Thanksgiving is almost here - that time of year when “get your gratitude on!” is the game of the day. And indeed, you do have your gratitude well in gear.
You are ready to express your gratefulness for your family, your friends, your job (maybe, could be a stretch), Pilates, football, the ... Views: 1305
Atlanta’s Homeward Choir, a group of 26 homeless men from Atlanta’s Central Night Shelter, was invited to sing at the White House in December of 2015. When the group got the invitation--and how that came about is a wonderful story --among the many questions the choir members asked of their ... Views: 1306
You run from store to store looking for that perfect Valentine’s Day gift, the one that will truly express how you feel about your love. And be something she or he will really likes.
Right. That last part’s a bit of a problem. The things your beloved will really like may be way outside your ... Views: 1183
I learned an amazing new technique from my massage therapist Tammy recently. No, not yet another way of ironing out my body ‘kinks,’ although she is pure genius when it comes to that. On the contrary, this had nothing to do with massage, and everything to do with life.
Ready? Here goes. ... Views: 278
With so many bad bosses out there, when you have a fantastic boss, you don't want to take your boss for granted. Most people know when they are fortunate enough to have a truly special boss.
Here are eight signs of an exceptional boss.
A good boss is positive, upbeat and enthusiastic about ... Views: 1203
You’re up for that job that could be a career changer--you’re scared! What if you flub the final interview, what if you say something really stupid, what if the CEO hates your hair?
You’re dating a special someone you really like. You can feel yourself falling for him/her, big-time--you’re ... Views: 2377
I went to the movies recently with a friend. It was billed as an action comedy and I was looking forward to some good laughs. What I hadn’t realized is that the movie was 90% action and 10% comedy. Oh, the comedy was great! We’re talking LOL rolling in the aisles funny--and the action was just ... Views: 1274
The ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound is hardly useful these days, given the wonders of CGI. And yes, invisibility might still be useful, but what if you forgot how to be visible again? Far better is to look inward for your superpower, not outward. To your truth, to what serves ... Views: 426
So often, it seems like the world presses against us, day in and day out. Work duties, family obligations, endless chores, finances, on and on. Who has time for anything as frivolous as deliberately “finding happiness”? Much less “living your joy.” Like, when? How? And why would it even matter ... Views: 373
Thanksgiving is traditionally a time to give thanks. Most of us are pretty good at that. We can usually always find people and situations in life that inspire us to be grateful. Until certain relatives show up for Thanksgiving dinner. Or the supposed friends you wish you hadn’t invited but felt ... Views: 99
It seems the topic uppermost in so many of our minds at this time of year is stress. AKA Holiday stress. Too many gifts to buy, too little money. Too many cards to send out/email, gifts to wrap, people to visit – too little time. Too many relatives and others to be considerate of –
too little ... Views: 262
We rarely enjoy change, even when we want that change. We will usually find any excuse we can to avoid the necessary steps to whatever that change may be.
For example, given that it is light so much earlier in the day, I’ve been attempting to get up earlier lately. Sigh. For me, getting up ... Views: 213
A friend introduced me recently to the wide wonderful world of Geocaching. For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, Geocaching, according to Wikipedia, is: “…an outdoor recreational activity, in which participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or mobile device and other ... Views: 1365
You want to know what’s the single biggest obstacle in the way of your doing pretty much anything? It’s not your boss, your mate, the economy, your kids, your mother, or whatever else is your “why-I-can’t-be/do/have it” mantra, it’s that thing you keep repeating to yourself over and ... Views: 1238
Last week, I had a rather nasty disagreement with a colleague. Even though it got resolved – well, sort of – I found myself going over and over it in my mind. For days. Not a productive path to mental well-being, no way, no how.
I realized, somewhere amid my internal grousing, that I was ... Views: 154
Amid the pandemic, when we were for the most part quarantined, urged to remain indoors as much as possible, I had an overwhelming urge to get out into nature. Living as I do in Southern California, I figured I could go find a beach and stare at the ocean for a bit without breaking any quarantine ... Views: 301
The Holidays are long over, New Year’s came and went, Super Bowl happened, Valentine’s Day is but a dim recollection, so what’s next? Ah yes, tax season . . .
Let’s not all rejoice at the same time. Well, not me, anyway. As a self-employed, I now need to plow through all my receipts, sort ... Views: 219
Those who are fortunate enough to have a job in these tough economic times are often working longer hours and carrying the workload normally done by two or more workers. The holiday season is the perfect time for employers to show their employers they appreciate their efforts. Appreciation ... Views: 1470
Halloween is almost upon us, and grown-ups are planning Halloween parties, while kids of all ages figure out what costume to wear and whether to trick or treat. For all the fun we have at Halloween, it is still a day in remembrance of all things scary; ghosts, zombies, witches, spells and ... Views: 1012
My German Shepherd-mix rescue pup, Baer, is a great dog. He’s all legs and energy, so sometimes I think of him as Fred Astaire, and sometimes more as the Energizer Bunny on steroids. Especially near mealtimes.
I feed my dogs twice a day, and I’m convinced they have clocks in their stomachs, ... Views: 1403
Your spouse says “You’re gonna wear that?!” Your child, in a fit of frustration, yells out “I hate you!” Your boss says “This’ll never fly. Where’s your creativity?”
Whether important or not, life-altering or just annoying, why is it that a single critical comment from your spouse, child or ... Views: 1232
In a recent interview, actress Candice Bergen spoke about how her beauty, and the way others react to it, challenged her self-development, as no one seemed to care much about what she thought or her opinions. They were too bedazzled by her face.
I can relate. Candice was one year ahead of me ... Views: 581
The holidays can sometimes feel like one long list of obligations. You have to figure out which gifts to get for whom and how much you can afford to spend. You have to write holiday cards/notes/emails at least to some people, once again figuring out what to whom.
You have to figure out which ... Views: 699
You bury your head in your hands. You’d really like to run screaming from your cubicle, but for one, that would get you instantly fired, for two, your shoes are definitely not made for running. But the stress! Not only does your job stress you out, but there’s your family, friends, chores, ... Views: 1780
Within every last one of us, there is an inner 3 year old, proclaiming at the top of our lungs: “NOW!!! I want it NOW!!!” Doesn’t matter if it’s weight loss, improvement at the gym, a promotion, a raise, a new job, success with a project, or just getting your child to clean up their room, the ... Views: 1031
Given my work as a trial consultant, I typically spend a lot of time on airplanes and consequently, in airports (at least until the COVID-19 outbreak). I was in an airport somewhere in the Midwest when I saw a fellow traveler wearing a t-shirt with words that I found positively brilliant: “I’m ... Views: 724
Ever had a case of the “if onlys”? You know, as in; “If only I’d gotten that job,” “If only that guy/gal hadn’t broken up with me,” “If only I hadn’t been passed over for that promotion,” “If only I’d won the lottery!” “If only I had more talent,” and so on.
Unfortunately, once you get ... Views: 1279
The baby cried half the night, you couldn’t soothe her, the two hours sleep you got left you cranky and out of sorts when you got up to go to work. Or perhaps it was that tooth that’s been bothering you that kept you tossing and turning, or your mate who snored incessantly, or the neighbors’ ... Views: 1047
The ancient Egyptians had a fairly complicated process by which they were allowed - or not – to access what we might now call “Heaven” after their death. Among other things, they were to approach the gods of the Underworld with a series of negative affirmations: a recitation of all those things ... Views: 1130
I was having a pity party the day before a Ballroom Dance Competition. It was hot, I was tired, my legs were sore, we hadn’t rehearsed enough, I’d never remember all my steps, and on and on. I was being such a grump even my dogs were avoiding me. Fine. I can take a hint.
I settled on the ... Views: 319
Someone cuts you off in traffic, you get stuck behind the person with 30 items in the 10 items or less line, your hair dryer fails in the middle of your blow-dry, the cat throws up on your favorite shirt, and every time you say to yourself, gritting your teeth through it all, “Yup, just my ... Views: 835
When you walk into your favorite coffee place in the morning, I doubt that the first thing on your mind is, “How are the coffee bean plantations doing today?” If you are a true coffee aficionado, you may know that your preferred beans come from Columbia or Nicaragua, but you probably don’t worry ... Views: 919
You cope pretty darn well with the crises and emergencies of life. Somehow you get through them, over them, and get on with life.
But then there are things that aren’t crises, yet somehow manage to irritate, annoy or aggravate you every time you bump into them. Things you don’t get over ... Views: 3172
Some days it feels like life is one endless hamster wheel, where you go round and round and round in the same way day after day. You know the drill: chores-work-kids-chores-bed, rinse and repeat. Oh, sure, there’s the occasional crisis to change things up, maybe the occasional vacation or happy ... Views: 207
You’re going along hunky-dory through your day. You’ve had the occasional work-challenge: a co-worker who was late with their side of things, so you had to scramble. Your boss laid an unexpected deadline on you – yikes! - but you rose to the occasion and handled the situation with a good ... Views: 761
Not long ago, the world waited with bated breath while watching the rescue of 12 boys, members of the Wild Boars soccer team, and their coach, who were caught in a flooded subterranean cave deep under the mountains of Chang Rai, Thailand. We witnessed the extraordinary worldwide commitment to ... Views: 947
The recent “Longevity Issue” of Time Magazine held great promise—an entire issue devoted to the joy of longevity, how great! Then I read the very first article title on the cover: “The Alzheimer’s Pill: A radical new drug that could change old age.” My heart sank. My excitement vanished. Once ... Views: 1337
You’re annoyed. You promised yourself you would lose that weight, go to the gym, get in shape to join your friends in a much vaunted walk-a-thon. Yet here you are, six months later, one month away from the walk-a-thon, and you’ve only lost a couple of pounds, your trips to the gym are spotty at ... Views: 1186
The alarm rings. Too early, much too early. A whole hour early. You know you should get up. You promised yourself you’d start working out. Today’s the day! Huzzah! Yesterday it seemed like such a great idea. You even set out your gym gear, ready to get going first thing.
Groan. Aargh! You ... Views: 1486
You know your usual litany of New Year’s resolutions: “This year I’m gonna lose 5 – 10 -50 pounds. This year I swear I’ll get to the gym at least twice a week. This year I absolutely positively will not spend past my credit limit. This year I swear I’ll never have another ginger Martini (given ... Views: 1283
According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2018 is the Year of the Dog. People born during a “Dog” year are said to possess the best traits of human nature, as in honest, friendly, faithful, loyal, smart, straightforward, venerable and having a strong sense of responsibility.
Gee, I could have told you ... Views: 1210
Once upon a time, there was a man who wanted desperately to run in the 2014 Boston Marathon – as many runners did - for the simple reason that it was the first Boston Marathon after the dreadful 2013 bombing. But the Boston Marathon is different from most marathons, in that you have to qualify ... Views: 1196
With all the shootings, wars, and violence in the world, not to mention the heat of the our current political environment, it’s easy to lose sight of the good.
Yet good there is, always. Good people striving to make the world a better place regardless of the turmoil of the moment.
Two ... Views: 1129
My best friend and I had a vigorous discussion recently about the relative merits of process versus results. She was extolling the virtues of process and processing, and I was nattering on about “results, results, results.” Yet the obvious conclusion at the end of our conversation, was that both ... Views: 559
We all have an expiration date, and for his fans, friends and family, no doubt Morley Safer’s came too soon.
But here’s the thing, with how he lived his life, working at CBS’ “60 Minutes” up until announcing his retirement one week before his passing at 84, Morley gave us one last great ... Views: 1033
Apart from writing, my dogs, and life generally, my great passion is Ballroom dancing. A totally off-the-wall pursuit, no doubt, but one that truly lights me up. In addition to my primary instructor and competition partner, I have the privilege of a second instructor, a lovely and talented ... Views: 187
I came across a quote recently by Alan Cohen I think is pure genius: “When you reframe problems as projects, they will cease to bother you and begin to stimulate you.”
Pure genius for me, anyway, as it put my recent experience with a badly strained hamstring in perfect perspective. There I ... Views: 344
You made up. The argument is long over; life with your sweetheart is back to normal. Except for that little nagging thought that keeps running through your brain, with the determined persistence of a hamster on a treadmill: “How could he/she do that? How could he/she say that about me in front ... Views: 1422
As a peace-loving Libra, I’m always looking for ways to minimize conflict, ways for us to get along better, regardless of our differences.
So I was quite taken with a post a friend forwarded to me: “Explain your anger, don’t express it, and you will immediately open the door to solutions ... Views: 1207
Just the other night, I was watching one of my favorite TV shows, “Hawaii 5-0,” where one of the main characters featured in that night’s episode was a young woman, a veteran, who’d served in Afghanistan, during which time she’d lost both legs. The show was forthright in its brief portrayal of ... Views: 1093