Sean O’Malley, the creator of Cardio Coach, first appeared on my old blog in March 2007. I’ve mentioned him in posts no less than six times. Today I found out that Sean O’Malley passed away suddenly on Sunday at age 40.
The longer we stay together, is it more likely that we will crash and burn, or are we still together because we’re solid and safe?
I remember clearly not wanting to leave the house. I remember every detail of how I thought it would turn out. The questions, the paperwork, trying to say the words without breaking down. It was the last thing I wanted to do
I was listening to a podcast the other day about writing in which the class exercise was to write a really really bad short piece. On purpose. And after the exercise was finished the students shared their work. It was brilliant.
At times I feel bad when I read about other women whose struggles seem much tougher than mine. My self-indulgent nonsense about my body image and my issues with going to a gym seem so pathetic at times.
This article is going to be published in an Australian Weekend Magazine. Henceforth, I have removed it from my site. Sorry … {photo source}
There is a time for survival, when we acknowledge the pain and trauma of our lives and search for others in the same situation to give us comfort and support. But labelling ourselves as survivors is like picking at an open wound. We prod and pry inside for the reasons while reliving the details of our story over and over again. Focussing on the pain, wearing it as name tag keeps us in the same place.
On September 10th World Suicide Prevention Day, light a candle near a window at 8pm with the rest of the world. Show your support for suicide prevention, remember a lost loved one and all those left behind.
I have experienced many blessings and learned some great lessons from going through this trauma. Those things I will keep with me always. But I’m not celebrating a death, or remembering a soul tormented by demons today, I am giving thanks that I breathe, live and am here in this moment. The same as every day.
Every day in Australia six people take their own lives. Four of those people will be men.
Take a look at your father, husband, boyfriend, brother or son right at this moment. What is going on with them right now? When was the last time you really talked about how they felt?
My ability to recover relatively quickly from such a traumatic event in my life was because I followed my pleasure before I took care of the pain. I concentrated all my efforts on how wonderful it felt to be with someone I could love, and who loved me even at my worst. Of course the pain seeped in and sometimes obliterated all thoughts of pleasure, but it was (and is) the happiest time of my life.
When I decided to fix my life through applying the teachings of the most popular gurus, things went horribly wrong.
The journey through the landscape of self help books is the theme of my book. I thought I would share with you the eight books that shaped my life over the past two years.
Looking back, I can make the excuse that I was in shock and didn’t know what I was doing, but all I knew in that moment was that life was impermanent and everything could end in a heartbeat. There was no time to lose, there was no reason to pretend any longer. Sex and death. Connection in the face of disconnection. Love is all that matters.
