Author: Reyné O’Shaughnessy

“Sometimes you need to press pause to let everything sink in.” One of the side effects of continued self-care, if you’re doing it right, is that you gain more self-awareness. This can be both good and bad. For instance, I reflected on a meltdown I had 15 years ago with one of my sons. At… Continue reading The Importance of a Pause

“Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” – Laozi There is a Taoist parable called ‘Accommodating the Water.’ As the story goes, an old man was walking along a riverbank. The river was swift and powerful rapids led to a tall waterfall just downstream. Suddenly, the man stumbled and fell into the… Continue reading A Bone of Non Contention

Life is not a journey you want to make on autopilot. – Paula Rinehart There’s a challenge that most people face that we are often not even aware of. It’s being on autopilot. You can call it mindlessness or habitual reactivity, but it all boils down to moving through life without being aware of the… Continue reading Autopilot

“The seeds we water grow.” -Thich Nhat Hanh Good self-care involves more than just eating an orange, showering, or brushing your teeth. It includes caring for yourself the way you would care for a child, with consideration and gentleness not just for your body but also for your mind and spirit. Mental health self-care is… Continue reading What is Self-Care?

As we near the end of a tumultuous and consequential year, socially-distanced and avoiding large gatherings, now is the time to build a new habit… get quiet. It may seem strange to sit alone and ponder. For that matter, it may seem strange to sit alone and be quiet in your mind, to not think… Continue reading End of the year thoughts on being quiet…

“Change is the only constant in life” – Heraclitus There’s no getting around it. Life equals change, and change is the hardest thing a human can do. However, it isn’t easy. But here’s the good news. If we learn to adapt to change the less stress we experience. This is pretty direct, it’s simple, but… Continue reading BREATH!

“The great moral powers of the soul are faith, hope, and love.” - Ellen G. White When I was a young girl, my mother and father would bestow upon me wisdoms that my grandparents had given them. At the time, I thought these teachings were silly, but as I grew into adulthood, I realized that… Continue reading Is It Possible To Find Hope?

“From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere.” – Dr. Seuss The other day I was waiting for an early morning flight at the airport, when I saw a man settle into his seat with a cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich. He was clearly eager to enjoy his moment… Continue reading Humor

“I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.” – Mark Twain Have you ever been distracted by a persistent thought? Have you ever noticed that it takes concerted effort to let go of distractions, concerns, or worry? I once knew a man who kept playing… Continue reading Can Anxiety Do Harm?

The mind and body are not separate units, but one integrated system. How we act and what we think, eat, and feel are all related to our health. – Bernie Siegel, M.D. Has the thought ever crossed your mind how you can better control your own health and mental well-being? Did you know that your… Continue reading Commit to Living Healthy