Mosquito Philosophizing

Every summer, I am juicy bait for mosquitoes no matter where I am. They seek me out, ride in my car and bite me in all the right areas to make me swell and itch for about a week per bite. If you sit next to me, they won't bite you - so please plan to include me at your next picnic as a decoy!

Tonight while simply walking into another room, I felt that tell-tale prick and knew that I had just received the fourth bite of the night on its way to swell to the size of a dime. Each time I'm bit, I need to apply multiple layers of liquid benadryl for approximately 20 minutes before the stubborn itch subsides. No texting or crocheting can happen while I reapply the wand. Sigh. "Here I go again," I woefully said to self.

And then it hit me -- mosquito behavior is worth studying!!

Mosquitoes leave lasting impressions. As I write this, the latest bite has increased 50 fold, forcing me to to pay attention to it. What can we do to leave a lasting impression with others causing them to reflect on our message??

Mosquitoes are tenacious. They find a way where there is no way to enter our homes, cars, tents or spaces. They're positive thinkers completely focused on their goal. Determining to address and overcome barriers gets results.

Speaking of goals, mosquitoes know precisely where to to focus. In my case, it's everywhere each limb bends plus flying up my pant leg to bite my rear end under my underwear. Being creative problem-solvers gets us where we want to go.

Mosquitoes are community organized. They work with each other in order to accomplish their mission. Who can we connect with in order to make things happen?

Mosquitoes are health-conscious. They know how to lurk and flee from our swats and scowls. They can hide and re-attack when we least expect it. What can we physically do to increase our effectiveness in our daily lives and maintain good self-care?

Mosquitoes are seasonal. I don't know where they are when the weather is cooler, but as soon as it warms up without threat of a freeze, they want to be target me until fall begins. What can we do to continue to focus on our goals without giving up?

My Word of The Year

For the past few years, I have made it my practice to select a Word of the Year. Each January I have carefully chosen a word for my year's focus. That word becomes the lens to process my experiences and causes me to be more intentional and aware. It's been enriching to move through "Courage", "Gratitude"and "Balance". By focusing on the one key word, I've been able to see how many opportunities there are to explore and enjoy further meaning each day. Two years ago I selected " And, " as my Word of the Year and liked it so much I wasn't done with it so it's on again for 2022. I have notepads with my Word in my office and it's framed on walls in both my home and businesses offices. Even when it isn't my Word of the Year any longer, it will still remained framed on my walls. What makes " And, " so special compared to other words and why do I keep it on my walls? My answer begins with noting that And is capitaliz...

Are You Are An I-Told-You-So Parent?

If you can answer yes to 2 or more of following questions, you might be an I-Told-You-So parent. If that's the case, the rest of this post will describe why you need to switch to Reality Discipline. 1. I tell my kid(s) that if they don't _________, this ________ will happen [If you don't finish your breakfast, you'll be hungry] 2. I remind my kid(s) about things that they should have remembered to do/not do... [If you had brought your jacket, you wouldn't have been cold] 3. When I remove a privilege, I say something like "See? If you wouldn't have done ____, this wouldn't have happened?" [Aren't you going to remember next time????] 4. I think that describing things to my kid(s) ahead of time is very important because my words will help guide them [So if you leave you bike out one more time, it might get stolen...] 5. I give lots of warnings and don't follow up [You won't get to have your birthday party!! Your tablet is gone forever!!!...

Setting Up The Same Page Parenting Foundation

If you ever plan to have kids, it's never too early to talk about parenting goals and styles. In a previous blog, we discussed planning for the 18 year-old-kid you want to launch. This post addresses your mindset or philosophy along the way. It's never too late to get on the same page, as long as you and the other parent agree with the idea that same page parenting is foundational. What is Same Page Parenting? It's an approach to parenting that respects each parent and the children. It holds a "for the good of the family" mindset unless you no longer live together. Then it holds a "for the good of the children" mindset. With Same Page Parenting, both parents agree on major decisions and support each other. Both parents present a united front to the children. Both parents use the same discipline. Note that discipline is a lifestyle - punishment is a penalty. I do not believe in punishment. The proper discipline provides the framework you need to raise he...

Don't Therapize Me

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