YEAR in Review with Photos 2017

Groutfest included the county fair this year

Guitar Camp 

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

My friend Sarah and I at the exhilarating Women's March 1/21/2017 

  

We of the disappointed citizens started out the year with a protest. Approximately 21 million friends joined us world wide.

My husband knows his place

Then on to California to see family.We drove in an incredible deluge like driving through a series of car washes. Being with the grands and our son is always rewarding.

Lulu shines at gymnastics, number one

On our road trips we take CDs and plan on listening to music. We end up viewing, talking once in awhile and being awestruck by the beauty of the country. The Redwoods deserve the respect of a cathedral.

Niece Corey from Vermont comes to Seattle

In May we drove to Walla Walla for a wine tasting extravaganza with a group that formed after we lost yet another bid at an auction for a wine tasting. Don't contemplate a name for said group...

On to Chicago to visit Trisha and Peter in their new apartment. Of course the art institute and the new, fantastic Writer's Museum.

Chicago with Trisha and Peter at the Writer's Museum

biking to the tulips early May

 

Visiting college roommates in New Jersery

Thanksjuning, this year's theme "no singing at the table".

Silas and D in San Francisco

James find music where ever he goes

Lauren and Anne at Groutfest on the island

 

The Josh Grouts at Groutfest

The girls at Groutfest

Visiting Steve in Philadelphia

Great Diamond Island, Maine

With Jim and Colleen at the Rockefeller Estate

The gorgeous Quebec City

Quebec City

Philadelphia

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year at Zach and Anne's house

Wishing you all a wonderful love filled year that is stuffed with kindness, generosity and intelligence.

susansmagicfeather 2017 copyright Susan R. Grout all rights reserved.

These Dark Days: A Possible Solution

We should all be concerned about the future because we are going to have to spend the rest of our lives there.                          Charles F. Kettering

Tell the truth and run.Tell the truth and duck.     Anon

There is the magnetic pull for all of us in these challenging years to pile on the negative thinking then pine for the days when we did not have to obsessively worry about every news report. For some of us this effort is Herculean or worse: the myth of Sisyphus. Here comes that rock again! Time to roll it up that long hill... 

One way to combat all of this negativity from the news is to simply pull the plug, turn it off and use the time to do something productive, soothing or satisfying. For many people that is quite a challenging order and very difficult.  Many of the clients I saw in my long years of practice had issues from their past that caused them to slip into a negative groove etched out in their brains. For some it was abuse or neglect, others had a deep insecurity. When reminded that their world is being threatened by a host of intimidating bullies they'd fall into a hole so deep it took a long, strong rope to pull them out. Obviously, the client had to help. First of all they had to hold on to the rope, then they had to make sure that the person [or persons] doing the pulling were trustworthy. When you don't have that trust it's difficult and scary to reach out for help... that is when chronic depression sets in. 

Here is a partial list for overcoming negative thinking.

1. In order to master your past, seek the best help you can find and afford.
2. Develop a sense of personal boundaries.
3. Take risks: if you are withdrawn seek companions, if you are only a social butterfly, develop your solitude skills.
4. Make sure your motivation for what you do in life is out of love, not fear.
5. Stop blaming [yourself and others] and squarely assess situations that are emotionally loaded and find a solution.
6. Rule for perfectionists: the perfect is the enemy of the good, embrace the good.
7. Saving others is merely a ruse for not focusing on yourself and for feeling superior.
8. I've said so before, no one is better than you, no one is worse than you.
9. Tell the truth and run or duck depending on the circumstances.
10. Be willing to trust, be willing to forgive.
11. Be a human being not a human doing.
12. Ask for what you really want.
13. Be compassionate to others and also to yourself.
14. Make sure that you are moving the body: stretching, exercising, walking each day.
15. Kiss, kiss, kiss, hug, hug, hug the ones you love---just for the joy of giving and receiving.

Are there any questions? Feel free to contact me or simply reply to this post. Thanks for reading.

susansmagicfeather copyright 2017 Susan R. Grout all rights reserved 

Ways for Letting the Light In

Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Many times when I was a therapist in private practice I would get a flood of clients starting in November. This was not all that shocking in that we are in one of those latitudes where the light starts to fail us about four in the afternoon. Darkness, copious rain sets in for the duration and drives some quietly insane.
 For this reason and because one of the lovely people on my social media page asked the question "how do you combat the dark days?" I gave her one suggestion and then thought, bring on what works for me and countless others. Here is a sampler:

Have you a big robust stack of engaging books, magazines and movies at the ready?
Do you have an excellent stock of tea, coffee, cocoa, and satisfying treats near by?
Can you string Christmas lights in your living area?
Have you the ability to race outside with any available sun breaks?
During those sun breaks can you make sure you take a walk and revel in the out of doors?
Could you include yoga, meditation and day dreaming into your day?

Does the darker days lend you time to listen to music?
 Can you do the kitchen dance while you cook something stew like? 
Is it within the possible for you to make a luscious dessert and enjoy savoring each mouthful? 
Can you gather friends for a pot luck dinner and try to make everyone laugh?
If you are so lucky to have children in your life, do gather the children around you for a silly or small celebration.

Your homework assignment is to be aware and amused each day and report the results to me.                           Susan R. Grout

There is no duty we so much  underrate as the duty of being happy.                                                                     Robert Louis Stevenson 

This is a love letter to all of you who suffer or go down the rabbit hole of deep grief during the winter. Take care, stay warm, laugh each day, make fun of yourself, treat yourself with great respect and kindness and always, always bring love out into the world. 

susansmagicfeather copyright 2017 Susan R. Grout all rights reserved.