Cervix feels hard

Source: Roberto Nickson/Unsplasj It’s no surprise that many of us are terrible at sticking to our New Year's resolutions. And yet, we keep making them, year after year. Why do we do it? Are we masochists? It’s certainly possible to re-engage with a goal and succeed on a subsequent try. There’s also something to be said for that feeling of starting anew: excitement, uncertainty, optimism . A fresh reset. Setting and pursuing a goal can also lead to other meaningful experiences: newly discovered interests and values, chance encounters, or a newfound sense of self-compassion and determination. It also allows us to connect with friends and bond over shared goals or a commitment to supporting each other. Having someone we can turn to for support can make setting New Year's resolutions significantly more enjoyable and keep us motivated and accountable. That said, although the support we receive from friends has the potential to be hugely influential, not all types are created … [Read more...] about How Friends Help and Hinder Our New Year’s Resolutions

Home Astrology Horoscope Horoscope oi-Deepannita Das By Deepannita Das on February 27, 2021 Today will bring a positive change in the lives of some zodiac signs, while others will be disappointed. If you are curious to know what comes next, then read your weekly horoscope. Let's see what the stars have in store for you. Aries: 21 March - 19 April Today you will get good results in terms of money. Your stalled money can be found. Apart from this, you are also very likely to get good returns from any investment made in the past. There will be some tension in your personal life. Your parents will be very angry with you because of your careless attitude. It is better that you do not do anything that hurts your loved ones. If you are married, do not ignore your spouse's words. You should try to understand them. Today will be normal on the work front. Employed people are advised to follow the advice of their … [Read more...] about Daily Horoscope: 27 February 2021

Source: Photograph by Eli Gottlieb In recent months, we’ve expanded our vocabulary about connections with others. There are policies of social distancing and quarantine , and concerns about loneliness and social isolation . Even before the pandemic, we were reading about the rising numbers of singletons , our declining ability to enjoy solitude , and a looming loneliness epidemic . What does each of these terms mean? “ Quarantine ,” for example, comes from the Latin for 40, which was the number of days that ships arriving in medieval Venice from infected ports were required to sit at anchor before unloading. Terms like loneliness, solitude, and isolation are more difficult to distinguish from one another. Clearly, one can be on one’s own without feeling lonely, and one can feel lonely even while being surrounded by others. Does the difference between loneliness and solitude, then, come down ultimately to the question of choice? Or is it more a question of … [Read more...] about Lonelier After Lockdown?

It is snowing, again. Yes, it is winter, and I live in New England, but it seems to be snowing every week. It’s gray, and cold, and I’m feeling trapped by COVID and the constriction of cabin fever. And I am the designated snow shoveler. A neighborhood boy had agreed to help, but he wasn’t feeling well and decided to stay in bed. So, the task had fallen, again, on my not so strong shoulders. I don't have the option of ignoring the snow, as the city will fine me for not clearing the sidewalks. I’d organized my day to do an online retreat with Alexis Santos, whose teaching has inspired me (as well as a few PT blog posts, see 11/8/2019 and 4/18/2020). I was looking forward to it. I needed a break—between patient care, teaching, family medical problems, and trying to do too much, I was feeling stretched way too thin. And I was irritable. Santos started the retreat with a powerful quote from Toni Morrison, “All important things are hard.” That felt true. He invited us to be with all … [Read more...] about Mindfulness for Shoveling Snow

It is 4 a.m. and it is pitch dark. Like millions around the world who are caring for a loved one who is ill, I’ve become acquainted with the darkness. The poignant song of a solitary robin breaks the silence. I look out the window to see where the music is coming from, this melancholy melody in a minor key, but I can’t find the source of the haunting call. I take comfort in a golden crescent moon rising low in the sky and the full exuberant bloom of a white cherry tree. I think of the words of a Guatemalan grandmother that I heard earlier today, “The people are so sad, but the earth is so happy.” I don’t usually awaken thinking of sculpture, but today I keep seeing Michelangelo’s Pieta in my mind’s eye. Considered to be one of the most magnificent works of art ever created, the mourning Virgin lovingly cradles the broken body of Jesus. It is an ancient image, but I can’t imagine a more resonant one for these times. Last night I attended an online meditation given by the … [Read more...] about A Meditation for Loss and Grief