By Trina O’Quinn for the NABBW In my last post I explained how an ordinary course of events – like traveling and not immediately being able to find something – can create much anxiety, even a panic attack – actually, a “Dyslexic Spin,” is how I label it.  It is part of my lifelong learning disability, with which I’ve learned to cope over the years. Journal writing is one effective tool in this process of coping. In my earlier discussions of journaling technique, I have been promoting unstructured, or free form, journaling. When using this type of journaling, I... Read More

By Trina O’Quinn for the NABBW In reviewing the blogs that I have written over the last year and a half, I have discovered they have some common themes. These themes are: – The Pandemic – Change – Loss – Grief In some of my posts, I have shared the thoughts and feelings I have had while dealing with these issues. But I have not discussed the major tool/process that I have used for the last 29 years, which is journaling. To begin with, I want to be clear that journaling should not be confused with keeping a diary, though they ARE often confused with each... Read More

By Trina O’Quinn for the NABBW This past July, I fell, bruising my knees and shoulders and whiplashing my neck. Today, I am still recovering. What I have found is that at age 75, I am not recovering like I used to, even at age 60. I am grateful that I did not break anything besides my ego. The fall triggered my fibromyalgia, causing pain all over my body, so I decided it was time to see a rheumatologist. She not only confirmed the fibromyalgia, but also diagnosed severe arthritis. After discussing my options for a recovery plan, together we decided that I would begin with aquatic physical... Read More

…bring some clarity to your commitments…. We all do it. We all feel the pressure of being in lots of places at the same time. We all know what it\’s like to say “yes” when we really want to say “no”. We make promises. We wish we hadn\’t made promises. Sometimes we renege on those promises. But mostly we make the commitment, stick by the commitment and, whether we like it or not, perform on that promise. Keeping a commitment or a promise is a major deposit and breaking one is a major withdrawal. Stephen Covey taught us that. Keeping our commitments to others puts us in good... Read More

Have you ever wondered “will you still like me if I say no?” How many times did you say yes when you really meant no, just to keep the peace? You are a good person and you can be counted on to say yes even when you mean NO!? Here\’s a radical thought for you, say YES to yourself. Here are ways to do this: Learn, notice and listen to your own inner guidance. Your body tells you when you are going against yourself. Signs come from your stomach growling, pain in your head or neck or a feeling of heaviness, are a few examples to recognize that you are going against your inner voice. Recognize... Read More

Both men and women are short changed when sweeping generalizations are applied to the male psyche. Men can not all be painted with broad strokes. Some comments from a poll we took may help build a more complex picture of the midlife male perspective, particularly concerning long-term relationships. Often it\’s a struggle for marital partners to maintain commitment to each other. However, many men recognize that the outcome is worth the effort. Henry talked about his secret to success. “We\’ve never lost our focus – we knew we had to work to stay together. It was the two of us... Read More

Senator John Kerry said his remark, “If you don\’t study hard you get stuck in Iraq,” was a joke gone awry. President George W. Bush was critical, commenting to the Associated Press that “it didn\’t sound like a joke to me. More important, it didn\’t sound like a joke to the troops.” What did you think? With the election right around the corner, the political stakes are high. Some bloggers and journalists in the Conservative camp are focused on Senator John Kerry\’s “campaign gaffe.” Others on the Democratic team view this fixation as... Read More

Both men and women are short changed when sweeping generalizations are applied to the male psyche. Men can not all be painted with broad strokes. Some comments from a poll we took may help build a more complex picture of the midlife male perspective, particularly concerning long-term relationships. Often it\’s a struggle for marital partners to maintain commitment to each other. However, many men recognize that the outcome is worth the effort. Henry talked about his secret to success. “We\’ve never lost our focus – we knew we had to work to stay together. It was the two of us... Read More

Senator John Kerry said his remark, “If you don\’t study hard you get stuck in Iraq,” was a joke gone awry. President George W. Bush was critical, commenting to the Associated Press that “it didn\’t sound like a joke to me. More important, it didn\’t sound like a joke to the troops.” What did you think? With the election right around the corner, the political stakes are high. Some bloggers and journalists in the Conservative camp are focused on Senator John Kerry\’s “campaign gaffe.” Others on the Democratic team view this fixation as... Read More

Both men and women are short changed when sweeping generalizations are applied to the male psyche. Men can not all be painted with broad strokes. Some comments from a poll we took may help build a more complex picture of the midlife male perspective, particularly concerning long-term relationships. Often it\’s a struggle for marital partners to maintain commitment to each other. However, many men recognize that the outcome is worth the effort. Henry talked about his secret to success. “We\’ve never lost our focus – we knew we had to work to stay together. It was the two of us... Read More