Tag Archives: #isolation

Spirituality

Talk Therapy

It feels good to get something off your chest. There’s an unseen chemical reaction in our brains that releases endorphins and lowers stress when we talk about the things that are bothering us.

Holding things in can damage us in unseen ways as well. Unresolved tension can cause disease, spikes in blood pressure and inflammation. Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. I don’t see gravity but I know it’s there and it’s working.

In the beginning of time as we know it, God said it “isn’t good for man to be alone.” We are meant to be in community with others. Having some alone time or solitude is healthy. Isolation can be destructive.

Be sure you are spending quality time with your friends. Be a good friend for them, too. Just like you, they need people to talk to, too…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Connectivity

Since the internet became a common tool, our world is more closely connected than ever. Yet, people feel more alone now than ever before, too.

The isolation of the pandemic was never a good idea. We need to be in community with other people. Zoom and FaceTime don’t suffice.

If you haven’t heard from friends in a while, take a moment to reach out to them. Yes, they could call you, but they might not be in the right mental state to do it.

Be the bigger person. Make the call…

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#inspiration

Pain and Void

Late yesterday afternoon I received a call from a good friend of mine. He was calling to let me know that his son had taken his own life a few days prior. I knew his son. In fact, a couple times per year “Mike” and I would catch a movie together. He was the sweetest kid you ever met, and he was only 18 years old.

Youth suicide is the #2 killer of our young people. The stressors kids are dealing with, along with the immeasurable damage caused by shutting down schools has exacerbated this malady.

Mike didn’t leave a note. In his final days he seemed happy. He was in college and had a job he enjoyed. Mike wasn’t a druggie or drinker. This one is a puzzle we may never be able to put together.

My friend and his family will forever wake up missing a valuable piece of their lives. Holidays will be different. Their pain will get better as time goes on, but the void will remain.

Be kind to everyone. We don’t know what lies beneath the surface…

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#inspiration

Cycles

Families carry generational traditions. Keeping up with family history is part of our identity. We want to know where we are from.

Generational maladies are alive and thriving, too. Abuse, addictions and poverty are cycles that, when repeated, further ingrain the evil into our DNA. These cycles can be broken. If you were abused by your family, you know the pain it inflicted on you. Why anyone would want to carry the abuse into the next generation is beyond my comprehension.

The hard, yet simple truth is, these unhealthy cycles can be stopped. You must be willing to think differently. Seek help if necessary. Be the agent of change…

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#inspiration

Wellness Check

People are struggling nowadays more than I ever remember or imagined. Many feel alone, like they have no one to talk to. Some feel ashamed because they have never experienced the emotional turbulence they are experiencing. If you feel like I’m describing you, I want you to know that you are not alone.

I encourage you to reach out to someone. Anyone. There are crisis hotlines you can call anonymously. Talk to someone. There’s something magical about talking things out. You get some peace, even for a short while.

If you haven’t heard from someone you normally would, give them a call. You might be their last, best hope…

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#inspiration

Hold On

Years ago I decided to eliminate all of the one-sided relationships in my life. You know what I’m talking about, the people you find yourself reaching out to but they never reciprocate. I faced a long period of loneliness after doing this. It was awful.

Around the same time, I faced a stressful financial hardship. Compounded with my loneliness, my world was dark. But I never gave up hope. I realized that since I had put myself in this situation, I could work my way through it. I put my head down and went to work.

If you are in a similar situation in your life, I encourage you to hold on. Better days are coming. We don’t have the luxury of knowing when they will appear, we just know they will. Stay hopeful…

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#inspiration

Divided

In the United States, we are more divided now than since the Civil War. There’s nothing civil about war. We are weakened and compromised when we stand apart. The media and the politicians are feeding this division, but we do not have to allow it. In truth, we are more alike than we are different. Stand up for what’s right. Let the dividers wallow in their own mess…

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#inspiration

From The Inside…

If you believe everything you see on social media, you might think that everyone’s life is perfect. It’s not. We show people the outside, not the pain, the hurts, struggles and worries of life. Remember this when interacting with others. We don’t know what’s going on inside…

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#inspiration

Alone

If we learned anything from the pandemic, it’s that we are not meant to be alone. We are hardwired to be connected with each other…in community. Reach out to someone who might be by themselves. Just check in with them. Saying a simple “hello” might be exactly what they need…

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#inspiration

Activity

It has become an honor to be known as the busiest person around. Has this become the culture of America? I hope not. We must make time for what matters most: people. If we gain wealth but have no real friends and our family merely tolerates us, we aren’t winning the game of life. Examine your focus. Recommit to the people who care about you…

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