Author: Lee Byrd

Finding the real beauty and truth about yourself. In the early 1990s, I attended an eight-week training course at the Option Institute in Sheffield, MA. I was actively seeking to solidify more happiness in my life. After reading Barry Neil Kauffman’s book, Happiness Is a Choice, I was drawn to working with him. The program was intense. Every… Continue reading Mucking the Pond

Please note this is about incest and child sexual abuse and may be difficult to read. I got triggered by what someone said. Before I knew what was happening, I was dumped into a raging river and riding the wild, untamed rapids of emotional upheaval. The jagged rocks of unhealed, unresolved past trauma were sharp… Continue reading Bumping Through the Rocky Rapids

I sit at my computer, watching the little cursor blink, blink, blink, patiently waiting for my hands to make contact with the keyboard. I yearn for just the right words, words that will encourage and offer support for my readers.  “What shall I write?” I muse. “What great knowledge shall I share today?”  Then another… Continue reading How Can I Help?

Why Won’t You Talk To Me? I am picky about who I let cut my hair. I only want to work with a talented hairstylist skilled in cutting and styling my naturally curly hair. I’ve had some horrendous results from less experienced stylists, like uneven cuts, unattractive shaping, and disastrous use of hair products. Some… Continue reading What Did I Do Wrong?

“Get used to it!” the doctors said, “It’s not a big deal; it happens with age. Don’t worry, take this pill, and call us in the morning.” I was diagnosed with arthritis, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure with no real hope of recovery. That was February, 2023. Fear was in the driver’s seat, steering me… Continue reading Stepping Off the Dangerous Tracks of Resistance

As a young woman in the 1970s, I was careless and carefree. I thought very little about the future, rebelling against the idea that I needed to plan and prepare. I did what millions of us have done: I got married, gave birth to a beautiful baby, got jobs, lost jobs, found other jobs, got… Continue reading Get Unstuck From the Muckity Muck

When my teenage daughter was upset, you knew it. She stomped in the front door and down the hall to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. In a few minutes she came out, sat down, arms crossed, pouting. Her torrent of angst put all of us on edge. Because she’s my kid, at times… Continue reading Do You Want Me To Listen or Tell You What To Do?

She was shampooing the carpet, and I needed to move my things out of the way. I was in my stocking feet, and guess what? My socks got wet. Dah! YUCK! I gathered up my things, removed my socks, and quietly left. Once safely back in my space, I put the wet socks in the… Continue reading Wet Socks

But words will never harm me. I say, “You hurt my feelings!” You say, “What? Me? How?” I say, “You did ______something-something_______, and it hurt my feelings. Now say you’re sorry and really mean it! And promise never to do it again. Then and only then can we move on.”  Sound familiar?  Whether I said… Continue reading Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones

Fear and I had a long, overdue, heart-to-heart chat this morning.  For many years, fear was a constant companion, often not very pleasant. These fears had no substance; they were driven by old programming that informed me in various ways that I was not good enough. UGH! I’ve worked diligently these last couple of years… Continue reading Using Fear to Embrace My Inner Strength