It’s so easy to resort to faulty thinking when it comes to our physical appearance. What I discovered about my calves shocked me. Do You Suffer From Faulty Thinking? “Don’t you remember when the Roman soldiers came to the door?” I asked my older sister about thirty years ago. “What?! Roman soldiers? What in the world are you talking about?” she answered. “You know,” I said, speaking more slowly, wondering at my memory, “Mom would turn the lights off, shut the curtains, and we’d have to be really quiet so the Roman soldiers wouldn’t arrest us.” My sister burst into laughter. “I remember nap tim ..read more

You CAN improve your physical health, but the latest diet probably won’t help you. This checklist will. It’s NOT Impossible to Improve Your Physical Health My health journey has lasted almost half of my life. I’m glad to report I’m in the best physical shape I’ve been in my entire life. Not bad for an old gal approaching 60! In the past thirty years, I’ve discovered magic pills to improve your physical health don’t exist. But you CAN improve your physical health, one small choice at a time. Everyone has a unique struggle, and no one-size-fits-all regimen, routine, diet, or program will work fo ..read more

How is YOUR brain holding out? Just because we get older doesn’t mean we have to get dumber. This free checklist will help you form a plan. Is Your Brain Holding Out Over the Summer? “The computer program thinks you should gain one RIT point between now and next September,” I explained to a student. “What goal would you like to set for yourself for the MAP test in September?” “I think I can go up three or four points,” the student assured me. “Do you plan on reading books all summer and playing Free Rice?” The look of horror on his face said it all. “Remember, the brain is a muscle; if you don ..read more

Learn to focus on what YOU need with this FREE mental health checklist! Get a FREE Mental Health Checklist! I love checklists and marking things off. In fact, I *may* forget to make a to-do list at times, and write down things I’ve already done just for the satisfaction of checking the box next to them. I hope I’m not alone. Not everyone loves checklists, though, and I understand. If you operate more efficiently by keeping a mental list in your head, today’s podcast episode can still help you. I’ve come up with a handy acronym to help you remember four essential ways we can foster good mental ..read more

You know you need to take care of yourself, now you’re wondering how to fit self-care goals into your daily routines. Here’s how! CAN You Fit Self-Care Goals Into Your Busy Life? During my younger years, I had a vague sense I needed to eat healthfully, exercise, and spend time with God. Forty or fifty years ago, no one talked about self-care or setting self-care goals. I also heard vague numbers for how long I should exercise each day and spend in prayer. For both of those, experts seemed to agree 60 minutes a day should suffice. Who has time for that when you work full-time and have a young f ..read more

Do you belong to a cult? Chances are, you don’t. But you might get sucked into one without even realizing it. Six things to consider when analyzing the groups you belong to. Do You Belong to a Cult? I remember picking up a book on sects and cults as a teenager and the shock I felt when I discovered the author classified the denomination I belonged to as a cult. I knew I didn’t belong to a cult (only stupid people got suckered into cults, right?). No one stood up front and harangued me to give more money or move into a communal farm in the middle of nowhere. No one shaved their heads, wore oran ..read more

Have you ever wonder if there was anything you could do to stop a verbal attack or diffuse a tense situation? I’ll share six actions you can take in today’s episode of Self-Care Hacks. Is there Anything YOU Can Do to Stop a Verbal Attack? “Where’s Mr. Ojeda?” Jennifer, a second-grade girl, asked me. “He’s in a meeting,” I told her. She wandered away but came back a few minutes later. “Is Mr. Ojeda here?” “Not yet,” I told her. “What did you need?” “Can you tell him Penny coughed in my face!” I tried not to laugh. There’s a reason I don’t teach elementary school. “Oh.” I said. “Did she do it on ..read more

You may do challenging things, but how are you at loving outside your comfort zone? Don’t Live Outside Your Comfort Zone, Love Outside Your Comfort Zone! “I don’t know if I can do this,” one of the ladies in our group said. “Take your time,” the guide assured her, “I know you’re outside your comfort zone.” We stood at the top of a waterfall that plunged 120 feet to the ground. Our goal? Rappel over the edge. “Aren’t you scared?” Pedro asked. “Not really,” I answered. “I did this on a backpacking trip as a kid. We had a blast.” “I really don’t want to go first,” the lady said. “No problem.” The ..read more

A mountain biking ride with a group of students taught me three surefire ways to turn people off Christianity. Learn from my mistakes! Do You Ever Turn People Off Christianity Without Realizing it? “Did you sign up to go on the bike ride?” I asked one of my students. “No, I signed up to make cards.” “Really? That sounds like fun. How come you don’t want to ride?” “Honestly, Mrs. Ojeda, I don’t know if I’ll ever go again,” the student confessed. “You’ve improved so much,” I exclaimed. “Yeah, but you guys keep going on harder and harder rides, and I’m not having fun anymore.” “Oh.” I didn’t know ..read more

What you enter crisis mode, it’s easy to abandon art or learning. But if you do, you cut yourself off from opportunities to heal. Don’t Abandon Art During a Crisis! “Look!” I pointed outside, “it’s snowing!” “No way,” Pedro said as he carefully turned towards the windows a few days after his surgery. “Not only is it snowing in southern California, but it’s also sticking! I’m headed outside to take photos. Will you be ok?” “Absolutely,” he replied. After living through more than one health crisis together, Pedro knows the importance of having a healthy caregiver who doesn’t abandon art or other ..read more