Queens Jewish Link
Connecting the Queens Jewish Community 
What do you need to do in order to be happy? Do you dream of succeeding or winning against someone or something? Instead of conquering the world, perhaps we should prevail over our own minds. As they say: When a man tells you that he got rich through hard work, ask him: “Whose?”
Do you feel okay about yourself? Do you think that you deserve goodness and generosity? Believe it or not, some of us even question if we have a right to exist. If your parents were unduly harsh, you might seek an inordinate amount of approval from others. You may fear constantly being blasted or berated.
Why do some friendships and relationships make it while others don’t? If you ask anyone in a close relationship, they will surely tell you that they set out wanting to make things work. Have any of your long-term friendships simply dissolved or faded away?
Do you actually know what a good relationship or friendship truly is? What is true love? Do you play games in your relationships? It may be less obvious to you if you go cold or camouflage your hurt feelings instead of sharing. You might bury your feelings but secretly hope your friend will feel bad for you or even apologize without even knowing how you truly feel.
Do you believe that having good self-esteem is crucial to your well-being? Have you noticed that there are those who simply seem to like themselves despite the absence of great wealth, good looks, or even signs of approval from others? Speaking of looks, you know that the first day of school is always a fashion show. The rest of the school year? A pajama party. Oh, and wealth? I know, you want to get to a point in your life financially where adding guacamole to your burrito isn’t a big decision. I get it.
One of the most unfortunate flaws of the human condition is our capacity for self-hate. Have you ever known a dog, cat, or any other animal to actually loathe itself? You know you can trust your dog to guard your house, but you can’t trust your dog to guard your sandwich. My cats inspire me daily; they inspire me to get a dog!
