Have you watched the Great British Bake-Off on Netflix?  I am obsessed with this competition baking show. 

I just finished season two where we met Ruby, a nineteen-year-old college student and amateur baker. 

Ruby was a fascinating character because she was talented but had an...

I was picking up take-out last week, when I had an interesting encounter with a random stranger.

This woman, let’s call her Jane, was also picking up take-out.  The restaurant was a bit chaotic.  They were juggling a recent return to in-person dining and still managing a high...

It’s that time of year again. 

My local grocery chain is collecting donations for the local food bank.  This is wonderful.  It is a worthy cause and a great way for the store to give back to the community. 

My past self would donate – a lot.  Not because I am...

I have a friend who is good at heart.  He means well.  He is always ready to help.  He’s a hard worker.  He has one fatal flaw.  He is always buying cheap stuff – tools, equipment, vehicles, etc. 

It’s a common trap.  When we buy something...

Who could have imagined, almost one year ago, that we would still be quarantining, masking, and Zooming from home. 

Because it is winter, and because we are still uncomfortable going to a gym, my husband and I drove to the mall to walk and raise our heart rates a little.  Desperate...

How do manipulators, users and energy vampires get us to do things we don’t want to do?  How do they make us say YES to their request when we would rather be doing something different?

We lack clarity and conviction.  We are so eager to please that we put others’ priorities...

"You should meditate.  It is so good for you.  It will change your life," so they say.

As I get older, I am looking for ways to keep my body and my brain healthy.  I used to go to the gym, pre-covid.  What better activity to implement during quarantine than meditation?

Well, I...

“Will you help me?”

Those of us who are givers, over-achievers, and people-pleasers have a terrible time asking this question.

Why do we feel like we are showing weakness if we enlist help from others?

Perhaps it’s because we get personal value from our accomplishments.  It...

Why is self-mastery so fundamental to a successful life?

Because, as Voltaire wrote, “Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”

Self-mastery, the ability to control one’s own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, was absent last Wednesday,...

What is your theme for this year?

I stopped making New Year’s resolutions several years ago.  They always seemed superficial and stodgy.  While momentum was strong through January, my energy and enthusiasm always dwindled by February.

Now, I identify a theme for my year. ...

I was playing a game with my husband last night.  We love to play board games like Settlers of Catan and Ticket to Ride.  Our new game is called Pan Am, where the player is in control of a small start-up airline making travel routes around the world.

Every move I made my husband...