This Friday, Oct.15, is International Rural Women’s Day. I admire and respect rural women, and my website features their stories. I am also proud to be one. Raised in Akron, Colorado, and then a farmwife for 30 years, I am who I am because of rural roots and experiences. I relate to women who live, survive, and thrive in what I often call “God’s country.” This year, I had a … [Read more...]
Newspaper Column, "Mental Matters" published each Wednesday in the South Platte Sentinel Health Section
How do YOU feed gratitude?
Jennifer Goble This past week, I went to Nebraska to visit my husband’s gravesite, and I want to share the experience because I did a lot of things right that helped me feel an extremely high level of gratitude—one root of happiness. The days involved were quite ordinary—easy visiting, nothing big planned, no effort put into every detail to ensure it went well. My dear … [Read more...]
First, second, and third rule: BE YOURSELF
Working is a privilege, and whether employed outside my home, a stay-at-home wife and mother, or starting a new business, life has taught me a lot about getting and keeping a job. Humility is a word that first comes to mind when I think back on my job searches. On the topic of humility, Norman Vincent Peale said, “Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a … [Read more...]
Balance remembering, forgetting, and accepting
It’s been nearly five months since my husband died, and in the last couple of weeks, I can say, “I am doing better.” A bit of darkness has lifted, I focus more successfully, and looking forward is not as foreign. I close these weekly articles with, “Live while you live.” In the last two-plus years, when my husband’s illness began, and his health slowly deteriorated, I have … [Read more...]
What helps YOU to balance your thoughts and behavior?
I haven’t written about the power of balance for a while. Shame on me—balance is a magic ingredient in the recipe for mental awareness, health, and wellness. We’ll topple like a three-legged stool with one broken leg without it. Balance is a word we could, would, and should keep in our thoughts as we live each day. I have a friend who said, “I do everything in moderation.” I … [Read more...]
What does “Grandparent” mean to YOU?
Brad Pitt, an American actor and film producer, said, “I phoned my grandparents, and my grandfather said ‘We saw your movie.’ ‘Which one?’ I said. He shouted, ‘Betty, what was the name of that movie I didn’t like?'” Sunday, Sept. 12, is National Grandparents Day, and I, for one, think it is a worthy celebration. Grandparents are GRAND and deserve a day of celebration. My … [Read more...]
Forgive those who don’t deserve your tears
This coming Monday, the 6th, is Labor Day. President Grover Cleveland, in 1894, designated the first Monday of September as a federal holiday. Celebrated initially to honor unions, Labor Day is now the last hoopla of summer and is often associated with school beginning and abounding retail sales. To me, work is a first-class privilege, and I’m glad it has its special day. … [Read more...]
What were YOU doing before it was cool?
Jennifer Goble Remember Barbara Mandrel’s hit song, “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool?” She has nothing on me because I was thrifting when thrifting wasn’t cool. Like most married couples, my parents were very different. My mom liked bright, shiny new things, and my dad liked junk. He put a whole new meaning to making something from nothing. When we had an auction after … [Read more...]
Don’t get stuck under the gravy with the mouse
Jennifer Goble Strange things run around in my head while falling back asleep in the early morning. Today, a full-color picture in my unconscious mind triggered this metaphor: “Oh, the restaurant was exquisite, and except for the dead mouse in the gravy, the meal was the best I’ve ever had.” Have you ever had a great experience hampered or destroyed by something out of your … [Read more...]
Dedication and development of talent lives beyond loss
It seems the good, the bad, and the unfortunate are in the news, the neighborhood, and our kitchens. I think it’s called life. A recent experience triggered solid emotions and challenged my reasoning. I’m a bargain hunter, so I like estate sales, especially on Saturdays because anything left is half price. This particular sale had poor signage, and I nearly gave up before I … [Read more...]
How do YOU control brain activity?
My last few months have been challenging—especially in the area of controlling what I allow to run around in my head. I’ve wondered why it is so difficult to remember and practice what I know to be true—what I tell you: “We have 100% control of our thoughts, and thoughts control our feelings and therefore our behavior. If we don’t like how we feel or what we are doing, we need … [Read more...]
Choices and voices—we all get them
What hits me first today is the date: July 28. How is that possible? I thought you might like to know there are 150 days left until, you guessed it, Christmas. In Colorado, we go from the sun and hot to sun and cold; mosquitos to icicles; and yard beautification to negligence. I’ve always said, “Colorado is hard to leave.” The four seasons are not as severe as when I was a … [Read more...]
What do YOU learn from movies?
This week, I had nothing going on in my brain to trigger a writing topic, so I did a marathon movie day. Movies take me out of my life and provide new perspectives. A movie is a story in pictures. Add emotions, and, presto, I have a path to thinking about what matters in life—what contributes to mental wellness. The first movie was 12 Mighty Orphans, a true story about a high … [Read more...]
What helps YOU live with less stress?
My life has been crazy these last few months, and because of that, I did nothing over the 4th of July holiday. Nothing. I slept late, took naps, cooked a little, cleaned a little, watched TV a little, and opened my computer once to play Myjongg.net. It was awesome. I can’t help but ask myself, “Why in the world don’t I do that more often? Why do I have to be on my last nerve … [Read more...]
Add sunshine to YOUR day
I bought a small fifty-cent book in a thrift store. I found the author’s name in the credits: Compiled by Dan Zadra. and Designed by Jenica Wilkie. The title of the book was Thank You. What caught my eye was the message on the first page: “Dad—Happy Father’s Day! I jotted a few notes by my favorite quotes! Enjoy! Ann.” As I turned each page, I found checkmarks, stars, … [Read more...]