Category: mental health

Guest Post: “Be the Light” — YES!

On By jeff ludlumIn Attitude, lifestyle, mental health, parentingLeave a comment

I met Camille and her husband too last year when one of their son’s played on the soccer team my wife was coaching (and two of our kids played on, too).

Since then we’ve stayed in touch via social media, and we cross paths around town from time to time too.

With that as backdrop, I saw this post from her the other day and immediately thought, “Half Full!” — so I asked her if I could share this little reflection on my blog, and she generously agreed.

ENJOY!, and BE THE LIGHT.

—

Be a light in someone’s life. The world kind of sucks ☹️ right now. Someone told me the other day that they had to Google how to talk to your kids about mass shootings! 😮 This is sadly our reality.

This is also my motivation for SPREADING POSITIVITY in my  world and coaching a group of people who want change, whether it’s change in their mindset, change in their lifestyle, change in their habits, change in their body or change in their relationships with themselves and others.

I coach not because I have extra time in my life. As a working Mama of 3 👦🏻👦🏻👧🏻, I don’t have a lot of time so I make time. I wake up early, maybe skip some tv shows and find those pockets of time. I coach because I, too, need the positivity generated from others.

Life is hard. ☹️ But what choice do we have?🤷🏻‍♀️ Do we just be negative all the time and spend our days wallowing in what we don’t have and what we want different? Results come from action!

Positivity attracts positivity. 😊+☺️ I’ve had a rough week and I relied on my group to get me through it and I relied on myself to focus on my blessings, my children, my marriage, and my health.

Be a light in someone’s life.

“If you want to give light to others YOU have to glow yourself!”

#strongasamother #strongertogether #momoftwoboysandagirl#workingmomsrock #workingmomslife #struggleisreal #morningmeltdown100#transformation #mindsetchange #positivevibesonly #thankful #gratitude#youarestrong #youareabadass #personaldevelopmentquotes #shinebright#sparkle #coachinglife #lovelife #embraceliving #smilemore #runningmom#fivesecondrule #leadbyexample #changeforchange #yougotafriendinme #accountabilitycoach #smilemore

Find more of this goodstuff Camille puts out in the world — her Instagram handle is:   @coachcamillepa

camillecf_coach_halffuller_2019

 

 

 

Advertisements

Darkness

On By jeff ludlumIn Attitude, faith, mental healthLeave a comment

We’ve all been there in one way or another. The darkness. Unsure, A little afraid. Or maybe it was worse; we had a sense of dread, maybe evil just around the corner, through the trees.

Maybe you’re somewhere in between; you can see the light off in the distance, but you’re not sure you can cross through the darkness.

By some measure it’s relative; each of us knows the doubt and pain and struggle of our own reality and experience.
The old adage, “…there’s always someone worse off than you…” might be a good way to approach this commonality of humanity.
Consider the homeless.  Consider the abused.  Consider those that don’t have enough to eat; maybe nothing at all to eat.
Consider those displaced by war, terrorized by violence otherwise.  Consider the children, and old people, who can’t get away from the shelling, the bombs, the murderous mobs.
Imagine living in the open, in the cold, in the wet, with no real shelter from the elements.
Consider the suffering. Maybe from mental illness, or disease, or strife otherwise in your life, hounding you, not letting up.
And then consider being nailed to a cross and hung there to die.

Imagine a darkness so deep, unending, leaving your heart black with dispare, nothing to hold you back from the abyss but your pain.

And then consider the love it took to walk toward the cross, accept it. A commitment so complete that it bears witness to God’s love for us, to speak truth to the very end, until the spirit departs.
In the end, I think that’s why they call Good Friday good.
INRI_Iēsus Nazarēnus, Rēx Iūdaeōrum

Ignatian Prayer, Hearts on Fire

On By jeff ludlumIn Attitude, Insight, mental health, TipsLeave a comment

Ignatius developed and taught his friends to examine themselves, their actions, and intentions, through prayer.

The Spiritual Exercises, The Examen, both came from the Ignatian approach to prayer.

Following is from a "Lunchtime Examen" I found on an Ignatian Spirituality site. It sums up things nicely, step by step.

The process is the same each day. The effect is timeless. The effect is GOOD. Give it a try.

Chill

On By jeff ludlumIn Attitude, Insight, lifestyle, mental healthLeave a comment

This was the view I had recently. It was a 30-Hour Retreat. We got up early, almost like a work day to get there.

It's good to do for mind, body, and soul. Regularly. For your own well-being, and for others.

When you allow yourself to chill, it means taking pause, a bit of emotional and spiritual detente, giving your engine time to spool down from breakneck speed.

Chill. Out. GOOD.

Half Full, Happy Anniversary, All GOOD.

On By jeff ludlumIn Attitude, leadership, mental health, parenting, Tips, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I started this blog three years ago this month, July. At the time I was looking for a way to share some thoughts, some insights, and further the good in the world.

Not sure how much good I’ve done, but I’ve definitely shared a lot of thoughts. Gotten some positive feedback along the way, which is good for me if nothing else. And I’ve certainly learned a lot.

I plan to continue blogging, sharing, pursuing the GOOD in this manner. I’ve also got another avenues coming down the pike later this yesr.

I’ll have an e-book up in the fall, before the holidays. It will be a sort of coffee table book, a short volume, about being a new dad. It will bring a little humor, and hopefully inspiration, to fathers. 

 I’m also designing a short podcast I’ll produce and share periodically.  Same goal: share a little insight, further the good in the world.

So whether you’re new to this blog,  or have been along these last three years, thanks for reading. Please share it with others. On we go toward the GOOD.