WellnessWithHolli

  The Humpty Dumpty Puzzle: How to live a healthy life while being a part of an unhealthy family Introduction When I was a little girl, I remember listening to a strange little nursery rhyme – Humpty Dumpty.  Although it was one of many popular nursery rhymes of my childhood, it was sad and odd.  It goes like this: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall  Humpty Dumpty had a great fall All the King’s horseman and all the King’s men Couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again Background  In my adolescent, teen, and young adult years, I knew my family of origin was not healthy. There was alcoholism, emotional abuse, anger, and fractured relationships. It wasn’t until I embraced my recovery in my 30’s that I realized the depth of my family’s brokenness. I moved away from my family of origin and although I loved them, I - along with my husband and daughter - created a new, healthy way of being and I lived my life apart from them – physically and emotionally.  My life conti...

  For most of my adult life, I have dealt with pesky skin spots and minor skin growths. A trip to the dermatologist has always remedied these nuisances with a quick freezing or a simple shaving .   Unfortunately, over the past fifteen years, the basal cell carcinomas which were easily treated on my back, legs, and upper chest began to surface on my scalp. While recuperating at home the last few days after an eighth surgery on my scalp, I am well-aware that my journey with skin cancer thus far may not be as life-threatening as with individuals who are suffering from other kinds of cancer, chronic illnesses, or serious conditions. Nonetheless, I believe in the concept of shared suffering and in the healing connections which draw us together.   Therefore, my message is two-fold. I have learned that I am not be able to control the progression or the outcome of living with skin cancer. However, I can embrace a mindset of self-compassion. Let’s explore three healing pro...

In our most recent post on Staying Mentally Well During COVID-19, we discussed how  Understanding Our Grief Helps To Move Through It .   If you have not already done so, please read through those healing concepts and then join us here for one more very important aspect of honoring our grieving process:  Avoid Comparing Your Losses and Carrying Around Guilt. The COVID-19 pandemic safety guidelines and restrictions were rolled out many weeks ago. Even with variances in their implementation and regulation, loss has occurred and continues to occur on every level and in every aspect of our lives. As we witness individuals lose their loved ones, our hearts break for them. As folks are let go from their jobs and are left standing in long lines for hours waiting for food, we help when we can and we wonder if support funds will reach them in time. And although most of us are making sacrifices of some kind, every day we witness families who are struggling with housing, food, and ...

*  Please note - this blog contains sensitive material. Suggested for mature audiences. In our previous blog Energy Zapper #5: Shame! Taking Shame Out Of Its Shadows!  ,we discussed the unique anatomy of shame and its three sources of causation – betrayal by someone, betrayal of someone, and betrayal of self. To get the most out of today’s blog, please go back and take a read. And then get ready to move on to part two:  Shame! 3 Healing Rays for Re-Emergence!    As we move out of the shadows of shame, let’s remind ourselves of what shame is through this acronym. S = Self H = Hatred A = And M = Malignant E = Embarrassment Read it again ~   Self -Hatred And Malignant Embarrassment ~ It’s a heavy emotion. It’s dark and debilitating. And, left unattended, it smothers one’s body, mind and spirit. How then, do we begin to re-emerge from shame?As we start, read and ponder this healing acronym. S = Shared H = Healing A = An...

We have been discussing Energy Zappers! What are they? For the most part, they are habits or social behaviors which are a part of our everyday life, but unfortunately do very little to enhance our sense of well-being. Why? Because they deplete us!  If you haven’t had a chance to read them, go back and review   #1 - Giving Advice ,  #2 - Drama  , #3- Worry ,  #4 -Negativity .You might find them helpful in keeping yourself energized! Today, we are going to take a bit of a departure and talk about a zapper that really isn’t a habit or social behavior – it is an emotion. However, because of the silence, secrecy, and stigma around this emotion – it often goes unattended and unaddressed – eroding the core of our beings. What is  Energy Zapper #5?   It is...  Shame . And because of the complexity of shame –its anatomy, its sources of causation, and its unique healing considerations – we will spend two blogs on this zapper! Self- Hatred Ove...