Suzanne E. Harrill

Q & A Interview

Summer 2014

Success

"I accept every experience, both positive and negative, as contributing to the success of my life. Unpleasant feeling experiences catch my attention, showing me choices with consequences that I do not want to repeat. It empowers me to know I can create new outcomes. I appreciate the progress I have made so far in learning to love and accept myself, build better relationships, and have a rich inner spiritual life. I know my life is a success."

-- from Seed Thoughts for Loving Yourself
by Suzanne Harrill, M.Ed.

This Month's Issue:

Two Thirds Full: Living Your Best
the Last Third of Life

By Suzanne E. Harrill

Almost Vegan

Let’s Go Fishing

By Pitmann Magehee

Antonio and Santiago

By Ann Alexander

Goodies

Enlighten Up

Greetings from the Editor:

Self-Compassion

Last winter I took an enlightening workshop at The Jung Educational Center in Houston. The topic revisited one of my lifelong studies, to build self-esteem and to love myself. Some of the information presented was from a Buddhist perspective and may be helpful for you to use. One idea discussed was to practice mindfulness. It seems that many of us, if not all, are hard on ourselves and are self-critical. Practice bringing your attention, as often as possible, to the present moment; notice what is going on for you.

For example, are you practicing loving kindness towards yourself or are you being self-critical? Decide to stop judging yourself when you are lacking in self-compassion. Making this new choice moment to moment begins changing the pattern. Your awareness will grow over time and it will become easier to shift to a healthier place of self-acceptance and kindness. Consider practicing self-compassion, starting now.

Fortunate Blessings,

Suzanne

Read some articles in previous issues of The Innerwords Messenger:

• What Is Codependence and How Does It Affect My Life? Part 1
  
  
• What Is Codependence and How Does It Affect My Life? Part 2

Personal Growth

Two Thirds Full: Living Your Best the Last Third of Life

By Suzanne E. Harrill

Years ago when a middle school student called me Mrs. Harrill, it caught me off guard. My first response was to look around for my husband’s mother. I surely didn’t feel like an adult, even though I was married, had just finished college, and was in a classroom. It took a while, maybe seven or eight more years, to feel like an adult. Let’s divide a person’s life into three segments and emphasize getting the most out of the last third of life. Each cycle has its pluses and minuses and we can look at each with a positive or negative spin...

(read the whole article)

 

Recipes

Almost Vegan

Couscous Salad

Garbanzo Bean Salad

(read the whole article)

 

Special Offer

Seed Thoughts for Loving Yourself

By Suzanne E. Harrill

MONTHLY ON LINE AFFIRMATIONS.  Affirmations to support self-esteem and spiritual growth now available in monthly installments. From Seed Thoughts for Loving Yourself, Cultivating the Garden of Your Mind Day by Day.

(read the whole story)

 

 

Personal Growth

Let’s Go Fishing

By Pitmann Magehee

When I lecture I always describe myself as an avowed Marxist-Leninist. My audience hears "Marxist-Leninist" but what I'm really saying is Marxist- Lennonist - that's Groucho and John, not Karl and Josef. I identify with Groucho because he said he would never belong to any club that would have him as a member. In my Jungian analytical work and my early work as an Episcopal priest, I've often heard this same sentiment echoed about organized religion or church. I love John Lennon because he exhorted us to "Imagine," which is where we ultimately find God and the Divine.

(read the whole story)

Inspirational

Antonio and Santiago

By Ann Alexander

Twins.  It was Antonio and Santiago that helped me a few years back – and it was Soul help, Monday through Friday, that school year.  It occurred under dire circumstances.  I needed a job and the Catholics needed a teacher.  My recent move to New Mexico seemed the right thing to do, but the sights and people were still unfamiliar, even a bit foreign to me.  I was still the newcomer to the land of manana.  While waiting for my music studio to draw a lot more students, I decided to take the job, and really, I was clueless.  I guess clueless is the adult version of kindergarten innocence.  I had no idea at all what I was getting myself into...

(read the whole article)

Enlighten Up   --    Humor

Pondered Question

The Writing on the Wall

Garage Sale

The Necklace

(read the Humor)

Goodies

GAMES FOR WHEN WE ARE OLDER

If it Fits - - - Here I Sit

(read the Goodies)