Category: Anchors of hope

Anchors of hope, Encouragement

Need Some Gratitude? Prepositions Rescue Thanksgiving! (Plus one more thing)

Rita Bergen

30 Seconds for Hope: Who actually gives thanks on Thanksgiving Day? Do you? Will I? And what is “thanks giving?” Is it that 15-second prayer before eating turkey till you’re stuffed? No, there’s definitely more. Gratitude becomes simple when you can answer these two prepositions: to and for. Give thanks to someone for something—either something that they exemplify or something they have provided. Do this on Thanksgiving, and at the end of the day you will actually have given thanks! Then add one more thing, an exchanged life, and you can elicit automatic gratitude without even trying. What’s that? Read on…

Continue reading “Need Some Gratitude? Prepositions Rescue Thanksgiving! (Plus one more thing)” →
Anchors of hope, Encouragement

Hurt Again? Helpful Steps During Emotional Pain

Rita Bergen

30 Seconds for Hope:

Has someone mistreated you? What now? Should you retaliate, hibernate, or maybe pursue? Whether intentional or clueless, disregard often feels horrible, so I searched for a path through that pain. Now I want to share a path I discovered that moved me toward respect, boundaries, empathy, and forgiveness—steps that benefited me as well as others. After learning more about forgiveness (often a process over time), I decided to develop a worksheet (attached at end of article) that for the past twelve years has helped me whenever I’m wrestling with the costs and benefits of forgiveness. Take steps forward. Some hope for you.

And now the full story:

Continue reading “Hurt Again? Helpful Steps During Emotional Pain” →
Anchors of hope

Incredible Creation, Credible Science, and Christmas Hope

Rita Bergen

30 Seconds for Hope:

Nature is marvelous! Scientific discoveries shout, “Kudos to the designer,” and, amazingly, the Christmas story claims that the designer of the universe came to earth. Look at the science for yourself (follow the links in the article below), and enjoy amazing things in nature. These discoveries have led me to conclude that life on earth was planned and that our lives have meaning and purpose. “God is with us and for us”—that’s the Christmas message of hope!

Continue reading “Incredible Creation, Credible Science, and Christmas Hope” →

Anchors of hope, Encouragement

Dead Possum in Our Garbage. (Be Mindful of Explosions!)

Rita Bergen

trash-313711_128030 Seconds for Hope: Your mind is a powerful gatekeeper. When you are faced with challenges, the core person who is you will choose what to believe and how to think. Believe it or not, becoming aware of that fact infuses help and hope!

Now the full story:

I didn’t act fast enough when my husband, Mike, first informed me, so you could say that I brought the explosion on myself. But I’m getting ahead.

“There’s a dead possum under our neighbor’s front porch,” Mike said on Wednesday. “And Continue reading “Dead Possum in Our Garbage. (Be Mindful of Explosions!)” →

Anchors of hope, Encouragement

Empty Nest Prep Begins at Birth. Have you taken the key step? (It’s never too late!)

Rita Bergen

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30 Seconds for Hope:

Empty nest? The thought can make you cringe. Or cry. You look at your baby and think, “No, don’t ever fly away!” Yet kids do grow up. That’s a given. So today–right now–is your opportunity to cultivate a different mindset that will pay big benefits at the time of empty nest. It becomes easier to let go later if Continue reading “Empty Nest Prep Begins at Birth. Have you taken the key step? (It’s never too late!)” →

Anchors of hope, Time to Refresh

Use This One Trick To Transform Worry into Benefit (Hint: Jump!)

Rita Bergen

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30 Seconds for Hope: Fears and dangers are real! So a downward spiral of worry is hard to shake. But I’ve learned a simple trick that creates benefit out of worries—a swimming pool analogy that reminds me to jump to overriding truths. Whenever I recognize I’m worried, I don’t guilt myself about being worried but instead just say, “Time to jump!” Worries can become helpful reminders that Continue reading “Use This One Trick To Transform Worry into Benefit (Hint: Jump!)” →

Anchors of hope, Hyperactivity

The Upside in the Downside of a Non-Sleeping, Inconsolable Baby

Rita Bergen

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30 Seconds for Hope – Do you know a mom who is awake most nights with a wailing baby? Maybe it’s been for weeks—or maybe more? Or maybe you’re in that place right now? The arrival of a colicky baby can be quite a shock, and soon you fight despair. It takes courage to get through those unrelenting days and nights. I found courage through Continue reading “The Upside in the Downside of a Non-Sleeping, Inconsolable Baby” →

Anchors of hope, Encouragement

Z is for Zapping the Zebra: The Sting of Comparison (and the Zap Vest)

Rita Bergen

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30 Seconds for Hope – Children get compared, and usually some child comes up short. Slower development. Not as smart. Behaviorally challenged. Have you ever suffered the sting of someone unfavorably comparing your zebra child with the horse herd? Yet differences aren’t wrong. They’re just… different. To be protected from those comparison zaps, Continue reading “Z is for Zapping the Zebra: The Sting of Comparison (and the Zap Vest)” →