Entries by Virginia Kravitz

What Are You Waiting For?

Salon Talk I was sitting in the chair and chatting with my hairdresser, covering a variety of subjects as usual.  The conversation turned to things we want to do before dying.  “I have a list,” she said.  “Visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC, volunteer as a reader at my church, build a snowman…”

To Goal or Not to Goal? (Part 2)

A confession and a contrast Many of you responded to the previous issue and are busy forming your goals.  I have a confession to make.  I did not set goals this year!  Lest you think I’m some kind of “goals hypocrite,” allow me to explain.  In essence, I still have personal and business goals which […]

To Goal or Not to Goal? (Part 1)

To goal or not to goal, that is the question. Every January, I hear the same conversations and read the same articles.  They pose the question of whether resolutions and goals are worth the effort.  After all, they argue, so many people fail at this process and just feel worse later.  Some people don’t like […]

Mantras with Meaning

(#7 of 7) from the series: Does Positive Thinking Really Work? Affirmations or Wishful Thinking? In the movie “Bowfinger,” seeking relief from a pervasive sense of doom, Eddie Murphy’s character falls under the influence of a cult-like group called Mind Head.  He’s told to counter his paranoid anxiety with the mantra: “Keep-it-together.  Keep-it-together.  Keep-it-together,” which […]

Picture It

(#6 of 7) from the series: Does Positive Thinking Really Work? Hit it to the Picture Tiger Woods once commented that each time he plays golf, he has the same intention: Picture it in.  Hit it to the picture.  Athletes and entertainers have sports psychologists and performance coaches to help them master the art of visualization.  There […]

What Do You Intend?

(#5 of 7) from the series: Does Positive Thinking Really Work? Intention Guides Your Actions A mother was preparing to have a conversation with her 9-year old daughter.  She wasn’t happy about having to discipline her.  “How do you want your daughter to feel after the conversation?” I asked.  She was quiet for a moment […]

A Leading Question

(#4 of 7) from the series: Does Positive Thinking Really Work? All Those Masters Can’t Be Wrong Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle used questions to challenge their philosophy students.  Albert Einstein believed that formulating the question was more critical than calculating the actual solution.  Rabbis and other spiritual teachers impart wisdom through skillful questioning.