http://www.bouncebackcafe.com Dedicated to finding useful, resilient solutions to life's adversities. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:03:46 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2012/gen/life-lessons-101-topple-proofing-3142 http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2012/gen/life-lessons-101-topple-proofing-3142#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:01:14 +0000 Ellie http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/?p=3142 Sometimes we overdo. Sometimes we have too many plates spinning, too many demands stuffed into too little time and, the next thing we know, we’ve slipped into mindless busyness and something important is on the verge of toppling. Maybe we got into the swing of something, doing and doing until we lapsed into a workaholic-trance. Maybe the abyss of our To-Do-List’s administrivia kept us working, working working. Perhaps deadlines loomed large… Or, perhaps we actually fell under the thrall of an awesome condition known as Flow: Flow is being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. — Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi But, regardless of what’s brought us to this brink, we owe it to ourselves to intervene before something important takes a topple! ...Continue reading » Life Lessons 101: Topple Proofing]]> http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2012/gen/life-lessons-101-topple-proofing-3142/feed 0 http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2010/gen/that-vacation-feeling-2077 http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2010/gen/that-vacation-feeling-2077#comments Tue, 12 Oct 2010 07:01:46 +0000 Ellie http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/?p=2077 I just got back from a delightful and low-key vacation – a road trip up the California coast. Beautiful! And now my brain is having a hard time getting a grip on “real life”… After a relaxing eight days of being detached from all the comings and goings and doings that enrich and envelope my usual days, I’m rev’n in neutral – quietly enthusiastic about doing nothing, going nowhere! Thankfully, either I didn’t leave myself a bunch of to-do lists or I hid them from myself – either which way, it’s a good thing. I imagine I’ll get back in the swing of things soon, probably mañana. I guess that’s when I’ll get down to business and figure out what I should be doing. (Right after I ...Continue reading » That “Vacation Feeling”]]> http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2010/gen/that-vacation-feeling-2077/feed 0 http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2009/gen/gone-loafing-1030 http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2009/gen/gone-loafing-1030#comments Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:01:09 +0000 PattiAnn http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/?p=1030 A week ago I wrote about the 5 Signs That it’s Time to Take Time for You – largely because I am feeling in need of a break.  So, what was the major event in my life last week?  Adopting a kitten.  To be honest, the two just don’t go together. Although he’s a sweetie, he’s very demanding, and like all very young creatures, in need of attention – the attention he would have gotten from his mother, but which now falls to us to provide.  Admittedly, this is a short-term requirement, but it feels like a lot more than it is because I already felt that I needed a break.

Mixed Blessings

Malibu (that’s the name that was picked by the neighborhood because he was found in the engine compartment of a Chevy Malibu) may be the classic definition of ...Continue reading » Gone Loafing]]> http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2009/gen/gone-loafing-1030/feed 1 http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2009/gen/5-signs-that-it%e2%80%99s-time-to-take-time-for-you-988 http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2009/gen/5-signs-that-it%e2%80%99s-time-to-take-time-for-you-988#comments Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:01:53 +0000 PattiAnn http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/?p=988 I don’t know about you but no matter how much I “want to change” these days, I’ve figured out that I don’t necessarily want to change, I just want to have different results from my current behavior.  Actually, I feel as if I’ve been trying to “change” forever and the more I change the more things stay the same. As I think about this feeling, I realize that I am deep in my bones tired.  It’s not a physical feeling, it’s an emotional feeling.  I also know that if I work at it, I can get myself into a better state… I just don’t feel like working at it right now.  I’m deep in my bones TIRED.  One of the problems with writing a resilience blog is that, at least in theory, I’m should never just wallow until I feel better. (There’s that dang “should” again!) You see, I know that when I’ve overdone it what I need is a reading/movies/napping vacation.  Depending on what’s going on at home, I may or may not need to run away (literally or figuratively) but I do need to take a break. So just in case you’re not sure if you need a break or not, here are five signs that it’s time to take time for you. ...Continue reading » 5 Signs That It’s Time to Take Time for You]]> http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2009/gen/5-signs-that-it%e2%80%99s-time-to-take-time-for-you-988/feed 0 http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2009/agg/week-in-review-use-it-or-lose-it-through-deep-691 http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2009/agg/week-in-review-use-it-or-lose-it-through-deep-691#comments Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:01:27 +0000 Ellie http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/?p=691

Or Maybe You’d Like to Play…

PattiAnn reminded us yesterday that alternating work with relaxation can actually make us more productive – and that a little struggle is a good thing. The WhyDoWork.com forum reminds us once again that challenge and persistence play well in both work and play: ...Continue reading » Our week in review: Use it or lose it through deep practice of structured procrastination – or better yet, you deserve a break!]]> http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2009/agg/week-in-review-use-it-or-lose-it-through-deep-691/feed 0 http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2009/gen/id-rather-be-talking-681 http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2009/gen/id-rather-be-talking-681#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2009 07:01:24 +0000 PattiAnn http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/?p=681 Remember the bumper stickers that said, “I’d rather be shopping”?  Well, I’d rather be talking.  I’ve always been a natural talker.  I didn’t realize that I was such a character until I got the opportunity to be in the chorus of Wonderful Town my sophomore year of high school.  You need to understand that my only motivation for trying out was that there would be boys there.  I was attending an all-girls high school (do I really need to say Catholic?) and there were no boys on campus… except during the play.  Well, when the curtain went up on opening night all my parents could say was “You’re such a HAM!”  I didn’t even know what that meant. ...Continue reading » I’d Rather Be Talking]]> http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2009/gen/id-rather-be-talking-681/feed 0 http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2009/gen/wistful-memories-of-a-secret-garden-448 http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2009/gen/wistful-memories-of-a-secret-garden-448#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:01:17 +0000 Ellie http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/?p=448 Sometimes, as a way of relaxing and letting go of the worries of the day, I listen to a guided imagery recording.  The faceless voice, accompanied by soothing music, encourages me to imagine a “special place” where I can relax and refresh my spirit. Here’s the story of my secret garden… Legend has it that once upon a time, nestled up in the foothills at the end of a paved city road where it turned into a rough and potholed dirt track, past the abandoned kids’ camp and the rusting reservoir tank, there was a flower nursery. They say that bulbs planted by the nursery owner appear every year, row upon row of sweet blooming narcissus. And I’m here to tell you, it’s true, it’s true! ...Continue reading » Wistful Memories of a Secret Garden]]> http://www.bouncebackcafe.com/2009/gen/wistful-memories-of-a-secret-garden-448/feed 0