by Yvette Erasmus | Oct 18, 2021 | Acceptance, Compassion
It’s relatively easy to have conversations that go badly. Make a snarky comment. Say something insensitive. Lead with judgment. Follow up with criticism. Interrupt. Defend. Argue. Descend into shame. Isolate with self-righteousness. We all know the drill. High-quality... by Yvette Erasmus | Aug 9, 2016 | Communication, Compassion, Empowerment, NVC, Slowing Down, Universal Human Needs
Some days, I am simply not ready to be a grown-up. At all.Waking up with anxiety recently, I buried myself deeper into bed.Free floating thoughts about finances, major life decisions, relationships, and a harsh critical voice pointing out all my failings and failures... by Yvette Erasmus | Jul 5, 2016 | Communication, Empowerment, Interdependence, NVC
On this Fourth of July weekend, I found myself listening to this song. (Yup. And now it will loop in your head too. You are welcome.) Relational independence is celebrated and revered: “If I never loved, I never would have died. I have my books and my poetry to... by Yvette Erasmus | Jun 28, 2016 | Communication, Love
Being a person is hard. So many relationships are founded on entrenched patterns of judgment, criticism, blame, shame, manipulation, “feedback” (whatever that even means), analysis & evaluations.To make things worse, I then internalize these ways of thinking and... 
by Yvette Erasmus | Apr 25, 2016 | Communication, Compassion, Growth, Inner Truth, Laziness
On Sunday, I spent a luxuriously lazy day on my couch reading books, cuddling with my cats, hearing rumbles of thunder and drippy raindrops, drinking multiple cups of coconut chai tea. Heaven. Truly. But every now and then, a twinge of guilt and self-recrimination...