Quantity vs. Quality. You know the difference. My observation is that many people value quantity when it comes to relationships. Online engagement becomes their preferred outlet. What is happening as a result? Loneliness. Lost time. A longing for closeness — which research shows cannot be achieved online. It is apparent that finding someone — who you love, and who loves you — isn’t an easy task in this day and age. And going online can make you feel as though you do have lots of people in your life. But, my wish for you is that you have (actual) people in your life. Someone who has your back, who has your best interest at heart, and who brings something special to your life. Someone who is so close to you that you can reach over and pinch their cheek. What is the alternative? You — alone in a nursing home — with nothing but your laptop. Life Is Fabulous!

When it is revealed to me that someone is firmly embedded in a life that provides them less than they are destined for, it saddens me. When my heart can see how their undisclosed pain keeps them detoured, it saddens me. When the love we share feels foreign and unfamiliar to them — yep, you got it — it saddens me. My resolve? Make peace with my powerlessness. Life Is Fabulous!

Late one night, my left foot — accidentally — stepped on my right foot. It really hurt. It was kind of weird that it happened the way it did. Long story short, there were four small bruises on the top of my right foot. You are probably wondering why you are hearing about my foot accident. My point is this. My injury was self-inflicted. Not intentionally, of course. And, my personal observation is that many people have self-inflicted wounds. Physical self-inflicted injuries like: paper cuts, stubbed toes, a finger caught in the car door. Emotional self-inflicted injuries like: lack of self-love, hopelessness, or unfulfilled needs. Spiritual self-inflicted injuries like: quick-fix distractions, or following something away from one’s self. You can’t avoid being injuried. It happens. What you can do, though, is develop a high level of self-awareness. In other words, your inner core protects you from the self-inflicted wounds — that happen internally. Those are the ones that never seem to heal. And, you can’t really be whole — until you heal those. Life Is Fabulous!

Do and repeat. Do and repeat. Do and repeat. That system works. What about the opposite? Change what you are doing. Turn off the automatic pilot switch. Maintain center, but move in different directions. Each time your new movements make you feel uncomfortable, recognize it for what it is. Personal growth. Life Is Fabulous!

You can’t change what you can’t see. Avoidance behavior, low self-worth, or automatic negative thoughts are just a few examples of things that can be hidden from you. How do you know if you have hidden junk? You’ll know you have hidden junk when you feel stuck. You know, month after month, year after year, and nothing changes. And, the goals you aspire to seem to be farther and farther from your reach. The solution? Stop the moment you try to avoid what you don’t want to feel, and choose to see it for what it is. Decide then and there to address the situation by rationally challenging your automatic response to change. Make the hard call. Do the work. Life Is Fabulous!