55 Years and Waiting: Living John Lewis’s Good Trouble Stan Goldberg July 30, 2020 Life28 CommentsAs I watched John Lewis’s casket roll over the Edmund Pettus Bridge, I thought of the refrain, “if you can remember the 60’s you really weren’t there.” Paul Kanter’s allusions to mindboggling drugs...
Six Strategies to Reduce Misery Stan Goldberg July 10, 2019 Chronic illness, Grieving and Recovery, Life4 CommentsEveryone wants to be happy. But it might make more sense to sneak up on happiness by reducing misery. Here are six proven strategies you can use today.
The Guardians of Memory (A finalist) Stan Goldberg December 11, 2018 Life, Short Stories2 CommentsHannah glides through the fog as if an apparition—beautiful and giving as if Jesus himself is pouring her out of a wine bottle. I point my old Leica towards her as she stands in front of a Monterey Pine, its branches bent eastward from years of persistent winds. This will be more than just another picture I’ll add to my collection.
Compassion: A Delusional Concept or a Practical Solution? Stan Goldberg November 12, 2018 Aging, Life4 CommentsWhy should you choose to be compassionate to someone who emotionally hurt you? Why not just reinforce those behaviors you approve of and punish those you don’t?
Feeling Helpless? Do Something Positive Instead Stan Goldberg October 30, 2018 Aging, Cancer, Chronic illness, End of Life, Grieving and Recovery, Life3 CommentsHelpless? Everyone at one time experiences it due to aging, declining health, shattered relationships, or deteriorating world conditions. The way we confront the feeling shapes our lives. I learned how to deal...
Morality, Bombs, and Trump: A Descent to Alabama, 1965 Stan Goldberg October 24, 2018 Life2 CommentsWe are faced with a morality crisis that will structure the values of our country for generations. As a voting rights activist in Montgomery, Alabama in 1965 I watched proud parents hand their children rocks...
The Meaning of Life—Why the Question Makes No Sense Stan Goldberg May 17, 2018 Aging, End of Life, LifeThe words we use and questions we ask ourselves often shape our lives in ways that can be insightful or hurtful. What is the meaning of life is an example of the latter.
Why Apologies May Not Work Stan Goldberg May 16, 2018 Aging, Life2 CommentsThere was a time when apologies were made in person, where you looked someone in the eyes, admitted what you did was wrong, cruel, unintentional, or just stupid, and listened to their reactions, as difficult as they were to hear.
Alabama Euphoria: Why Principals of Change Suggest Restraint Stan Goldberg December 13, 2017 Life1 CommentThe defeat of Roy Moore brings back memories of my arrest in Alabama 52 years ago. It was March, 1965 and there was a nationwide call for college students to descend on Montgomery in support of the civil rights workers marching from Selma.
The Best Gift You Can Give Yourself: Forgiveness Stan Goldberg December 22, 2016 Aging, Grieving and Recovery, Life5 CommentsIn this holiday season, we are obsessed with what to give people we love. Few of us think about what we can give ourselves. So here is a suggestion. One that will not cost you anything, other than the anger...
Depression? Four Simple “Non-Therapy” Strategies to Reduce It Stan Goldberg March 28, 2016 Aging, Alzheimer’s/dementia, Cancer, Caregiving, Chronic illness, End of Life, Grieving and Recovery, Life4 CommentsThere are more things that can cause depression as we age. I can’t run as fast or as far as I did ten years ago, my weight only fluctuates upward, I take more time to process information, and I feel under...
The Need for Stability: Part III-Five Ways To Introduce It Stan Goldberg May 8, 2015 Aging, Life, Thoughts of the Day4 CommentsStability, as we age, is more important than excitement. In Part I of this three-part series, I explained the role of stability in aging. In Part II I elaborated on its role in chronic and progressive...
The Need for Stability: Part II-Its Role in Chronic and Progressive Illnesses Stan Goldberg May 6, 2015 Aging, Chronic illness, Life, Thoughts of the DayWe often underestimate the need for introducing stability in the lives of people living with chronic and progressive illnesses. In Part I of this three-part series, I explained the role of stability in aging....
Run Away: Part III-Five Conflict-Related Questions to Ask Stan Goldberg April 24, 2015 Life, Thoughts of the DayWe often try to isolate events in our lives from everything that precedes and follows it. The practice is delusional at best, destructive at it’s worst. In Part I of this series I questioned the notion...
Run Away: Part II—The Emotional Cost of Conflict Stan Goldberg April 22, 2015 Life, Thoughts of the Day2 CommentsMaybe it’s because I recently turned 70 and finally acquired the wisdom gained from numerous failures. Or possibly I realize that winning isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Regardless of the reason, just...
Run Away: Part I-Life Doesn’t Have to Be a Zero-Sum Game Stan Goldberg April 20, 2015 Life, Thoughts of the Day6 CommentsWe are led to believe success means winning; whether it’s defeating cancer, coming out ahead in a negotiation, prevailing in a family conflict or justice for a wrong committed against us. These daily...
Why Motivation Alone Stinks: Part III-How to Evaluate Change Programs Stan Goldberg April 10, 2015 Life, Thoughts of the DayYou are about to spend time and money on a program guaranteeing you will be slimmer, shapelier, healthier, or more successful. You’re motivated to change, but you were also motivated in the past when you...
Why Motivation Alone Stinks: Part II: Change-You Didn’t Fail; The Guru Did Stan Goldberg April 8, 2015 Life, Thoughts of the DayWe place our trust in experts to instruct us how to change. With failure, we rarely blame the expert or her program. Most of the time, that’s where the responsibility should rest. Confusing What and How of...
Why Motivation Alone Stinks: Part I-Difference Between What and How Stan Goldberg April 6, 2015 Aging, Life, Thoughts of the DayAdvice gurus flood Saturday morning cable shows with programs on weight loss, exercise, wealth management, and becoming more authentic. By following their instructions we will become the person we deserve to...
Squishy Memories: Part III-Corralling The Mind Stan Goldberg March 27, 2015 Life, Thoughts of the DayIn some ways, our memories are like a herd of cattle on an open range; trying to go in whatever direction they choose. Unless they can be controlled and understood, their recall can be destructive. In Part...