A clean home is a happy home, and this is true not only of our physical homes but also ourselves. Left to my natural inclinations, this house fills up with dirty dishes, unpacked bags, and piles of clothes. For the sake of having clean garments and food serving apparatuses, I do laundry and wash dishes a few times a week. Without Eric, I would probably let the dishes slide to maybe once a week which would make the ultimate job far more overwhelming. Then, time comes for company. Whether a couple is coming over for games and dessert, or a friend is spending the weekend, my mind goes into … [Read more...]
Break Free from Valentine’s Day Pressure
Happy half-priced Valentine candy day! In years past, today is the day I would flock to my local Walmart to grab cheap candy and maybe a few red or pink stuffed animals (because all grown women with limited storage space need more stuffed animals). As a child, I woke up on February 14th eagerly awaiting my Valentine from Daddy. Each year, without fail, I would find a card on the kitchen table labeled “Heather” along with some version of my favorite candy (Skittles or Starbursts). Next to my card was a bigger, better card (as it should be) and chocolate for my mom. It was simple, it showed … [Read more...]
Finding Freedom from Other People’s Opinions
“You need to eat something.” I remember feeling very nauseated after an eight-hour bus trip and the last thing I wanted to do was to put food on my stomach. However, one of the trip chaperones felt it necessary that I have a meal. It took a matter of minutes before I, the chaperone, and everyone near me discovered that I was, indeed, quite sick. She apologized for “making” me eat; yet, I wish I had stood up for myself in the first place. I knew what I could handle, and though I was not yet an adult, I did not have to heed her advice. We have all encountered our share of unsolicited … [Read more...]
Gain Freedom from Procrastination
For as long as I can remember, I have carried the weight of constant procrastination around on my shoulders and have paid the price for it. To this day, I wonder why something as simple as doing the dishes or taking out the trash seems so daunting. What about you? Do you also shuffle through life under the weight of perpetual procrastination? We Understand Procrastination Though Eric and I are different in so many ways, we share an ongoing struggle (enjoyment?) with procrastination. In graduate school, many Sundays were spent with him at one computer and me at the other computer scrambling … [Read more...]
Seven Tests to Determine Your Relationship Freedom
“We need to talk,” I said tentatively on my new friend’s answering machine. After a few days of interacting with a new love interest, I felt strongly in my spirit that I was not to get into a relationship with this person. When the weekend came, he and I went out to a quiet area to talk. I was going to make it clear that I did not think we should pursue a romantic connection, but the day did not end as I planned. He whined a little. He worked his charms. He was clearly practiced in the art of persuasion. Before the day was over, I was completely intertwined in his life like a juicy fly in a … [Read more...]