Best of Our Blogs: April 2, 2013

I hope you got through April Fool’s Day unscathed. If you’re wondering why a potentially harmless joke may seem unworthy of serious concern, know this. I’ve spent most of my childhood and young adult years making sure to avoid humiliation and being duped by my infamous gullibility. Why? Because the fear of being shamed can trigger years of torment garnered from critical parents and torturous bullies. I still have nightmares about the little boys who teased me and teenagers who bullied me growing up.

At the root of all teasing and seemingly harmless joking is the power of shame. Shame or the belief that we are unworthy can unravel the strongest among us. It can make individuals feel disgusted with their bodies, hate their differences and become irrationally angry towards themselves and others to cope. All of which exacerbate feelings of unworthiness.

The solution? Work on building up your toolbox. Teach yourself and then your kids the importance of self-compassion, inner peace, understanding and awareness. These posts address all of the above to help you and your loved ones get through difficult times with courage and love.

A Meditation For Promoting Peace Within Ourselves
(Weightless) – To have a better, more peaceful life, you need to start with drawing peace within. Take a few minutes today to practice this loving-kindness meditation for yourself.

How To Find Courage In Feelings Of Uncertainty
(Caregivers, Family & Friends) – What do you do in the midst of uncertainty, self-doubt, and fear of the unknown? Take these five lessons learned by this blogger and use it to help you cope.

Anger and Fear
(360° of Mindful Living) – What is anger? Learning how to manage this often intimidating and misunderstood emotion takes understanding it. Read what’s at the root of anger and you may discover what’s really upsetting you.

Schizophrenia in Children
(Family Mental Health) – Schizophrenia isn’t just a disorder affecting teens and adults. 1 in every 10,000-30,000 children have it too. What does schizophrenia look like in children? What causes it and what’s key when it comes to supporting families going through it? Find out here.

Weekend Listening: The Effects of Bullying With Tamara Hill
(Celebrity Psychings) – You’re increasingly hearing about the negative impacts of bullying. But what can you actually do to help? Listen to this broadcast to get information on bullying online and in school with information on what you can do to stop it.

Brandi-Ann Uyemura is a freelance writer. After obtaining a BA in English and Ethnic Studies, she received a MA in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University. She writes for various companies and publications. For more information, see her website Brandi-AnnUyemura.com.

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Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 1 Apr 2013
Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.

APA Reference
Uyemura, B. (2013). Best of Our Blogs: April 2, 2013. Psych Central. Retrieved on April 3, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/04/02/best-of-our-blogs-april-2-2013/

The Note’s Must-Reads for Tuesday, April 02, 2013

The Note’s Must-Reads are a round-up of today’s political headlines and stories from ABC News and the top U.S. newspapers. Posted Monday through Friday right here at www.abcnews.com

Compiled by ABC News’ Jayce Henderson, Amanda VanAllen and Jordan Mazza

CAROLINE KENNEDY
ABC News’ Sarah Parnass: “Caroline Kennedy to Be Named Ambassador to Japan” Caroline Kennedy is expected to be nominated U.S. ambassador to Japan, but the nomination is not yet finalized, a knowledgeable source told ABC News Monday.  LINK 

IMMIGRATION REFORM
The Hills’ Justin Sink: “White House ‘encouraged’ by Senate progress on immigration” The White House said Monday it was “encouraged” by progress on bipartisan immigration reform in the Senate, but cautioned that lawmakers were “not there yet” on an agreement. “We are encouraged by the continuing signs of progress that we are seeing in the Senate as the Group of Eight and the Senate more broadly works on comprehensive immigration reform,” White House press secretary Jay Carney said Monday. LINK

The New York Times’ Ashley Parker: “Senator’s Bid to Fix Immigration Starts in His Backyard” A five-minute lunch break at Chick-fil-A was Senator Lindsey Graham’s only unscheduled stop of the day. But he had barely stepped inside the fast food restaurant here last week before a constituent was upon him, urging Mr. Graham, a South Carolina Republican, to relay a message to his colleagues in Washington: “Make ‘em understand the word ‘illegal,’ ” said Stephen Lewis, 72, a retired Marine. “If you’re not here legal, be punished or thrown out of this country for it.” LINK

BUDGET CUTS
The Washington Times’ Jerry Seper: “Border Patrol agents dodge sequestration, avoid furloughs, pay cuts” U.S. Customs and Border Protection has postponed plans to furlough Border Patrol agents as a result of sequestration, which would have taken as many as 5,000 agents off the line, and also has delayed a proposed cut in overtime pay that would have cost each agent $7,000 a year. “In light of the Fiscal Year 2013 Appropriations bill and sequestration impacts, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is re-evaluating previously planned furloughs and de-authorization of Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUO) and will postpone implementation of both at this time,” said CBP spokesman Anthony Bucci in an email response. LINK

GUN CONTROL
The Wall Street Journal’s Joseph de Avila: “Tough Gun-Curb Laws Proposed in Connecticut” Connecticut lawmakers proposed sweeping legislation on Monday in response to the deadly Dec. 14 school shooting in Newtown, Conn., calling for stricter gun laws and changes to the state’s mental-health system and school-safety procedures.  LINK    

The Washington Post’s Philip Rucker and Ed O’Keefe: “Firearms advocates target gun-control measures” Gun-control measures that seemed destined to become law after the school shootings in Newtown, Conn., are in jeopardy amid a fierce lobbying campaign by firearms advocates. Despite months of negotiations, key senators have been unable to find a workable plan for near-universal background checks on gun purchases — an idea that polls show nine in 10 Americans support. LINK

BOEHNER
USA Today’s Susan Davis and Gregory Korte: “Boehner, like past speakers, sometimes needs Democrats” Speaker John Boehner has come under fire in recent months for breaking an unwritten, often-cited GOP axiom that legislation in the U.S. House should pass only with support of a majority of the ruling party.  LINK

NORTH KOREA
Bloomberg’s Sandwon Yoon: “U.S. Sees No N. Korea Military Movement as Kim Names Premier” The Obama administration said it has detected no unusual troop movements from North Korea in support of its threats to attack South Korea, American bases in the Asia-Pacific or the continental U.S. “Despite the harsh rhetoric we’re hearing from Pyongyang, we are not seeing changes to the North Korean military posture,” White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters yesterday in Washington. “We take it very seriously. But it is consistent with past behavior.” LINK

HOUSE
Politico’s James Hohmann: “Justin Amash: The House’s New Ron Paul” When it comes to the House of Representatives, Justin Amash is the new Ron Paul. The Michigan congressman, only 32, sees himself as a leader of “the second generation” of Paulites in the lower chamber. Sen. Rand Paul moved quickly to present himself as his dad’s heir to libertarian faithful in recent months, but many in the movement see Amash as even purer than the younger Paul, and he’s gotten rave reviews for explaining all his votes on Facebook. LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEO
“Kid President Helps Launch White House Easter Egg Roll” LINK

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