Spring is here at last and spring cleaning is a tried and true ritual! Why do we still associate spring with spring cleaning? Certainly, in prairie cabins a century ago, when the wind blew dust through the chinks between the logs, spring was the first time the sun was warm enough to dry those curtains […]
Self-Knowledge (Connect with Self)
Book Review: On The Brink Of Everything by Parker J. Palmer
On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, and Getting Old by Parker J. Palmer Reviewed by Elizabeth H. Cottrell Published 2018 240 pages (Hardcover edition) 5 stars out of 5 Parker J. Palmer is among my favorite authors because he writes beautifully and honestly about the questions, challenges, and paradoxes of life. His writing explores, […]
Heartspoken Moment: Remember The One Minute Rule
Let Gretchen Rubin’s easy-to-remember “One Minute Rule” change your life like it has mine. . Gretchen Rubin is one of my favorite authors and she’s particularly known for her research, writing and podcast on happiness. I’ve read and implemented many of her principles, but the one that has had the biggest impact on my life […]
Self Knowledge: 6 Ways To Discover Your Truest Self
This post about self-knowledge has been considerably revised and updated since it originally appeared on this blog in 2014. I’ve even included a 7th way to discover your truest self. Self-Knowledge is considered a virtue in all the world’s great religions and philosophies. It is one of the four keys to unlocking your most #HeartspokenLife. […]
Book Review: Becoming by Michelle Obama
Becoming by Michelle Obama Reviewed by Elizabeth H. Cottrell 5 stars out of 5 This absorbing and compelling memoir not only told a remarkable story, but it also offered practical but inspiring examples of perseverance, resilience, courage, and vulnerability, all juxtaposed with human frailty and the challenges of dealing with those whose lives are so […]
Should Christians Forgive AND Forget?
Christians struggle with Jesus’s teaching about forgiveness: we are commanded to forgive over and over. But do we have to forgive AND forget? Maybe not… This post originally appeared on the blog in 2014, where it stimulated quite a bit of emotion and conversation. The question has come up so often lately, however, especially […]
Heartspoken Moment: Pay Attention
Pay attention and be present: this is a key to noticing and appreciating the details of your life. Watch and listen to this Heartspoken Moment below or scroll down to read it: Pay Attention Right now, choose one thing near you on which to focus and concentrate: a leaf, a cup, a butterfly. Observe its color, texture, and […]
Heartspoken Moment: Lean Into Pain
Introducing Heartspoken Moments: short reflections for those aspiring to live the #HeartspokenLife. Watch and listen to this Heartspoken Moment or scroll down to read it below: Lean Into Pain Meditation masters teach us not to resist emotional pain. Acknowledge it. Dive into it as into a wave coming towards you. Let it flow past and know it […]