Craig Ruvere

16Nov 2022 by CJ

Thankful for Where We Are, Not Where We’ve Been

Many of us rarely think about our lives in the present. That's because we often go about our days with memories of the past or expectations of the future influencing our perceptions of ourselves and the world around us. So being truly thankful for where we are in this moment – grateful for all the blessings right here, right now – is a monumental task. The holiday season between Thanksgiving and the first of the new year can be difficult for many of us. Memories of long-gone holiday traditions, joyous celebrations, and familiar faces, now vacant from our reality, haunt our current existence causing us to struggle to maintain any semblance of positivity. Being thankful for where we are in the present is a challenging concept to adopt. Many often…

02Nov 2022 by CJ

Stochastic Terrorism is Nurtured by Extreme Politicians

Information & Education, Life & Living

Malcolm Forbes is best known for the prominent American business magazine which bears his name. He once remarked, "Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one." While I agree entirely with Mr. Forbes, a new expression I learned today called stochastic terrorism reinforces that even those with fully cultivated minds can still be empty. Stochastic terrorism is defined as "The use of mass public communication, usually against a particular individual or group, which incites or inspires acts of terrorism which are statistically probable but happen seemingly at random." Today's extreme politicians – spearheaded by supporters of the MAGA Republican movement – are taking this country down a dangerous and alarming path. One infested with conspiracy theories, misinformation, and smear campaigns, which continue to fan the flames of hate,…

26Oct 2022 by CJ

How to Know if Someone Truly Values You in Their Life

Life & Living, Love & Relationships

As we grow older and wiser, relationships (whether familial, platonic, or romantic) inevitably change – that’s simply a reality of the human experience. Some of those relationships continue to improve and strengthen with time and maturity. In contrast, others seem to wither away from a lack of nurturing. However, it becomes puzzling how to accurately determine if someone still truly values you in their life. Many of us rarely entertain such a question. Understandably, we’re fearful of the answers, which challenge our often skewed perception of reality – of a true, connecting, and binding relationship having taken place. A relationship shouldn’t feel like a chore – a one-sided exercise with little return on your investment. Unfortunately, this often forces you to tolerate a handful of repetitive excuses for one’s inability…

10Oct 2022 by CJ

Families Are Too Busy and It’s Impacting Your Kids

Life & Living, Youth

I recently came across an article on YourModernFamily.com by writer Becky Mansfield which gave some enlightening information on how today’s families are too busy. She shares that after recently moving into a family-friendly neighborhood, she asked one of the mothers next door if their daughters could get together and play. She assumed the response would be immediate, and the girls could get together that same day. Instead, she was shocked when the mother pulled out her cell phone and began scrolling and scrolling and scrolling for what seemed like forever before finally responding, “She has a 45-minute opening two and half weeks from now. The rest of the time gymnastics, piano, and voice lessons. She’s just so busy.” I wish I could say I haven’t experienced the same situation in my life,…

26Sep 2022 by CJ

Expecting Different Results from People is Counter-productive

Generosity & Kindness

The following quote is as overused as a smiley-faced emoji. It is often attributed to many prominent individuals throughout history – including Albert Einstein – though no one knows for sure who actually said it. "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." While I can understand one's frustration given its overuse in popular society, it's popular for a reason – providing a sort of roadmap on how we can best utilize our limited time here on Earth. Simply put, the quote above encourages us to remember that there comes a point in everyone's life when expecting different results from individuals and circumstances is naïve and should be better aligned with reality. In our romantic, plutonic, familial, and even professional relationships, we…