Brenda Knowles's Blog: Space2live, page 5

The Difference Between Safe and Comfortable

My friend, Kimber, said it is better to make a partner or child feel safe than make them feel comfortable. "What is the difference?" I asked.

She said, "If someone feels safe, they can be vulnerable. If we strive to only make them comfortable, they never have to be vulnerable."

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Woman Working During Covid 19: Two Perspectives

When Covid first reared its corona capped head, my employer (the school district), sent everyone home with the belief that we would be back in school in a couple of weeks. When it became clear that was not going to happen, they gave all of the paraprofessionals training videos to watch (80+ hours of them!). [...]

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Building Strong Mental Health Support into Relationships

The uncertainty of Covid 19, the presidential election, racial tension and the economy has everyone looking for mental health support. Mental illness and stress greatly affect our relationships. Guest writer Luke Smith shows us how we can fortify them to withstand the ups and downs of turbulent times. I hope you enjoy it as much [...]

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Can a Woman Do Well for Herself Without Feeling Guilty?

It is time for me to admit I may not write a post every week. There are a variety of reasons: 1. I work full time as a paraprofessional at a high school. 2. My children are all home because of Covid 19, so food shopping and preparing have reached an all-time high. Yes, they [...]

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Leadership and Fortitude Fueled by Purpose

Not an actual student I went back to work this week. It has been six months since the high school shut its doors to block the pandemic. As a paraprofessional in the special education department, I get to return to work full time in person. The night before the first day of school, [...]

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Covid 19 and The Feminine Mystique

Housewives of the 1950s and I have a kinship. I have a deep sense of unfulfillment if I do not get to do work beyond caregiving and household management. Friedan's phrase, "Is this all?" echoes in my head as I scour the Target aisles for granola bars with protein.

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Moving from Management to Leadership

"Leadership is doing the right thing, while management is doing things right." — Warren Bennis Leadership to me means the vision and drive to motivate others to move forward toward a worthwhile goal. I believe leaders should have the integrity to set goals that benefit many and the follow-through to complete those goals. Managers take [...]

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For Women, Busy Means More Satisfaction

  According to Dr. Joan Borysenko, cofounder of the Mind/Body Clinic, Harvard Medical School, women are happiest when the opportunities for self-in relation are the greatest. One of the main pleasures of busy working women, not surprisingly, is the relatively large number of relationships that can develop in the work setting, as opposed to the [...]

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Taking Initiative: Moving from Passive to Proactive

  Do you wait for instructions or do you initiate an activity? I used to be someone who waited for instructions and encouragement.  I had a fairly big fear of doing something wrong. I only felt confident moving forward if I had the approval and support of someone else. Bold or guilty? In Were You [...]

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My Two New Health and Beauty Secrets

My two miracle health and beauty solutions are not exactly secrets. They are readily available to everyone and free! One of them I discovered because of the pandemic, so there are a few good things to come out of this messy 2020. What has my legs looking leaner and my skin looking tighter and clearer? The two Ws — walking and water.

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