Posts by Harriet Turk
Divorced Parents: Dealing with Divorce
The mouse had a broken leg, and it was squirming on the concrete, suffering. A 12 year old girl stood over it cringing, holding a shovel in her hands, and feeling sorry for the little creature. She looked over her shoulder, through the kitchen window, and saw her mom cringing even harder. The girl didn’t…
Read MoreTies: Dealing with Divorce
I didn’t think about it until it was too late.
Andrew had to wear a tie to school.
It’s customary for the football players to dress up on game days. I knew this, but I had never equated “dressing up” to wearing a tie—a tie that Andrew didn’t know how to tie—until now.
Our lifestyle rarely requires Andrew to wear a tie, and in the past when one was required, he’s chosen a pre-tied bow tie. But now that he was in high school, he wanted to wear a regular tie.
It was 6:00 am, I am a single mom, his dad doesn’t live with us, and neither Andrew nor I knew how to tie a tie. In 15 short minutes, we needed to leave for school.
Andrew came barreling down the stairs, freaking out.
Read MoreGod Hates Divorce?
When I travel, I make sure I have time for breakfast, because I love waffles, and the hotel chain I like lets you make your own. When you travel as much as I do, it’s the little things that matter. Shortly after my divorce, I was sitting at a table eating when I overheard two…
Read MoreNovember Gratitude Calendar
Download this November calendar, and make it the background on your computer or print it out and stick it on the fridge. Daily prompts to help you feel better, make a difference in the world, and practice gratitude. Also check out this post that has 10 gratitude prompt questions at the end!
Read MoreStop Thinking You’re Alone, Look for Lessons & Make a Gratitude List: Tips When Life is Tough
When things are hard and you’re feeling alone, you might tend to hide. This can stem from embarrassment, feeling too overwhelmed to know who to reach out to, or the belief that you don’t have anyone to reach out to. But most people have been through hard things, even if it’s not the same thing you are experiencing. Most people are kind and willing to do what they can.
If you’re feeling like everyone is too busy, and like you would be a burden, remember that we are all in different seasons of life. Keep reaching out and you’ll find the person who is in a great season of life to help, and later when you’re in that season, you’ll help them or someone else.
You can start by asking for something small:
Read MoreBe Kind to Yourself by Changing 15 Minutes of Your Day: Tips for When Life is Tough
Sometimes it’s as simple as asking, “Would I say this to someone I love?” when we’re thinking an unkind thought about ourselves. If the answer is no, reframe the thought to something more positive and then do something kind for yourself.
This can start with simply changing 15 minutes of your day.
12 Tips to Change 15 Minutes of Your Day
Stop Asking Why & Hang On: Tips for When Life is Tough
If the situation you are going through is not by choice, and especially if it is something traumatic, it’s totally normal to feel these feelings of loss in an even more profound way. You might be asking “Is this really happening? This can’t be real! (Denial)“ And then you may move to asking “WHY?! Who could do such a thing to another person? It’s not fair! (Anger)” And “What did I do to deserve this? If I did something different, could I go back and change this? (Bargaining)” Those are totally normal feelings and questions, and it’s ok to even wallow in them for a time (Depression).
Read More7 Tips to Try When Life is Tough
“I can’t do this anymore. “
I’ve said this more times than I want to admit.
It’s how I feel when I’m overwhelmed. It’s how I feel when I am afraid of the next step. It’s how I feel when I don’t feel in control of my situation. It’s how I feel when I think I’m the only one in a certain situation.
Yet, somehow I still do. Why and how? Because to stay alive, that’s what you do. You keep going even when it’s tough….These seven tips for getting through tough times are what I practice when I start to mentally chant, “I can’t do this anymore.”
Read MoreFive Challenges of Teen Girls
Five Challenges of Teen Girls and What to Do About Them Teen Truths: Helping Adolescent Girls through the Challenges Each year, I speak at conferences, schools, and other youth-oriented events all across the United States. Following these presentations, I always hear from girls who were in the audience. Through emails, Facebook messages, letters, and even…
Read MoreAbout the Just Be U curriculum
JustBeU is a CCSS approved curriculum that teaches girls how to break the mold, overcome their fears and realize their true worth through a self-discovery journey of finding the real “U” inside each of them. More than that… it changes lives. Purchase your copy of the Just Be U curriculum today! View our store page…
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