Single, Parent
Single Motherhood
Being single and deciding to become a parent is a serious decision that takes enormous thought and planning. Many celebrities make it look so easy because most of them have several people on the payroll to help them care for their children, their households, their food preparation, their bodies, hair, you name it.
If you are like most people, you don’t have that kind of checkbook or entourage. So if and when you consider becoming a mom on your own, think about the commitment to your child and the dramatic change in your lifestyle as you contemplate remaining sane in the process.
Being a single mom takes a huge amount of courage, but the rewards can be phenomenal. Are you up for the lifelong job?
Lingering Grief
When someone you love dies after a long illness, you may hear people telling you how “lucky” you are because the recently deceased is “no longer suffering.”
While it may be true that suffering has ended (for the deceased, at least), you still miss him, and may think that you would give anything to have some more time with him. This hoped-for but impossible barter of anything for your loved one will inhabit your imagination for some time, and even when you eventually get back on track, you will find lingering grief that hangs over you and fills you.
Your days will be up and down, which is to be expected—the grief can be very intense one moment, and then manageable the next. Understand that these aspects are out of your control, and be gentle with yourself.
Grief is an honest and valiant emotion. Embrace it as a sign of your love for your lost one, and allow it to honor him and strengthen you.
Friends, Family
Best Buddy Then, Alien Being Now
You and your cousin were connected at the hip when you were little. But you’re both adults now and grew up very differently. Her lifestyle, belief system, values, and most everything else bug you. You have a really hard time spending time with her now and you move at an entirely different pace. Actually, the way she lives tends to drive you nuts.
But you still love the person she was and still is deep down inside even though she’s the carnivore city dweller and you’re the vegetarian who lives in the country. She devours fried chicken and you just cannot make a case for tofu no matter how hard you try. Is there a way to be with this person you love without losing your mind or sanity?
Even though you both walk to the beat of different drums now, throw out judgment, don’t question why you still want this person in your life, and enjoy your time together.
Well-Being
Only the Lonely
Sometimes when you feel lonely you don’t quite know how to deal with the blues. You think about everyone else in the world having a great time but you. You pout, cry, or watch too much television. You are stagnant, but there is a way out.
There are lots of positive ways to deal with loneliness. Staying home alone and feeling sorry for yourself is not one of them.
Parent, Family, Community
Raising Sons to Be Proud Of
The mother-son connection serves as a foundation for that little boy to develop a healthy sense of himself. By your nurturing nature, you teach him that the world is a place where he can feel safe and that he can trust.
And raising your son could be one of your greatest contributions. Surely the world’s sanity would be saved if more women raised caring, sensitive, and responsible men.
Boys with healthy upbringings have terrific opportunities to grow up to be wonderful men.
Well-Being
Create Calm
We all have tumultuous times in our lives. You may not believe you can create calm in the midst of such chaos. But you can.
Quiet yourself and find a way to solve the problem. If you can’t figure it out, quiet your mind again and come back to it later. While being realistic, you can face a challenge and give it your best shot.
Bring attention to your ability to focus on your inner strength when facing difficulty.