My Gift for You: 6 Personal Growth Blogs to Enjoy
Photo by Elaine Klonicki
“What is Christmas? It is the tenderness of the past, courage for the present, and hope for the future.”
~ Agnes M. Pahro
Today is what we called “Christmas Eve Eve” in our house when we were young. I think we were so anxious for Christmas Eve to come that by marking Christmas Eve Eve as an event, we felt like we were almost there.
This has been an emotional week, filled with many blessings, but also the news that we lost another one of those wise older women I wrote about here.
My Aunt Jane, one of my dad’s sisters, passed away on Saturday at the age of 93. I was often at her house during the holidays since she lived in Baltimore, just a couple of hours away from Philly where I grew up. She was a wonderful cook, like my grandmother, and I remember the incredible aromas emanating from her kitchen. She was famous, at least in my mind, for her potato soup.
When we were teenagers, my cousins and I routinely stayed up half the night, playing music and talking in the girls’ upstairs bedroom, trying not to disturb the folks. One Saturday, just as we were waking up (around noon), my aunt came up carrying a plate of warm sugar cookies, which we ate for breakfast! I still think of that as one of the sweetest moments in my life.
Get it? J (Sorry, but I know she’d appreciate the pun.)
Aunt Jane was honestly one of the most loving people I’ve ever known. She was full of life, always laughing and telling stories and hugging us. I haven’t seen her for a couple of years, but the last time I did, she was dancing away at her grandson’s wedding. That’s how I plan to remember her.
Following up on my “gifts from the heart” theme from last week, my present for you this Christmas is a list of personal growth blogs you might enjoy. They are similar to mine in that they focus on positive psychology and tips for living your best life in the most authentic way possible.
The descriptions of each site are condensed from information on the About pages on each website. Several of the sites also offer products such as books, courses, retreats, and mindfulness kits that may interest you.
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Tiny Buddha is about reflecting on simple wisdom and learning new ways to apply it to our complex lives—complete with responsibilities, struggles, dreams, and relationships. The site has emerged as a leading resource for peace and happiness. It features stories, tips, and insights from readers of all ages, from all over the globe. Much of it has its roots in Buddhism, but it is not a site about religion.
Follow Your Own Rhythm is about empowering you to live a life true to yourself, without regrets, without limits, and without letting the world dictate how you should live your life. It is also about getting to the bottom of why you feel feelings such as anger, fear, anxiety, disconnection, loneliness, unworthiness, and inadequacy and helping you heal on a deeper level.
Positively Present strives to support the idea that life is best lived if it's lived right now with a positive attitude. Be positive. Be present. This is your life. On this site you will find advice for living in the moment, articles on how positivity can improve you, information on personal development, resources and inspiration for being positive and present, and an annual gratitude challenge.
Accessible Psychology was created to give you a practical understanding of everyday psychology in a way that is both accessible and easy to apply in your everyday lives, for personal transformation. My aim is to provide you with a supportive framework for your own growth and for the articles to leave you feeling empowered, uplifted and motivated.
The goal of Mark and Angel’s blog Hack Life is to give you the tools to identify and transform the limiting beliefs that keep you stuck. The site contains over 900 articles on happiness, productivity, emotional intelligence, relationships, and general self-improvement. We’ve spent the past decade writing about and teaching proven strategies for finding lasting happiness, success, love and peace.
Writing is the best way I know to stay present, a chance to pause each day and make sure I’m appreciating life as we are living it — right here, right now. Along the way, I’ve learned to celebrate the beauty of ordinary days and to savor the pleasure of small moments well lived. I find solace and contentment in life’s simple pleasures: stillness, friendship, good books, time with family, a walk in the woods. I write about soul work, parenting, writing & reading, and hearth & home,
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One of the most fun things about writing this blog is that I get to learn along with you as I explore so many interesting books and resources. Most of the blogs on this list have been around much longer than mine, so I’ve been able to use them as guides. I’ll be curious to see if any of them particularly speak to you.
Happy Holidays! Best wishes for a very Merry Christmas.
Affectionately,
Elaine