I have loved this verse (or, more specifically, this section of verse) from Mishlei (Proverbs), because of its validation about how failing is not only okay, it’s almost expected. To be a righteous person, a Tzaddik, is kind of what we should be striving to be, and here this verse is telling us that we… Continue reading Why Failure Is Good
Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands. Anne Frank When I am having a bad day, making many parenting mistakes, despairing of the example I’m setting, this quote gives me encouragement. When I am feeling proud… Continue reading Out Of Our Hands
I have spent more of my life than I would like to admit sitting in front of a screen. Just look at this picture my daughter drew last year in her “all about Mommy” assignment: I mean, she could have drawn me playing music, baking, cooking, I mean, even “do laundry” would’ve been better in… Continue reading How I Kicked A Bad Social Media Habit
I’ve been doing a lot of writing lately, which is great, really. This summer has been, predictably, very busy, and while I have been a responsible musician and busted out my clarinet for some very thrilling (/sarcasm) foundational practice, those practice sessions have been far more sporadic than I would like. But writing is easy.… Continue reading What makes a writer a writer?
Like many people, I do so much better when there are tangible goals that I have written down and have some level of accountability to. It reminds me of the time that I was in Rabbi Nivin’s Chabura, I was wildly productive then. Also like many people, I often feel like I do not have… Continue reading What I Learned From A Month With My Bullet Journal
I’ve been writing regularly for long enough now (over a decade!) that you might think I never deal with self-doubt or critical thoughts or insecurities or writer’s block. Bahahahahaha. I deal with all of that, and sometimes (a lot of the time?), the more “successful” pieces I write, the more pressure I put on myself… Continue reading How To Manage Your Inner Critic
My kids’ school has this excellent program called “Social Skills.” It teaches them very useful concepts like not interrupting, “friendly talk,” “brave talk,” and other ways of learning how to be in the world, how to deal with their feelings in a healthy way. I love this program because it presents these concepts to kids in… Continue reading You Are Doing Just Fine
I love connecting with people. I enjoy the stimulation of reading the articles my friends post, seeing what others are up to and laughing at the brilliant silliness that can be found online. But at some point a darker emotion edged in. It snuck up on me as I saw a website launched that I… Continue reading Stop Looking At Other People’s Grass Already And Plant Your Own Garden
I don’t always notice the cycles that come around in life. Okay, I notice the weekly cycles of cleaning up from Shabbos, figuring out what to eat for the week, shopping, cleaning, preparing for Shabbos and, of course, Shabbos! I also notice the daily cycles of getting Little Man ready for school, putting the baby… Continue reading The ebb and flow of life
Chavi Cohen is a young mother of two, living in Cleveland, Ohio. A Harvard graduate with a penchant for reading through meals and seeking out intellectual stimulation, she’s always trying to find a happy medium between mommy and me. On her blog Harvard Housewife she writes about connecting to herself, her friends and family, and… Continue reading Living outside of stereotypes
Rivki Silver ~ thoughts & music 