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Personal Perspectives

Embrace a Theme for Success

Hope Perlman M.Ed, LMSW on February 7, 2024

A Personal Perspective: A theme word is not the same as a resolution. Having a theme for the year is setting an intention rather than a resolution.

A Personal Perspective: A theme word is not the same as a resolution. Having a theme for the year is setting an intention rather than a resolution.

Therapy

Center Yourself for Success in Therapy—and in Life

Hope Perlman M.Ed, LMSW on August 17, 2023

What do you need to have or do to flourish? Tune into yourself, get centered in the present, and figure out what your first next step should be.

What do you need to have or do to flourish? Tune into yourself, get centered in the present, and figure out what your first next step should be.

Resilience

Recovering From Total Failure and Demoralization

Hope Perlman M.Ed, LMSW on July 3, 2022

A Personal Perspective: Life is what we do every day, every moment. It’s particularly important to remember to focus on the journey when the outcome desired may be quite a long time coming.

A Personal Perspective: Life is what we do every day, every moment. It’s particularly important to remember to focus on the journey when the outcome desired may be quite a long time coming.

I suspect it is difficult for many of us to believe we have a whole, undamaged Self because we are so used to feeling that we are flawed at the core; so used to striving.

Wisdom

Success in AP2: It's More Than Coping, but Coping Is Great

Hope Perlman M.Ed, LMSW on January 18, 2022

Rest can be as accessible as a sigh. At any time, a deep breath provides an instant of rest. It’s not necessary to wait for a vacation to rest. Rest a little bit every day.

Rest can be as accessible as a sigh. At any time, a deep breath provides an instant of rest. It’s not necessary to wait for a vacation to rest. Rest a little bit every day.

Anxiety

Musings on Uncertainty and the Anxiety-Worry Habit

Hope Perlman M.Ed, LMSW on August 19, 2021

Anxiety and worry create a feedback loop that can be broken. It is not necessary to worry.

Anxiety and worry create a feedback loop that can be broken. It is not necessary to worry.

Attachment

How to Cope With Life's Impermanence

Hope Perlman M.Ed, LMSW on June 29, 2021

Attachment is what relationships are made of, but so are change and impermanence. To successfully navigate life, we have to come to terms with this paradox.

Attachment is what relationships are made of, but so are change and impermanence. To successfully navigate life, we have to come to terms with this paradox.

Identity

Have We Resolved Social Work's Identity Crisis?

Hope Perlman M.Ed, LMSW on May 20, 2021

How ironic I find it that after my personal professional identity crisis, I have joined a profession going through it. Except I just don't think it's true, despite what they say.

How ironic I find it that after my personal professional identity crisis, I have joined a profession going through it. Except I just don't think it's true, despite what they say.

Tikkun Olan. This is a Jewish value: Make the world a little better any way you can. Maybe by becoming a therapist, I will help.

Optimism

Tips for Success From the Color of the Year

Hope Perlman M.Ed, LMSW on December 17, 2020

It takes strength and optimism to crawl forward in the dark and believe in the light at the end, and it takes strength and optimism to look at what’s in the tunnel, too.

It takes strength and optimism to crawl forward in the dark and believe in the light at the end, and it takes strength and optimism to look at what’s in the tunnel, too.

Environment

Recollecting Impermanence Is the Doorway to Contentment

Hope Perlman M.Ed, LMSW on August 30, 2020

My earring fell down the drain and it made me think about impermanence. Life has a way of forcing you to contemplate this truth, but we resist knowing it in a bone-deep way.

My earring fell down the drain and it made me think about impermanence. Life has a way of forcing you to contemplate this truth, but we resist knowing it in a bone-deep way.

Persuasion

What Does Success Mean When the World Is Full of Suffering?

Hope Perlman M.Ed, LMSW on June 18, 2020

What do I do when my circle of concern is ever-expanding and my circle of influence seems like a pinhead? Well, a pinhead can be just enough space.

What do I do when my circle of concern is ever-expanding and my circle of influence seems like a pinhead? Well, a pinhead can be just enough space.

Persuasion

Annals of a Pandemic: Success Is About What We Can Control

Hope Perlman M.Ed, LMSW on April 1, 2020

During the pandemic, it feels important right now to focus on what I can control. This is part of Stephen Covey's first habit of highly effective people: be proactive. Choose.

During the pandemic, it feels important right now to focus on what I can control. This is part of Stephen Covey's first habit of highly effective people: be proactive. Choose.

Type A and Type B Personality Theory

Good, Better, Perfect: Annals of a Type B Guru

Hope Perlman M.Ed, LMSW on January 1, 2020

Better can be the enemy of good, too. Even if you’re wise enough to know perfection is impossible, better is always possible. I truly believe in better. But sometimes good is best.

Better can be the enemy of good, too. Even if you’re wise enough to know perfection is impossible, better is always possible. I truly believe in better. But sometimes good is best.

I was a little disappointed to find spirituality at the bottom of that list. Almost as disappointed to find that there as I was surprised to find kindness in the top five.

One of the most important things I've learned is that success is inseparable from failure, because success is about rising to challenges, and challenges require practice to meet.

Clever Readers, these orientations are basically pessimistic and optimistic. Some goals lend themselves more to a promotion strategy, and some to a prevention strategy.

Wisdom

Tips on Getting Stuff Done, and How Not To

Hope Perlman M.Ed, LMSW on April 12, 2019

Is life admin getting you down? How about your New Year's goals? Priority-setting, scheduling, and making a plan are three things that make me want to pull the covers over my head.

Is life admin getting you down? How about your New Year's goals? Priority-setting, scheduling, and making a plan are three things that make me want to pull the covers over my head.

Fear

Happy New Year, Resolutions, and Foibles

Hope Perlman M.Ed, LMSW on January 8, 2019

If I can free myself of regret and fear, well, then I will be golden. Failing that, if I can accept regret and fear, then I’ll be pretty good. Silver, I suppose.

If I can free myself of regret and fear, well, then I will be golden. Failing that, if I can accept regret and fear, then I’ll be pretty good. Silver, I suppose.

There is a more complex form of visualization that is also helpful. It is called mental contrasting. Mental contrasting is visualizing one’s goal and also visualizing the obstacles