May 2024

29 May 2024

What is the Impact of Sharing Your Experiences?

Opening up about our experiences can feel scary.

I can empathize with that feeling. It took me a long time to share the challenges that I faced in my life, especially the ones I perceived as my imperfections. I was afraid people would judge me and think I wasn’t good enough. I worried about being rejected or criticized.

Instead, to my surprise, I found that sharing my story created opportunities to connect with others, revealing that I wasn’t alone. People told me that my openness and vulnerability gave them courage to share their own stories, giving them hope to move through their own challenges.

Sharing our thoughts, opinions, and personal experiences allows others to get to know us and discover what we might have in common. While not everyone will resonate or appreciate us, many will feel a sense of connection.

What’s interesting is, that when you share, it often puts others at ease and gives them the courage to do the same. You may discover that, just like you, they were worried about being judged.

This is what I know: You can’t control what others think of you, but you can control what you think of yourself. Stepping out of your comfort zone and authentically sharing your story is not only beneficial to your personal healing but it also gives others the opportunity for connection, support and healing.

Until next time…

16 May 2024

Ditching the phrase ‘make a good choice’

I avoid saying ‘make a good choice’ to my son. I’ve found that saying ‘good’ isn’t specific enough. Instead, I encourage him to make choices that align with his character. I emphasize specific character traits by saying, ‘make a respectful choice’, ‘make a determined choice’, ‘make a kind choice’, ‘make a responsible choice’ etc.

Remember that choice you made out of anger? It seemed like a ‘good choice’ in the moment to say it, do it, post it or type it. That’s why it’s important to be specific with your kids, since emotionally-driven choices can initially appear to be the right one, yet ultimately lead to regret and remorse because the choice didn’t show their character.

When faced with a choice, I want my son to think beyond the emotions he is experiencing. I want him to consider the consequences of his actions. Rather than doing or saying what feels ‘good’ in the moment, I want him to make choices that demonstrate respect for himself and others, determination to pursue his goals, kindness towards those around him and responsibility for the consequences of his actions.

This is what I know: When you give a specific character trait for your child to base their choice on, it helps them move beyond their immediate emotions and concentrate on the person they aspire to be.

Until next time,

1 May 2024

How to Help a Child Overcome Loss

As children travel through life’s various challenges, they will inevitably need help to overcome loss.

Whether it’s in sports, extracurricular activities, relationships, or in everyday life, shielding kids from experiencing loss deprives them of the potential for personal growth and resilience.

Helping children overcome loss is vital for their development.

Be there for them as they confront and process the loss. Instead of trying to fix or change their emotions, listen to their thoughts and emotions with compassion and understanding.

Whether they are feeling sad, disappointed, angry or frustrated, create a space where they feel safe to express themselves. By recognizing and accepting their feelings, you teach them that it’s okay to experience a range of emotions and that they are not alone in their struggles.

Help them recognize that within every loss, there are often hidden opportunities or alternative paths waiting to be discovered. By reframing their perceptive on loss, they can often uncover hidden silver linings and find renewed hope and optimism.

Watch the video to learn one parent’s approach to his child losing her best friend.

Until next time…