Tag Archive for mindfulness

Your Children May Not Trust Themselves

 
You say you don’t trust yourself? Did you know that the same feelings can filter down to your kids too?

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Your Children May Not Trust Themselves

Lack of self-trust is far from uncommon. It’s possible that you developed this tendency while you were growing up.
 
picture that promotes trustYou can pick it up as a kid and carry it into your adult life. You pass it on to your kids, and they do the same to theirs.
 
Your actions and exchanges may be subtle. Your kids will hear what you and your spouse talk about as well as discussions by, or with, other family members.
 
You may well do things that you’re not even aware of, but your kids will pick up on those, too.
 
 
 
It’s a difficult situation because you want your kids to be safe. But you don’t want to suggest that they give a pass to everyone without question.
 
A delicate balance
Trusting yourself requires trusting others. That’s where the difficulty can creep in.
 
You’ve likely been burned by a few people enough times to warrant your caution. But, these experiences can also resonate with your children.
 
Aim for a balance. You want them to trust certain people while remaining mindful through the process.
 
Of course, you want to teach your kids always to be trustworthy themselves, even if others don’t respond in kind.
 
Minus that, self-trust will be near impossible.
 
If they let others down, they won’t have any reason to develop an internal trust. So you and your partner will want to doublecheck your own trustworthiness.
 
You may be trustworthy toward kids but not to other people. That can send the wrong signals to kids if you tell them they should be trustworthy to others.
 
It will leave them confused and unsure of what to do. In the long run, they’ll be untrustworthy, and they won’t develop self-trust.
 
Be sure to talk to your kids to help them develop the balance between caution and trust. If they have questions, be open to answering them.
 
Try not to take offense if they say you’re sending mixed signals with regards to trust. Find a balance and your kids will likely find it too.
 
Your family will have the necessary means to trust each other and yourselves. It’s not easy, but it’s definitely worth the effort.
 
You just have to keep at it.
 
JohnK 1-8-2019
 
 
stick man learning to trustOverheard:  “Learning to trust is one of life’s most difficult tasks.”
                                          ~Isaac Watts
 
 
 
 
 
Picture of a book to trust in
 
 
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Teaching Kids About Routine Through Chores

Chances are you don’t think much about your daily routine. Your kids probably don’t think much about routine, either.
 
But in this article, GenuLines looks at teaching about routine while getting some things done around the house!
 
 
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Teaching Kids About Routine Through Choresdishwashing routine

Give kids their chores and you can expect to hear some moaning and groaning. Even if you tie the chores to an allowance.
 
They’ll be happy on payday, but not thrilled to know they have to work for the bucks.
 
 
 
 
 
But, giving your kids chores teaches them much more than work for pay. Often there are considerations that go with the chores.
 
For instance, they’ll have to check the oil before using the lawnmower. They’ll have to make sure the mower has enough gas.
 
And, of course, they’ve got to know how to start it.
 
If weed-whacking is part of the job they’ll need to learn that that comes first. Kids will also learn they have to do their chores on a regular basis. 
 
This routine instills in them the idea of a work ethic. Sticking with the mowing example, the kids will most likely have to do this once per week.

Easy does it

Even tasks that seem easy and don’t need a routine will have some sort of process. For instance, before kids load and run the dishwasher they’ll have to rinse some of the dishes.
 
They’ll have to load the machine in a way that none of the wash load breaks. Then, they load the soap dispenser and turn on the machine. 
 
It’s a process much like any other.
 
You may not have thought about this but video games can teach kids about how to use routines to their benefit. Many of the games go through sequences and steps for advancing to the next round.
 
Knowing these steps keeps the game fun and interesting. 
 
School sports for kids mean coaches and drills. These drills teach them the techniques needed to win games.
 
You can think of those as routines.
 
They’re meant to help the kids use the skills when they’re playing the game. The more they do the drills, the less they’ll need to think about what to do when they start playing.
 
The routines kids learn from their chores will carry through to their adult life. When they start their working life, they’ll be well versed in processes and routines.
 
JohnK 9-10-2019
 
 
stick man learning routineOverheard: “Routine, in an intelligent man, is a sign of ambition.”
                                   ~W. H. Auden
 
 
 
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Trust Yourself If You Want a Better Romantic Relationship

Trust is a word that makes us feel good, especially n a relationship.
 
GenuLines turns the idea inward for a look at relationships and self-trust.
 
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Trust Yourself If You Want a Better Romantic Relationship

One of the keys to a stable romantic relationship is self-trust.
 
Couple lacking trustWithout it your partner can lose confidence in you over time. You’ll have problems making decisions.
 
And there may be a few sexual problems, too.
 
Romantic relationships have a foundation of trust. You may have it for your partner but not yourself.
 
 
 
 
 
Let’s say you put yourself down in front of your partner. They may go along with you in the beginning, but that behavior will get old over time.
 
Contrast this behavior with trusting yourself.
 
You’ll be more confident. And your partner will pick up on this.
 
You’ll have both your emotional and physical needs met. That’s sure to spice up your relationship.
 
Sharing
If you don’t trust yourself, it’s not likely you’ll share your feelings with your partner. Communication is another relationship building block.
 
Without it you could by headed for a break-up.
 
Trust issues can affect your attitude. You’ll send out negative energy toward those around you, including your partner.
 
Would you want to hang around someone who’s negative?
 
It’s very likely you won’t. Over time, you’ll look for ways to avoid that person.
 
Make sure that person isn’t you.
 
Sharing negative feelings with your partner is different from being negative. It’s pretty much impossible to be positive 100% of the time.
 
Aim for striking a balance and working towards being more positive than negative. That can’t happen if you doubt yourself.
 
A bit of effort and a healthy dose of self-trust gives your relationship a better chance to work.
 
Your partner will be happier and so will you. You have a choice.
 
Stay closed and lack trust in yourself. Or open up and gain the confidence to have the best possible relationship.
 
JohnK 9-3-2019
 
stick figure hearing about trustOverheard: “Tension is who you think you should be, relaxation is who you are”
 
                                          ~Chinese proverb
 
 
 
 
 
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Use Social Media To Show Your Appreciation

Do you ever think of social media as a vehicle for showing appreciation?
 
GenuLines asks you to consider your social media use as a means of appreciation. 
 
 
 
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Use Social Media to Show Your Appreciation

Is there anyplace social media isn’t? It’s everywhere, with people willing to share all aspects of their lives.
 
From cute cat pictures to complete details of what they had for breakfast.
 
Granted, not everyone appreciates these constant updates. But with smart management, social media can be a great way to give the world a look at the things you appreciate.
 
Let’s start with Pinterest. If you’ve never used it before start setting up boards about your favorite items. These could be podcasts that better the human condition. Or, if if you have healthy recipes you’ve tried and liked, create a board for that.
 
You can even structure your boards as group boards. Then you can invite others to post on your boards.
 
You’ll learn about things others enjoy. And you have control over who joins so you can keep spammers from infiltrating your boards.
 
If you insist on posting details of every meal on social media, consider using Twitter to do this. It’s a more forgiving platform since the messages pass through quicker.
 
And they only contain a small number of characters.
 
As for Facebook, your friends there might not be as receptive. Now you know.
Make it legal

thumbs up for social mediaIt’s great to show your appreciation for the small things using social media. But make sure you have the rights to post what you post.

People and companies take copyright infringement seriously. And posting any picture on a whim can get you into serious trouble.
 
 
 
The fines can be hefty. And there have been instances of criminal actions taken against perpetrators.
 
If you search on Google for images and you don’t know whether it’s okay to use them, likely it’s not. Don’t take this issue lightly.
 
You also want to make sure you have permission to post pictures of people. If they’re people you know, you can ask them through a verbal confirmation.
 
If you want to post people you don’t know, make sure you get a signed release showing that it’s okay to use their image.
 
Needless to say, never use people’s images in a negative light. Be respectful with your social media posting.
 
Some channels may allow you to post inappropriate material, such as nude pictures, etc. Not the best idea.
 
Would you show it to your mother? If not, your best bet is to keep it off of social media.
 
JohnK 8-20-2019
 
stick man on social mediaOverheard: “Appreciation is a wonderful thing; it makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.”
                                                ~Voltaire
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Appreciate the Small Things And Find Contentment

You’re intent on finding happiness, but what about contentment? You hear about appreciating the small stuff and feeling happy.
 
Today GenuLines asks you to turn your aim from happiness to contentment.
 
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Appreciate the Small Things And Find Contentment

baby feeling contentmentMost emotions are transitional, meaning you’re never in one state for long periods. People labeled upbeat actually do have moments of sadness or depression.
 
And even depressed people may not feel depressed all the time.
 
 
 
 
 
Think about a major event such as a war. When two countries are fighting, both sides lose lives.
 
It’s bloody, and it can last for several years. But, when the war is over, the countries are euphoric.
 
There will be no more bloodshed because of the war, and people can return to their lives.
 
But nothing that has changed in the world except that the war has ended. In other words, the sun still sets each day.
 
People still have to manage their lives.
 
The euphoria from the war ending doesn’t last long. Months later, the war is still over, but the euphoria has died down.
 
The same is true in a smaller way when you’re ill. For instance, suppose you have a stomach bug that leaves you uncomfortable and in pain.
 
When the bug passes you feel wonderful.
 
Yet, you don’t feel any better than you did when you weren’t experiencing the bug. It’s relative to the bad feelings.
 
That’s how emotional states work. They go from one to the other on a constant basis.
 
Appreciating the small things in life may lead to happiness. But, it’s likely you’re content more than you are happy.
 
Contentment can feel like a neutral state, leaning on the side of happy. There isn’t anything wrong when you’re content.
 
But, there’s also nothing ratcheting up your happiness.
 
Consider contentment before happiness
Striving for happiness can be stressful. The antidote? Gratitude. You’ll feel content without having to always push toward happiness.
 
Time spent in contentment means you’re doing something right.
 
Think about the people you love. And think about all you have, such as your health and a good job.
 
Imagine life without them and you’ll really appreciate contentment. That thought may even make you happy, if only for a short time.
 
JohnK 7-16-2019
 
stick figure feeling contentmentOverheard: “A harvest of peace is produced from a seed of contentment”
                            ~Proverb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Knowledge, Trust and Being a Know-It-All

 
man increasing his knowledgeQuestion: When is knowledge not a good thing?
 
Answer: when it goes to your head!
 
This GenuLines offering is aimed at keeping you grounded while acquiring and using your knowledge.

 

(Image by Tumisu from Pixabay)

 

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Knowledge, Trust and Being a Know-It-All

It’s said that knowledge is power. It gives you the power to make decisions and even keeps you from making the wrong ones.
 
 
people gathering for knowledge
 
But, trouble comes into play when you get to the place where you believe you know everything. That can hurt your ability to make those decisions.
 
At that point, you’ll lose trust in your abilities.
 
 
 
 
 
 
You’re one smart cookie. After all, you went to a respected college.
 
You landed a great job after graduation.
 
But once you start working, you come to believe that you know everything there is to know. That’s when you’re in danger of losing your edge.
 
You’ll start to make bad decisions which could end up costing you a job or two.
 
It’s important to trust yourself with the knowledge you’ve learned. Just remember, times and technologies change, and you need to be ready for those changes.
 
Too many people get left behind by getting comfortable in their current positions.
 
Companies have been trying to help by offering training or tuition reimbursement. It’s a step in the right direction.
 
But without appropriate corporate or college training it’s a waste of money.
 
There’s another danger with companies that offer internal training. They can blame employees when those employees don’t learn from the offerings.
 
Even if employees learn their knowledge may not boost the bottom line.
 
These companies don’t rate the effectiveness of their programs.
 
What’s worse are broad claims that their training makes them leading-edge firms.
 
There are some great training programs online. These include websites such as Udemy.com, SkillShare.com, and others.
 
Keep in mind, though, that anyone can submit training modules. This can make your selection process hit or miss.
 
There are good offerings with these programs. But, you’ll want to get feedback from others.
 
Expired knowledge
No matter where you find training there’s a chance it will be out-of-date.
 
And sometimes courses get high ratings based on the fact that they’re well-presented. That gives you a false sense of security.
 
Be selective when choosing training for the current work environment. Be critical, but don’t let it stop you from seeking training.
 
Good training exists. Ask people you know for suggestions.
 
Stay in learning mode, no matter where you went to school or how much knowledge you think you have. In a world that keeps on changing, you’ll be way ahead of the curve.
 
And you’ll have the tools you need to trust your decisions.
 
JohnK 6-25-2019
 
 
stick figure gains knowledgeOverheard:  “Time, as it grows old, teaches all things.” 
                               ~Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound
 
 
 
 
 
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Teaching Kids to Deal with Adversity

Parents want to shelter their kids from adversity as much as possible. They see the world as dangerous, and going into protection mode is understandable.
 
But kids need to learn how to deal with adversity. Sheltering them can prevent this from happening.
 
Below are some GenuLines suggestions for showing kids the way through adversity.
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Teaching Kids to Deal with Adversity

Can you teach kids about the difficulties ahead of them? It’s a delicate balance between knowing what to tell them and what to keep from them.
 
After all, many societies use movie rating systems to limit certain children’s viewing.
 
But they learn a lot from older siblings. And they learn from classmates in school (who also have older siblings).
 
They also take cues from parents who let profanities slip out, as hard as they try not to.
 
Kboy facing adversityids know more than we give them credit for, and they can handle much more than we want to believe. They watch the news and see stories of violence, terrorism, and other horrific events.
 
Even if you keep them from watching, they hear about the events in school. There is simply no way around it.
 
 
 
When kids know they can talk to their parents, they can handle most situations. It’s better to learn from the source, i.e., parents, rather than from outside sources such as friends.
 
Chances are the information from friends is not reliable. That’s one reason kids tell outrageous stories when they get home from school.
 
To help kids deal with adversity, be sure the set the stage for their behavior. If you lose it during your own challenges you can be certain they’ll do the same.
 
Stay as calm as possible and look for solutions. The kids will take your lead on this behavior as well.
 
Kids should also learn to help others at an early age. This way, they won’t be afraid to rely on others when they need help.
 
When they get older, they may be willing to reach out to friends or family members. Of course, they should try to take care of certain situations on their own before reaching out.
 
Again, it’s a delicate balance and a learning process.
 
Every family situation is different. Each may call for different ways of handling them.
 
The variety makes a step-by-step process tough if even possible. Early exposure to life’s situations is key.
 
This will pay dividends for them when they’re adults.
 
JohnK 6-4-2019
 
stick man looking for adversityOverheard: “The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.”
                                        ~ Chinese Proverb
 
 
 
 
 
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Stop Relying Too Much on Others

If you have difficulty trusting yourself, you may be too dependent on others. The situation can grow and you become dependent on more and more people.

GenuLines knows that can present problems when called upon to handle situations on your own, so read for some helpful ideas. 

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Stop Relying Too Much on Others

Have you ever let someone else take over a part of your job? You may feel relief when this happens.

But you could be setting yourself up for future failure. The reason this happens is that you didn’t trust that you could do the job yourself.

 

character explaining to others

 

In the above scenario, you’re taking on something outside of your comfort zone. It may be that your boss wants to test how you will handle a new situation.

He or she gives you an assignment knowing that you have never dealt with it before.

It’s natural to ask others for help when you find yourself in unfamiliar territory. There’s nothing wrong with doing this.

But there’s little growth in letting others solve problems for you. You won’t develop the self-trust for handling new situations.

And your manager will see that you, for the most part, passed the assignment to someone else.

Positivity helps
Face your new challenges with positivity. Be willing to make an attempt even if you make mistakes.

The mistakes are the tools for you to learn. When you do make those mistakes, ask what you did wrong.

Over time, those mistakes will get less and less, and you’ll begin to trust that you can handle the situations.

There’s a subtle result of trying something new. You’ll prove that you can handle new tasks and develop new skills.

That’s enlightening and it’s a big factor in developing trust in yourself.

Every skill you are now good at and find easy you probably struggled with at the start. If you keep this in mind, you will give yourself over to trusting that you can handle anything that comes your way.

You’ll need less reliance on others. But you still should ask questions when you are unsure about something.

That’s another part of learning.

Some people may give you a hard time because it’s inconvenient. But, you’ll find most people want to help you succeed.

It helps them when you get up to speed with new skills.

JohnK 5-21-2019
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stickman listening to othersOverheard: “Trust but verify”
                           ~Ronald Reagan

 

 

 

 

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Show Others How to Appreciate the Small Things

Life gives us lots to appreciate. People who forget that can become bitter over time.
 
But you can set an example for them. Today GenuLines looks at some ways to do it.
 
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Show Others How to Appreciate the Small Things

Your gratitude for life’s gifts can help you show others how to do the same. You don’t have to go overboard.
 
sign you can appreciateYou can make occasional references to how you enjoy your life and give reasons why. Relate experiences about your weekend to your colleagues.
 
Then tell why you appreciate them.
 
Stay as positive as you can, even if the bitter people are negative. That’s not easy since negative people can sour the moods of the people around them.
 
 
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But, your positive outlook can cancel out that negative behavior.
 
People appreciate listeners
They haven’t been able to get their problems off their chest. These problems often build, which stokes their bitterness.
 
They feel as though no one is listening and no one cares about them. But playing the role of advisor can be the wrong tactic to use.
 
Be a listener. It’ll make a world of difference.
 
Invite them to events after work. Understand that it may take some time before they say yes to your invitations.
 
Bitter people often become reclusive. Keep inviting them, and over time you may break down their barriers.
 
Don’t pressure them. That will make them more reclusive.
 
Talk activities
Get them talking about their hobbies or their favorite sports. Even if they aren’t active in these events, ask about past experiences.
 
When they start talking it may re-ignite a spark. That can be a great starting point in helping them get through their issues.
 
Some people will never let down their guard, and that’s unfortunate. They’ve stopped living life, and they don’t appreciate any aspect of it.
 
But there’s hope for some. Even changing one life is a force for good.
 
They’ll become more pleasant to be around. And they may get to the point where they’ll help others who’ve lost their way.
 
JohnK 5-7-2019
 
 
stickman who apreciatesOverheard: When the crowd appreciates you, it encourages you to be a little more daring, I think.
                               ~ Julius Erving
 
 
 
 
 
***Photo by MARK ADRIANE on Unsplash
 
 
 
 
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Helping Others Deal with Adversity

At some point in your life, you’re going to experience adversity. It teaches you that you have the strength to overcome most anything that comes your way.
 
Sometimes, others you know may need help when dealing with their adverse situations. GenuLines reminds you that your experience of self-help puts you in a good position to offer them help.
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Helping Others Deal with Adversity

cloud of adversityThe people you’re trying to help may need to open up about their situation. If they’re denying that it’s occurring, it’s going to be difficult to help them.
 
They won’t accept your offers of help because they don’t believe anything is wrong. Or worse, they’ll get angry with you for even suggesting something is wrong.
 
 
 
A helpful approach
There’s a way to help them realize they have a problem. Ask them how they would handle a similar situation if they needed to help someone else.
 
This gets them to focus on an outside entity, even if fictitious. This lets them start the process of identifying the problem.
 
It doesn’t guarantee that they’ll come around. But it can get the process started.
 
Helping people to recognize the problem helps them take action.
 
You may want to search for help online. Research before they do so that you can help them when they get to that point of doing the research themselves.
 
It’s not a bad idea to learn more about the situation. You’ll be better able to help them.
 
Your adversity experience
If you’ve dealt with the specific situation before, that will speed the process. The person you’re helping can ask questions about your experiences and what you did to cope or get through it.
 
You will likely have a list of resources prepared from your experiences. You can volunteer to go with them to any support groups or meetings.
 
But once they get started they may be able to do it alone.
 
Helping others deal with adversity is not an easy task. You should expect to get resistance, especially in the beginning.
 
But, if you can get them to see the problem, they may be ready to take action towards the recovery process. It can be rewarding to know that you helped people start on their road to recovery.
 
JohnK 4-30-2019
 
 
stick figure hears about adversityOverheard: “The bravest sight in the world is to see a great man struggling against adversity”
 
                             ~Lucius Annaeus Seneca
 
 
 
 
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