Category Archives: positive psychology

San Miguel, Week Seventeen in the No Longer New Abnormal

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Having lived as long as I have, visiting friends and family sometimes means travel.  Following our amazing time in Mexico City we took a drive to the Teotihuacán Pyramids, which were magnificent.  It’s a pre-historic Mayan city.  To walk in the same steps as those who resided there thousands of years ago is a powerful experience.  From there we traveled on to San Miguel de Allende, a lovely small city with an artistic soul. 

It was there I enjoyed a reunion with Annie, a friend for almost forty years.  It had been decades wince we saw each other. What a joy to share our memories while catching up with life now.  She, like many expats, has made San Miguel her home.  

Year after year Travel and Leisure names San Miguel de Allende one of the best places to retire.  Though stunning, warm, and inviting, the cobblestones alone, not to mention the hilly landscape, are a deterrent as a retirement destination for me.  Even so, it is easy to see the happiness of so many retired individuals. 

While in San Miguel, thanks to Annie, we had a wonderful time sitting on porches and balconies, catching up while city life passed by.  She created an amazing trip for us.  We saw markets, architecture, historical churches, art galleries, resorts, and flora and fauna.  We were all exhausted with the wealth of activities.  The food and drinks were delicious, and laugher was our soundtrack.  

I am so grateful for my wonderful friends, near and far.  It makes for a rich life, indeed.  

Self-Care Tips:

  • Reconnect with friends, especially those with whom you can laugh.  It’s always a joy when laughter is shared in our relationships. 
  • As the weather gets warmer, sit outside to people watch, read a book, or just enjoy the scenery.
  • Rub your hands together until the palms are warm, then place them on tired eyes, on your heart or belly.  It can be a self-soothing act.  

Mexico City, Week Sixteen in the No Longer New Abnormal

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Mexico City, Week Seventeen in the No Longer New Abnormal


Mexico City, what a vast and varied metropolis.  The weather is perfect, cool mornings and warm afternoons with the sun shining.  Though our time here is short, and I won’t have a chance to visit more than two museums, the Anthropology Museum and the Frida Kahlo house.  Two spectacular museums from very different eras.  I got lost in a large park yesterday enjoying the sculptures and the paths leading me out about a mile from my destination.  There’s something so fun about losing my way and finding new people and places to enjoy. 

 

 

 


The fruits and vegetables have been fresh and delicious. In fact most of the food here has been prepared with a love and pride of centuries of tradition.  Each neighborhood feels distinct, and each block can vary within any given neighborhood.  It is a spectacle for my eyes.


It also happens to be one of the most hospitable cities I’ve visited.  Going on vacation, especially when it’s been delayed, and being treated so well only adds to the specialness of this time away.  Though we still have much to see before we leave, I’m grateful to be here, so close to home yet worlds away. 




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Self-Care Tips:

  • If and when you get lost, try to look for something unexpected that can add a bright note as you find your way back to where you want to be.
  • Be adventurous.  You don’t have to go away to stretch yourself by trying something new, whether it’s a new spice or a different genre of music than you usually listen to.
  • Find the humor.  It seems so many are having a hard time of it these days.  Any small amount of levity can lift up our spirits. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Don’t Wanna! Week Fifteen in the No Longer new Abnormal

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“Almost everything will work if you unplug it for a few minutes….including you.”  -Anne Lamott-”  

There are some days that I just don’t want to do anything.  And if I have to do something it can feel particularly labored.  I woke up this morning with a strong case of I don’t wanna.  I was still tired, though I received eight hours of sleep.  I was achy even though I’m stretching more given the needs of being in my mid-60s.  I was able to get away last weekend, though it now feels like it was weeks ago.  

The issue for me is that there is a lot to get done.  The challenge is to break it down into what has to get done today as opposed to what I can do another time.     When I feel like this I try to listen.  I assume it means I need a break.  And to get that break, I am choosing to do less today.  

With that in mind, I will share more pictures taken earlier this week, and I will write less now.  

Self-Care Tips:  

  • When you have the belabored feeling that “it’s all too much,” see if you can take a short break.  When we’re feeling overwhelmed, a break can feel counterintuitive, but in actuality it can allow you to move forward with a new willingness.
  • Don’t underestimate the power of small steps forward.  Our minds often think in “all or nothing” ways rather than taking little actions that can create lasting changes.  
  • Enjoy the solar eclipse with safe eyewear wherever you are in its path.