Four Thoughts, One Girl
“Self-absorption in all its forms kills empathy, let alone compassion. When we focus on ourselves, our world contracts as our problems and preoccupations loom large. But when we focus on others, our world expands. Our own problems drift to the periphery of the mind and so seem smaller, and we increase our capacity for connection — or compassionate action.”
- Daniel Goleman
Please forgive me in advance for the randomness of this post. But I have a bunch of random thoughts brewing in my soup of synapses and neurotransmitters which is better known as “Kendra’s brain.”
Thoughts:
1. I really need to be needed and busy. In my current rotation, I’m not really either. It tends to make me feel sad.
2. I do believe that humans are evolutionarily programmed to need other humans. I just spoke with a good friend who inspired this observation. I was also reminded several days ago with Tom + Tom (you know who you are!) There is nothing like human connection.
3. A run can cure anything. I was feeling down today after coming home from work. I went for a short 4-mile run. It fixed me right up.
4. A quote from an email, which I just sent in response to someone who contacted me via my blog: “I don’t mind discussing things with strangers, actually. It’s one of the reasons I have a blog…I guess I sort of enjoy it. And the way I see it, as a psychiatrist, I am constantly asking strangers to share their deepest, and most intimate secrets. So, I kind of feel like sharing my own is therapeutic in some ways. Plus I’m always interested in making new friends.”
Photos: Me, Micah and Chris at a recent happy hour in Brooklyn.