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Browse published articles attributed to Rossana Snee, with full-archive search.
Have you ever been on the verge of doing something, and then had a feeling rush over you like some kind of warning? It happens to everyone. You're about to say or do something, but there's a little, nagging feeling inside fighting you. You might as well be in a boxing ring—sometimes it’s that strong. Do you pay attention, or do you do it anyway?
There is nothing louder than the silent treatment; nothing more uncomfortable, or abusive (other than physical abuse). The silent treatment is an attack on your psyche—a withdrawal of approval and affection—a form of punishment in an attempt to control you into doing what he/she wants you to do. If you’re a vulnerable person, this can cause a great deal of angst, and fear.
We think we're one type of person. Until . . . *Someone makes us angry. *Does something we don't like. *Run into problems. *Things don't work out the way we expect them to. Then who do we become? A stranger even to ourselves. We close our hearts. We withdraw. We yell. We complain. Adversity has a way of bringing us out, of confronting us—the us that hides in there when everything is peachy keen. Adversity is what tempts us to come out and reveal that hidden part of ourselves. The self that shies away from people for fear of looking bad.
Do you ever notice the hurried pace with which people do everything nowadays? Take a look around you. Maybe you’re one of those people.
When Life Hands You Lemons . . . . . . Make lemonade. You’ve all heard the saying, but what does it mean? Essentially it means to have an “I can do it,” attitude, an optimistic view in the face of misfortune, or adversity. Since lemons are considered bitter, and lemonade sweet, you’re basically making the best out of a bad situation.
A practical article connected into the broader SelfGrowth topic graph.
In a perfect world, if one is born from a human mother, has a brain, a face, a beating heart, organs, legs, and arms, then one is considered a human being. No one with half a brain would say, “Oh, look at that cute puppy, or kitten, or cockroach. Most intelligent people can recognize another human being when they see one. Or can they?
Who hasn’t heard the phrase, “You’re comparing apples and oranges?” What exactly does that mean? Essentially, it means that comparing those two fruits is useless because they are so different. Yes, apples and oranges are both fruits, but that’s where the similarity ends. They look and taste very differently, and are even eaten in different ways. Try taking a bite out of an orange. Not too tasty, huh? People are continuously comparing themselves to others. Here are some examples: “He has a way cooler car tha I do! What I wouldn’t give to drive his Porsche Cayman.”r
Have you heard people say, "He became an ove ight success?" Really? Ove ight? I doubt it. Behind every great thing that ever happens, there are usually countless years of very hard work; decades of blood, sweat, and tears. Ask any writer, any performer, any artist. They've worked their butts off to reach the pinnacle on which they stand.
Who under the age of 13 hasn’t had their heart broken by someone breaking up with them? I would venture to say, no one. It happens; usually more than once. But we cannot exist without love. And love does not exist without heartbreak. That’s just the way it is. So . . . someone broke up with you! Now what?
Congratulations! You have just been born! Happy birthday! If I am correct, and I’m pretty sure that I am, you did not get to choose your parents. You did not get to choose into what country you were born. You did not get to choose your sex. You did not get to choose what you look like. Furthermore, now that you are here on Planet Earth, you don’t get to choose the religion, if any, you’ll be taught. At least while you’re a baby, and as you grow. You don’t get to choose whether you have siblings, or how many, if you do.r
You stop at your neighborhood 7-Eleven, and purchase one Lotto ticket. It’s not going to win, you’re sure, but you’ll check tomorrow night anyway. If you do win, it will be the answer to all your prayers, right? Not necessarily.
Have you ever wanted something so badly that your days and nights were spent dreaming about it? No matter what you were doing, your thoughts would eventually travel back to that “thing” you coveted. Then the day would finally come—the Day of Acquisition. You felt beyond excited. There were no words to express your joy, your gratification. Fast forward...
In recent months, there have been a startling number of catastrophic incidences: devastating hurricanes that affected multitudes; thousands left homeless, without water, and in many cases, searching for loved ones; multiple mass shootings in which hundreds were killed and many more injured, not to mention all the fires and floods that have brought down entire cities to their knees. It hasn't been pretty.
When faced with something new: an activity, an upcoming event, signing up for school, the gym, confronting someone, etc., I often hear the words, "I can't", followed by some rationalization as to why they actually can't. For example: I'm too busy. I won't know anyone there. I'm too old. I'm too tired. I don't want to cause problems. and copious other phrases.
Is there something you've wanted to do, accomplish? Something for which you've always longed? Yet despite your fervent desires, there always seems to be something, or someone standing in your way, making those things you want somehow always out of reach. Perhaps you blame your parents. You were mistreated when you were a kid. Or maybe it's that crazy teacher who gave you a D minus in algebra when it should have been an A. How about your gym coach? Maybe he told you you weren’t working out hard enough. The clothes manufacturers? Are they to blame for making the clothes too small? Hmm.
Ever had one of those days? You know . . . a day where everything seems to go wrong? You break the coffee pot, step on a piece of glass while cleaning it up; are late for work because of the huge line at the gas station; hit every red light, and miss the green one because the driver in front of you was too busy texting. We've all had one of those days. And when we do, our attention seems to stay fixated on whatever bad is going on—a stubbed toe, a rude comment, a fearful thought, etc. Yes, these are all inconveniences, even painful at times. But there is good news!
You manage a beautiful apartment complex, but there’s trouble in paradise. One of your tenants is causing problems. This has been going on for a while now, years even, but you’re so used to his crazy antics, you’ve learned to live with him. This tenant constantly: • Invades your privacy. • Calls you names & makes you second-guess yourself; “You’re so stupid! Why did you say that?” • Doesn’t have any confidence in you and lets you know it. “I doubt you’ll be able to do that! Why even try?”r
You all do it! Worry, that is. You all entertain those thoughts, images, or emotions, usually negative in nature, about some potential catastrophe that might happen (although it rarely ever does). You actually think that by “worrying” you might prevent whatever it is from happening. Guess what? It won’t! Worrying won’t do a thing except maybe cause breakouts, lack of sleep, stomach problems, anxiety, maybe even panic attacks. So why worry so much?
There are some people who are quite etiquette-savvy. They know how to set a formal table to perfection—the dishes, the glasses, and the multiple utensils. I admit I know very little about the difference between a fish or dinner knife, or a cake and salad fork. Perhaps I need to take some time to become more etiquette-savvy myself. There are, however, some settings that are even more important—the Setting of Boundaries.
In her popular Netflix series, Tidying up with Marie Kondo, Ms. Kondo visits disheveled, cluttered homes to teach the homeowners how to extricate themselves from the disorderly lifestyles they’ve created. One of the things she recommends is to ask, “Does this spark joy?” If it doesn’t, get rid of it. For most people, this is a difficult task. They are so attached to the all too familiar mess, that divesting themselves is akin to cutting off a limb.
When you think about the troublemaker in your life, you might immediately think about your next-door neighbor Max, who never picks up the dog doo-doo left on your yard. Or you might be thinking about your brother Roy who shows up drunk to every family event. You might go so far as to think about your co-worker Sam for whom you have to constantly pick up the slack. And you might be right, they might all be troublemakers. But the troublemaker to which I’m referring is even closer to you than that.
It's 2019 and we have the world at our fingertips, literally. Not only do we have the world at our fingertips, we also have other people's. We get to see who's doing what and when. We get to see who is getting married, giving birth, celebrating a birthday, and even what they're eating. On a regular basis! It can be both fascinating and overwhelming. After all, not only are you keeping up with who's doing what, you have to keep posting about your special events, your gorgeous new boyfriend, and that delicious meal you had on Saturday night. All this to get LIKES.