What is the Zeigarnik effect? I never heard this phrase, the Zeigarnik effect, before until a few weeks ago, then suddenly I hear/see it in multiple places. That usually is a sign for me to stop and listen: wisdom is bubbling up to teach me something… You have experienced the Zeigarnik effect but didn’t know its name. Ever wonder why a story that ends with a cliffhanger lingers in our mind? The infamous “to be continued…” Yep, this mental tension now has a name!  The Zeigarnik effect is how our brain reacts to unfinished tasks by continuing to bring our attention to them. Once we finish, our brain eliminates them. Bluma Zeigarnik and the Zeigarnik Effect A Russian psychologist named Bluma Zeigarnik observed, in the 1920s that waiters could remember customers’ orders that were not paid better than those already completed and paid. Her further experiments showed that humans remember the incomplete, the unfinished, more than what is done, thus stimulating us to keep moving … [Read more...]

Monthly Musings Here are September's Monthly Musings. Each month I pause and take a look back at what I am discovering, learning, and exploring in life – I call these my monthly musings. I believe strongly in living a reflective life as a spiritual practice. We rush through life, often missing the lessons, enjoying the highlights and sleeping through what we should be paying attention to. Capturing these special moments gives meaning, depth, and delight to life. I record what I notice on the pages of my Monthly Musing Journal. You can use anything, scrapes of papers, a journal or a calendar.  Copies of my Monthly Musing Journal are available on Amazon and are a convenient way to keep track of the little things in life we often miss. Or if you want to click the button at the end of this post to get a free copy of my one sheet Monthly Musing handout. Monthly Musings - What I Learned in September  Lessons Learned My series on hospitality drove home to my heart that this … [Read more...]

CULTIVATING A WELCOMING SPIRIT I believe in lifelong learning and fostering curiosity. Hospitality is NOT a gift that comes naturally to me so I am taking the chance to discover new things about this spiritual discipline.  This month I have been exploring the practice of hospitality and cultivating a welcoming spirit as the topic for September’s Tending the Holy Thursdays.  So far I have shared an overview of hospitality, tips for nurturing a welcoming spirit, especially for those of us who are introverts, and quotes and resources for this discipline.  You can click on the highlight words in the previous sentence to find those blog posts if you didn’t get a change to read them. When I feature a spiritual practice or a person of faith I usually write an additional resource to share with you. This month I wrote a free download to accompany this study, titled “15 Thought-Provoking Definitions of Hospitality.”  You can get it at no cost by clicking on the button at the end of the … [Read more...]

Am I losing my mind?  I felt that way. I wandered around the house, searching, feeling incomplete, knowing I am missing a piece. You see, I lost my Fitbit.  I am as attached to my tiny step measuring buddy as I am to my smart phone and the Internet. Oh, and probably my hubby.  WHERE ARE YOU??? (screaming this for my Fitbit, not my husband.....well, again, probably both) I hadn’t left the house since I checked my counter earlier in the day. Hey, it’s got to here someplace! We hunted. We peered under counters and inside the crumbs of my favorite chair cushion (found a quarter and two missing game pieces though)  We aimed the flashlight into so many dark cob-webby corners I concluded I really do need to clean more precisely someday. We checked, rechecked and this morning checked again every nook, cranny and edge of existence. No luck.  Disappeared.  Down the black hole where all the socks and favorite pens vanish.  Am I losing my mind? It has to be here … [Read more...]

Inspiring quotes and encouraging resources cultivate hospitality within our hearts. Exploring the practice of hospitality and cultivating a welcoming spirit is the topic for September’s Tending the Holy Thursdays.  So far I have shared an overview of hospitality and tips for nurturing a welcoming spirit, especially for those of us who are introverts.  You can click on the highlighted words in the previous sentence to find those blog posts if you didn’t get a chance to read them. When I feature a spiritual practice or a person of faith, I usually write an additional resource to share with you.  This month I wrote a free download to accompany this study, titled “15 Thought-Provoking Definitions of Hospitality.”  You can get it at no cost by clicking on the button at the end of the post. It is my hope and prayer that this series and the tip sheet will enhance your walk with God. I find the tiny bits of wisdom in quotes often give me much insight into a topic– sometime more than in … [Read more...]

Living a life of gratitude makes us happier, optimistic and healthier in all the physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions of life. Research has shown that gratitude improved feelings of connection in times of loss or crises, increased self-esteem, heightened energy levels, strengthened heart, immune system, and decreased blood pressure, improved emotional and academic intelligence, expanded capacity for forgiveness, decreased stress, anxiety, depression and headaches, improved self-care and greater likelihood to exercise, and heightened spirituality as in the ability to see something bigger than ourselves September 21 is World Gratitude Day. Ever hear of it?  I knew the month of November held a special emphasis for thankfulness, but didn’t know about this worldwide day of recognition. World Gratitude Day World Gratitude Day officially started in 1977 by a United Nations group. Its purpose is to celebrate life, family, friends and all that we do and have. What are you most … [Read more...]

Hospitality Exploring the practice of hospitality and cultivating a welcoming spirit is the topic for September’s Tending the Holy Thursdays.  Last week I shared some background about hospitality and today let’s discuss how to cultivate a welcoming spirit, especially for the introverts like me. Each month on my Thursday posts, I pick one theme (or person of faith) to explore deeper. The last two weeks in September I will highlight some quotes and resources, then end with a summary of lessons learned and how to apply this vital practice to our daily living. Like usual I wrote a free download to accompany this study, titled “15 Thought-Provoking Definitions of Hospitality.”  You can get it at no cost by clicking on the button at the end of the post. It is my hope and prayer that this series and the tip sheet will enhance your walk with God. Be sure to sign up to get Healthy Spirituality in your inbox so you don’t miss any of the weeks (I promise I never over send stuff to you). … [Read more...]