We all know now that it can change in an instant. Everything. And here we are wondering what to do next. I have some questions for you. How are you feeling? Are you doing what you need to be doing in your life? Are you doing what you want to be doing? Are you taking care of yourself? Are you planning to be happy/content/safe? Because, in an instant, everything can change. We have now seen this for ourselves with the pandemic. * So, today, in addition to giving you those quest

A worldwide pandemic. That is what we have all been through together. The whole world. That still amazes me. We know that people have had varied experiences during this massive upheaval of our lives. Yet all of us experienced the pandemic at the same time. We are going through the recovery at the same time. That fact fascinates me. I think of future generations and the stories we will tell. Remember the beginning? Shock. Fear. Confusion. Finally, acceptance that we had to sta

Wayne Dyer said, “What other people think of me is actually none of my business.” My mother would NEVER EVER have understood this statement. EVERY PERSON’S opinion about us mattered, and all opinions mattered more than our own. I grew up with, What did they say? What did they say about your new coat? What did they say about your project, hair, sweater, shoes, mom, dad and on and on until I wanted to fall to the floor and beg for mercy. At one point, when I was perhaps sixteen

With the shutdown of the country came the shutdown of my writing. I have published exactly two blog posts and one magazine article since THE PANDEMIC. That is not a great amount. Everything else I start to write seems so trivial or else so horrible that it would take pages to delve into even one particular subject out of so many. Today, I opened a new document to make yet another attempt at creativity and inspiration, with perhaps a dash of wit. This is me, trying to write. I

I want to write something amazing, healing and thoughtful. I want my words to make you feel better about everything. I want to use magical phrases that will make your mind rest, stop your thoughts from spinning and dispel your fear and anxious feelings of uncertainty. But I don’t know which words I could use to accomplish that. We are at an anxiety level that many of us have never felt before. Our brains are on high alert all of the time. What the hell do we do with all the f

There is nothing inside of you that can ensure your happiness.

Healthy, happy families, and they do exist, are not really worrying about the upcoming Holidays except to plan food, gifts and events. Although there may be some stress concerning budgeting, travel arrangements or amounts of this or that for meals, overall, they are anticipating the holidays with delight. They want to see relatives, and they look forward to catching up, laughing, visiting and exchanging ideas. Unhealthy families do not anticipate holidays with pleasure. Unhea

Imagine this: The danger is not to women. Rapes don’t happen in society, but surprisingly, dicks get cut off quite often. At an alarming rate. We call this Castration Culture. Men complain but there is nothing society does to stop it. The newspapers talk about it and describe what the man was wearing and doing at the time that may have influenced him getting his dick cut off. The reporters get complaints about titillation in their reporting. People make jokes about it. Men ar

Once upon a time, in a kingdom not far from here, there lived an amazing woman. She had a fulfilling career, a supportive partner, and a loving family. Her windows sparkled with cleanliness in the sunlight and her outfits were always impeccable. She was friendly with everyone she met and was always patient with her children. It was rumored throughout the kingdom that she exercised every single day, and…this always amazed the listeners….she only ate healthy foods! She had time

Stress. We feel it, we know what it is, but we often act like there “ain’t nothin’ we can do about it.” Years ago, I gave many talks and led retreats about how to reduce stress. I taught people how to breathe to become calm and present in the moment, and how to recognize what they could change and what they couldn’t change in their lives. I gave them action steps and coached the people who really wanted to make changes. I wrote books and articles. I still do. But some people

Sometimes life just ups and punches you right in the gut. And then as your body automatically jerks forward, with an oomph that lets much-needed air out of your lungs and you struggle to get a breath, life comes down hard on the back of your head and this time, you fall forward all the way to the ground. You take more than a few seconds to raise your shoulders, wincing as you push down on your scraped palms, and as you painfully raise your head, life slaps you across the face

Pick One Healthy Choice (There’s 99 More!) They each only take 15 minutes! 1. Read through the Fit and Healthy List 2. Slowly, carefully, stretch out every part of your body.  Breathe. 3. Water all plants in your house—good for everyone.                                4. Walk out your front door. Walk for 7 1⁄2 minutes. Turn around. Go back home. This could equal 1⁄2 mile to 1 mile. (Or get on that treadmill/elliptical for 15 minutes!) 5. Make a salad to have for a later lunc

It’s that time of year. Excitement! Parties Gifts! and oh yeah,….stress. Use these Seven Tips to help you not only survive the Holiday season, but have a good time! Get plenty of sleep so your body stays strong and ready for whatever gets thrown at it. (Germs, crabby people, over-excited children, and oh yes… those relatives!) This is a key component in stress reducing. Practice deep breathing. Slow, deep breathing revitalizes your brain, your cells–every part of your body. W

Sam: “Mr. Frodo, wake up... Don't leave me here alone. Don't go where I can't follow... “ Last night I saw this quote posted on my daughter’s wall, along with other favorite quotes of hers. But suddenly, this one, which I have seen many times before, hit me so hard, that I felt it squeeze my heart and not let go. This is what my Mom feels about losing my Dad. They were married 62 years, and though my Dad was lost to her for years before his death, they were only apart for the