by dmackinnon | Dec 8, 2016 | Healing Choices, Process
“If you long for the world to be a saner, more loving place, please be advised that you must start inside. Care for your sick, anxious, exhausted self as lovingly as you want to care for every suffering thing.” –Martha Beck, Like Ten Thousand Knives When All You...
by dmackinnon | Oct 30, 2016 | Healing Choices, Thought Work
I recently sat with one of my best friends over coffee. Because I trust her so much, I told my friend about a problem I’d been having with my husband, as it bothered me deeply. She listened, as all good friends do, and then we moved on to other topics. After we left...
by dmackinnon | Oct 20, 2016 | Healing Choices, Healthy Habits
You are not your thoughts. I am not my thoughts. Meditating helps me remember this. When I meditate, I watch my thoughts come and go, like clouds in the sky. I focus on my breath until I realize I’m not focusing on my breath—I realize I’m thinking a thought. Then I...
by dmackinnon | Oct 6, 2016 | Process
Every time something bad happens, even when it’s completely beyond our control, it is very normal to feel like we screwed up. With this feeling comes self-doubt, second-guessing, and hesitation—in all areas of our lives. When something bad happens, it’s human to look...
by dmackinnon | Sep 14, 2016 | Healing Choices, Thought Work
What are your money beliefs? We all have them, whether we realize it or not. For example, I have a friend who believes money is a tool that helps him live a great life. My friend budgets for the things he needs, saves for the things he wants, and has no debt. He is...
by dmackinnon | Sep 7, 2016 | Healing Choices, Thought Work
I have come to believe that if I am having a negative experience, it’s because of my thoughts. I don’t always realize this during the experience, but sometimes I do. In that moment, I have a choice: I can continue down the path I’m going, blaming someone else for my...
by dmackinnon | Aug 19, 2016 | Healing Choices, Limiting Beliefs
Recently, I spoke to a client who wanted to lose weight. At a certain point, I mentioned I’d lost 18 pounds last summer (over a 4-month period). When she asked me how I’d done it, I briefly explained I’d given up certain foods for 30 days and still hadn’t gone back to...
by dmackinnon | May 31, 2016 | Healing Choices, Process
Back in April, I was in a lot of pain from recurring headaches. Physical pain, yes, but when I really looked at the pain and the causes of it, I realized I was making it worse with my thoughts about it. Dr. Steven Hayes, a psychologist and the pioneer of Acceptance...
by dmackinnon | Mar 3, 2016 | Healing Choices, Mindset
A few weeks ago, I had lunch with some of the students in my improvisational comedy class. One of my classmates mentioned that registration was open for the next session of classes. She said she’d wanted a Saturday class but all the classes were sold out except...
by dmackinnon | Jan 25, 2016 | Healing Choices, Thought Work
In the past, I’ve written about unspoken expectations. My friend, Brooke Castillo, calls this The Manual. Just like your dishwasher comes with a manual all about how to make it work properly, we tend to have unspoken rules about how the people in our lives should...
