’ve Made

Living Apart Together

Exploring the modern day concept of Marriage and co-habitation versus the “Living apart together” concept. Is society divorcing its self from Traditional Values or are we undergoing an acceptance for something new? Source: https://houghtonmackay.com/lifestyle/living-alone-together/

Why Do We Kiss at Midnight on New Year’s Eve?

Before you plant a New Year’s kiss on a significant other (or a stranger), learn the origins of this popular tradition. Source: Why Do We Kiss at Midnight on New Year’s Eve?

Heuristics

A heuristic is a mental shortcut that allows an individual to make a decision, pass judgment, or solve a problem quickly and with minimal mental effort. While heuristics can reduce the burden of decision-making and free up limited cognitive resources, they can also be costly when they lead individuals to miss critical information or act on unjust biases. Source: Heuristics

Caring for Yourself in the New Year

Strategies for mental and physical wellness. Source: Caring for Yourself in the New Year

When Things Have to Change: How to Find the Willpower to Achieve Your Goals

If you’re feeling discouraged & unmotivated to create change, these five strategies may help you increase your willpower & achieve your goals. Source: When Things Have to Change: How to Find the Willpower to Achieve Your Goals

Moving cities made me realise that loneliness can happen to us all. Here’s how I found my community…

Moving to a new city was a lonely and isolating experience at first but two years later, I have a new friendship circle and Melbourne feels like home. Source: Moving cities made me realise that loneliness can happen to us all. Here’s how I found my community

7 ways to attain inner peace, based on Buddhist philosophy

“In our non-stop, plugged-in world, the quest for inner peace can feel like an elusive treasure hunt.

We often look to self-help gurus or wellness retreats, but what if I told you that the path to tranquility has been mapped out for centuries?

That’s right, centuries.

Buddhist philosophy offers timeless insights on finding harmony within, and it’s not as out of reach as you might think.

Let me level with you – I used to roll my eyes at the idea of ‘inner peace.’ It seemed like a lofty concept reserved for monks and yogis.

But then, I took a deep dive into Buddhist teachings and realized it’s not about escaping life’s hustle and bustle; it’s about navigating it with a calmer, more centered mindset.

Ready to find out how?” Go to the Source: 7 ways to attain inner peace, based on Buddhist philosophy

45 Most Romantic Christmas Love Songs Of All Time

Cozy up by the fire and press play. Source: 45 Most Romantic Christmas Love Songs Of All Time

Map shows how many Americans will spend Christmas alone in YOUR state

A new poll showed that around 19 million Americans are due to spend Christmas alone this year, which is one in 14 adults. Oregon has the highest rate of those celebrating alone – 45%. Source: Map shows how many Americans will spend Christmas alone in YOUR state

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