The ‘self-image’ is the key to human personality and human behavior. Change the self image and you change the personality and the behavior. – Maxwell Maltz  My self-image changed frequently during my life depending on many factors, such as age, levels of education, work, and health. Rarely did I consciously strive to alter my self-image;…

Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow. – Helen Keller  I took Helen Keller’s thought as a good omen.  In spite of several months of vigorous physical therapy treatment following a diagnosis of cerebellitis, my condition had not improved significantly. The encouragement, support, and friendly persuasion offered by Laura and…

Optimism is the key. – Will Champion  I am a creature of habit. I also am, as I say, a pessimistic optimist. When confronted with a decision of some consequence, Worry and Doubt are the first ones on the scene. They have been with me a long time; they know my pattern well. They subtly…

No man is an island. No man stands alone. – Dennis Brown  The subject of my last three blogs, which can be found on my website, was whether or not to seek a second opinion after being diagnosed with cerebellitis. Fear played a major role, but it was not the sole motivator influencing my decision.…

Ambivalence (noun): the state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone. – New Oxford American Dictionary  I believe that fear is an ambivalent emotion that influences our behavior in unexpected and/or conflicting ways. Fear most often is seen as preventing positive, desired actions; it also is capable of promoting the opposite…

The thing about denial is that it doesn’t feel like denial when it’s going on. – Georgina Kleege  On my website, last week’s blog was entitled, “The Second Opinion.” It dealt with my feelings about seeking one after being diagnosed with cerebellitis. It seemed obvious to everyone except me that another opinion was warranted. Intellectually,…

Two heads are better than one, not because either is infallible, but because they are unlikely to go wrong in the same direction. – C.S. Lewis  After being released from the hospital, my doctors recommended a series of physical therapy appointments. I was scheduled for three sessions per week, lasting two hours or more. After…

Even if the hopes you started out with are dashed, hope has to be maintained. – Seamus Heaney I hope I get a new bicycle for Christmas; I got a sweater. I hope I got an “A’ on the exam; I got a “D”. I hope I pass my driver’s test; I flunked again. Hope…

  Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays. – Soren Kierkegaard Last week’s blog dealt with the evolution of my image of God. In Catholic grade school, I obediently believed what I was told and recited the traditional prayers taught to me. In Jesuit high school, I questioned what I had…

Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. – George Bernard Shaw  Progress often is achieved one step at a time; occasionally, however, it is hindered by one step forward and one step back. Such is the nature of life in most endeavors. The ability and willingness to…