If saying NO is so good for us, and creating healthy boundaries improves our quality of life, then why is it so darn difficult?

The answer is simple: we receive a payoff when we please others. 

We feel a sense of accomplishment, pride, and gratification when we help others.  It...

When you woke up today, what did you choose to focus on?

          Obstacles or Opportunities

          Problems or Solutions

          Lemons or Lemonade

          Have to or Get to

...

Last week I went to see a dermatologist.

I made the appointment nine months ago.  That’s the first appointment I could snag and luckily, I did not have an emergent need.

The purpose of this visit was to conduct an overall skin check and establish a relationship with this new...

The area where I live boasts some beautiful county parks. 

One of my favorite places to walk is Chestnut Ridge.  This park has rolling hills that get my heart rate up and wooded trails that calm my busy brain.

I usually walk the same three-mile loop however, last month I was forced to...

Last week I took a chance and shared how I was in a bit of a slump.

I knew I was in a safe place with this community.  Many of you reached out to make sure I was okay and shared how you were feeling.

A few readers wrote back and said, “It was just what I needed to hear today.”

It...

Lately it feels like I am moving one step forward and two steps back.

I debated writing this in my message this week because I feel it is my mission to be empowering and uplifting. 

But the more I thought about it, I came to realize that it is most important to be truthful and vulnerable.

We...

My husband, who has been working from home the past two years, has begun to go back into the office a couple days a week.

Two weeks ago, he came home giddy.  He was thrilled to talk to people face to face, have personal conversations, and absorb the energy of other humans conferencing...

This morning I was working out at my gym, where three of six televisions was set to a cable news channel.

I don’t normally watch the televisions at the gym, preferring to get in my own zone with my headphones tuned to Workout Hits Radio on Pandora.

Every once in a while, I look up to...

I’ve been binge watching old episodes of the reality television show, Top Chef.

If you’ve never watched, it’s your typical competition cooking show where amateur chefs compete for a cash prize and the title of Top Chef.

Most of the challenges are individual cooking challenges,...

My camper storage facility burned down last month, leaving nothing but ashes.

Shopping for a new camper was not on my to-do list this year.  However, if I want to enjoy the summer, I need to get a move on.

Sitting down with a salesperson, whether it’s a house, car, or camper can...

I have worn glasses since the third grade.  My glasses help me see the physical world.  Without them, I wouldn’t be able to function.   

But, there is another lens through which I see the world. 

This lens was forged by my unique demographics: woman, born in the...

For the first time in over two years, we were so excited to meet up with old friends.  As parents to four kids, it’s always a struggle to get adult time with this couple, but obviously it was impossible during the pandemic.

We had so much to catch up on that we lost track of...