Tuesday, December 28, 2021

Walk Past The Rabbit Hole Into A Stellar New Year!

 


To say it’s been a strange year is an understatement. Even stranger than last year, because most of us expected that 2021 would see an end to the global pandemic and political unrest. Not! So here we are, still in the worldwide chaos of COVID and politics, wondering what new disaster will befall us in 2022. Yikes!

But here’s the thing: what are we setting ourselves up for? If indeed, like attracts like, if what you think and feel brings more of the same to you, what are we setting ourselves up for? Peering out into 2022 and seeing only more to worry about narrows our focus. Our attention is caught in wretched “what if-s?” and sails right on by positive possibilities. Yet we don’t want to ignore reality and pretend all is well when it surely isn’t.

What to do?

Pay attention to what you are setting yourself up for. When you find yourself catastrophizing, barreling down the gloom-and-doom scenarios, stop. Yes. Just plain old – stop! Ask yourself, “Self, what else might happen here? What good thing just might happen along the way?” Because when you’re looking for it, you’ll always find something valuable, something to be grateful for, happening, in your – our – world.

A couple of months ago, I fell badly during a ballroom dance competition. I couldn’t get up off the dance floor. Literally. I was terrified. What if I’d injured myself so badly I’d never dance again? Walk properly again? How would I take care of my big dogs? And down the rabbit-hole of catastrophizing I went, imagining every dire consequence of this fall. Yet people around me were taking care of me in a myriad of ways, from getting me to the ER, to getting me home safely, to referring me to a great PT, to caring for my dogs, and so much more. Which finally yanked me out of my catastrophizing into “Wait a minute. I’m being helped here. There’s hope. I’m gonna be OK.” Which I was, eventually. I had worried myself needlessly for days. And knowing what I know about how negative thoughts and feelings depress our immune system and ability to heal, you’d think I’d have remembered that and avoided catastrophizing entirely. Sigh . . .

So no, you don’t want to deny the reality of this past year. But there’s no need to dwell on its awfulness either. Instead, set yourself up for a great 2022 by looking to what is going right in your life. To what opportunities for growth, adventure, fun, love and laughter exist, even if only as mere glimmerings, in your life.

2022 will be, to a large extent, what you make of it. So walk right past that rabbit hole and into the very best 2022 you can imagine. Happy New Year! 

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Take the Martyr Out of Patience, Episode 32

To you, it seems like “be patient” is just another way of people saying “tolerate the stuff you don’t like.” Aargh! Who needs that? But patience is actually the key to a wonderful future. Not a future of putting-up-with, but a future designed by your choice. Yes! It’s possible, it’s doable. In this podcast, you’ll learn the true value of patience, and how you can use it to create a better, more fulfilling life for yourself.


Check out this latest episode!

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Talk Less, Listen More, Episode 31

What is it with people who won’t do what they’re supposed to do! Partners, children, co-workers, what is it, a conspiracy to get you to do everything yourself? No. Although it certainly can feel like it. In this podcast, discover two easy yet powerful steps to getting more of what you need other people to handle, actually handled! Without wearing yourself out screaming or nagging. Sweet!


Check out this latest episode!

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Reframe Problems as Projects: Brilliant!

 


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 was, on the ballroom dance competition floor, in full “Country two-step” mode (yes, Country is part of ballroom dancing!), when my right foot slipped on the very slick floor, my right leg shot out from under me and down I went. The paramedics, ER and various X-rays, CT scans, etc., revealed no broken bones, no stress fractures, just a nasty strain. Which means six weeks of recovery. And that’s with PT.

The “problem” in that is “no dancing.” Yikes! Dancing is what thrills my soul, keeps me sane, and works my body big-time. Saying that “bothered” me is so far away from my truth it’s almost indescribable. Terrified and depressed would be closer to how I felt. But when I read Alan Cohen’s quote, I realized that I could take my required break from active dancing as a project, not a problem, and with that, I began to feel a lot better.

I decided to use the time to think through my dance technique and patterns, to watch YouTube videos of professional dancers for how I could improve my dancing, to confer with my instructor on what new skills we could implement once back on my feet. All in the service of using this downtime to my advantage, as opposed to moping on the couch feeling sorry for myself.

Project instead of problem. Problem, you see, implies a “stuckness,” something that impedes progress, whereas “project” implies forward motion. Solution. Movement towards a goal. Suddenly the whole of you is galvanized. You have a positive intention to orient yourself, around which you can gather your energy to best effect. Brilliant!

Ask yourself: where in your life is there a problem, that redefined as a project, might actually advance your happiness and success? Now that’s something worth thinking about. It certainly got me off the couch, still hobbling perhaps, but a whole lot happier and positively inspired!

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

The Blame Game, Episode 30

Why is it you can’t seem to get off the blame game? Whether it’s blaming other people for whatever’s going wonky in your life, or blaming yourself over and over again, it seems blame is your go-to for, well, everything! But it doesn’t feel good in the long run, and it never solves anything, so what are you to do? In this podcast, you will discover the two secrets that can allow you to let go of the blame game forever. And lead a much happier life because of it.


Check out this latest episode!

Tuesday, November 2, 2021

The Curse of Runaway Emotions, Episode 29

Does it ever feel like your emotions are running the show? Like your anger, anxiety, depression have just taken over your whole being? How are you to get on with what needs to be done when you feel such overwhelming emotions? In this podcast, discover how you can deal with your emotions so they don’t take you hostage, so you can get on with your life the way you want to.


Check out this latest episode!

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Overcoming Adversity Radio Interview


I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Kim Pagano on her radio program. We talked about overcoming adversity and finding strength in friends, family and sometimes perfect strangers. Here's a link to the show:

Read to Combat Stress

 


Reading. Something we do every day, in many ways. We read street signs, we read directions, we read texts and emails, we read instructions on everything from setting up a baby crib to how your manager wants you to approach a new project.

As an author, I read all the time. My own work (“that was awful” – delete!), other people’s work (endlessly), even my wine bottle. Ah yes, my new fav is a wine labeled “Well-Read”! I kid you not, the label is a painting of a cozy nook with shelves of books – how could I resist?!

That being said, the thing about reading is that we mostly take it for granted. We acknowledge the usefulness of reading, but that’s about it. And yet, there’s so much more to reading. No, not just in terms of entertainment or newly acquired knowledge, but in terms of your health.

Indeed! Did you know that according to research conducted at the University of Sussex, reading can reduce your stress level by up to 68%? That’s enormous! Not only that, but reading can lower your heart rate and ease muscular tension, which in turn facilitates relaxation. It doesn’t take much. Reading for as little as six minutes will relieve stress. Without any of those pesky side effects various substances/meds come with. You can even read for free! How’s that for a bonus. Public libraries still exist, and remain well-stocked with every kind of literary work.

The question is, what to read to achieve stress relief? Reading the news (online or off) often increases stress, so that’s not a good go-to. Reading what you’re required to study for work/continuing education is rarely pleasurable. No, the kind of reading that reduces stress is more of the fiction variety. A novel that takes you out of your ordinary existence and transports you to another time, another place, another planet, is ideal. A book that doesn’t require too much active thinking on your part, where you can mentally sit back and simply enjoy the characters and their story. Because it is the distraction from our daily cares and woes that provides the stress-relief so beneficial to our overall health and well-being.

Yes, you can certainly benefit from an audiobook, although generally speaking, the written word, whether read on your computer, iPad, e-book reader, or in paperback form, tends to engage more of our senses more completely. Thus a more complete distraction from the everyday.

My personal stress-relief reading is historical fiction. I love being transported to ancient Egypt, Tudor England, or the Italian Renaissance. I enjoy gleaning a bit of historical fact along with the invented characters and situations. Your joy may come from stories of alien empires, fantasy fiction, masterful detective work, it matters not. What matters is that whatever book you pick up/stream, you can slip into that world in your imagination easily and comfortably. And leave that world satisfied once you close the book for now.

-----------

Reference:

Lewis, D. (2009) Galaxy Stress Research. Mindlab International, Sussex University, UK


Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Stuff Happens - Episode 28

It seems like life keeps punching you in the gut, whether it’s with annoying stuff like your car getting keyed, or serious stuff, like dealing with a partner’s terminal illness, and you’re getting increasingly bitter and cynical with every passing day. Which does no good to you whatsoever. In this podcast, you’ll learn more productive, helpful ways to deal with whatever “stuff” – minor or serious – life throws at you.


Check out this latest episode!

Tuesday, October 5, 2021

Stop, Look and Listen - Episode 27

You’ve totally had it with people who won’t do what they’re supposed to do! You don’t like snapping at people or yelling at them, but what else can you do? You’ve run out of patience and things have got to get handled! In this podcast, discover three easy yet powerful steps to getting more of what you need done by others, done!


Check out this latest episode!

Friday, October 1, 2021

Waste Not, Want Not!

 

We may not be out of the pandemic quite yet, but many of us are carving out a “new normal” for ourselves. Because let’s face it, life is not going back to what it was a mere two years ago. This actually is a good thing, because we have the opportunity to make new decisions, new choices for how we want to live going forward.

There was an adage my mother repeated endlessly: “Waste not, want not.” Her objective was to get her children to eat everything on their plate, including the brussel sprouts. Yuck. At the time, I thought, well the dog will always eat the brussel sprouts slipped under the table so nothing wasted. Nah!

That being said, Mom had a point. Not about the brussel sprouts so much, but about life. During our necessary stay-at-home time, we spent increasing amounts of time on Netflix, Hulu, TV, and Facebook. To a certain degree, many of us got addicted to various shows and sites, which is fine, if that was indeed a considered choice. Mostly it wasn’t. We were bored, there was little we could do for entertainment, so voila. More screen time. Much of it mindless . . .

We have the opportunity now to choose differently. Actually, for many of us, to just plain choose. Is our screen time robbing us of time better spent elsewhere? With friends? Family? Learning something? Engaging in a new hobby/avocation? Improving our job situations/careers? Our finances? Our relationships?

How about robbing us of the energy we could put to more fulfilling use somewhere else? Same list: friends, family, learning, hobby/avocation, improving job/career/finances/relationships.

And how about the love, the passion, the caring we could invest in our lives, our daily do, new adventures, our nears and dears?

Now is a wonderful opportunity to choose differently, and to prioritize those choices. Not to eliminate our entertainment screen time, but to choose deliberately how much time, energy and passion we commit to it. To choose deliberately how much time, energy and passion we commit to other aspects of our lives.

“Waste not, want not” isn’t just for brussel sprouts. “Waste not, want not” is a profound statement about the human limitations of the time, energy and passion that are ours to live. Choose wisely where you spend them, so there is no waste, so that you can enjoy fully the astonishing, amazing journey that is your life.


Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Say “No” to Verbal Abuse - Episode 26

What is it with some people that they refuse to respect who you are? Dissing pretty much everything from your emotions and your dress style to what you do for work? Why does it feel so bad? It’s verbal abuse, that’s why! In this podcast, you’ll learn the three basic forms of verbal abuse and how to handle them in the moment, so you never have to feel “bad” or “wrong” again!

(A note of caution: if you fear that someone might get more abusive with you – verbally or physically - if you stand up for yourself, do NOT use the techniques in this podcast. Get professional help ASAP.)


Check out this latest episode!

Friday, September 24, 2021

Surviving Stress - Episode 25

Does it feel like the stress in your life has increased exponentially since COVID? Are you all too often jumpy, anxious, upset, or just plain mad? How are you to survive all this, much less thrive?! In this podcast, discover a few simple techniques to help you deal with some of that stress, and feel an “Ah” of relief so you can get on with your life.


Check out this latest episode!

Monday, August 30, 2021

Pull Out Your Superpower

 


As we struggle to emerge from these long months of pandemic, it can be challenging to find the strength to keep going. It’s not just the constantly shifting COVID protocols, there’s our work situations, our finances, our living conditions, which for many of us keep changing and morphing. Sometimes into non-existence. And there are the continual stresses of our family life, as kids do (or don’t) make it to school, whether online or in person, and it’s hard to have any kind of stable routine, whether you have 5 children, none, or are single.

Factor in the climate crises – hot/cold/fires/hurricanes/floods – and the political/social chaos pretty much everywhere in the world, and it’s enough to make even the strongest among us want to crawl down to the bottom of the bed under the covers and stay there until it’s all over. Which is, at this rate, highly unlikely . . .

So pull out your Superpower. Yeah, right, uh-huh. As if leaping tall buildings in a single bound or throwing a punch of white light could do anything for you. Ah, but that’s not what a Superpower is necessarily. A Superpower can be – well, let me give you an example by way of explanation.

Sebbie Hall, 17, has a rare chromosome anomaly, which at one time looked like it would make it impossible for him to ever walk or talk. Despite Sebbie’s learning difficulties, among which is a difficulty in finding words, he’s a normal English teen in many ways. Disappointed that his good friend couldn’t communicate with him as the pandemic started, Sebbie wanted to give his friend his own iPad. Sebbie’s Mom had a better idea: why not raise money so his friend, and others like him, could get what they needed during these rough times.

But how? Sebbie’s not a celebrity, doesn’t have a unique musical or another such talent, and is differently-abled - which often makes approaching others dicey. But then Sebbie thought “I can be kind,” and to date, has performed over 1,600 acts of kindness, from walking neighbors’ pets to washing cars, handing out PPE, giving coats to the homeless, and even collecting unwanted Halloween pumpkins so they could be turned into soup and pies for the needy. This, Sebbie declared, was his Superpower: kindness. With it, Sebbie has raised via Crowdfunding approximately $39,000 with which to help others in need.

What’s your Superpower? I know what mine is: appreciation. Once I stumbled into the enormous power of appreciation and realized I could appreciate something, somewhere, at any time and any place, regardless of what was going on in my life, I had it. Appreciation is most definitely my Superpower. Nope, I can’t leap over tall buildings with it, but I can appreciate tall buildings and those who do leap. Turning to appreciation no matter what has been my saving grace, and appreciating others purposefully has brought many a smile to many a face.

How about you? What Superpower might you claim as your own? You may surprise yourself with what comes up for you, and then with just how wonderful claiming -  and using - your Superpower can be.

Tuesday, August 17, 2021

How to Rock the Boat – Safely – Episode 24

Have you ever been scared to death of making a change, no matter how much you wanted it, because – heck – what if it didn’t work out? What if it made things worse? Yikes! A valid fear, for sure, but one that you don’t need to carry around with you. In this podcast, you’ll discover a powerful yet easy way to make those changes you want without endangering all that you care about.


Check out this latest episode!

Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Quit Rescuing, Start Empowering! – Episode 23

You are so over being the go-to person for everyone in your life: at work, at home, wherever. How can you free yourself of their demands without being a jerk? Great question! In this podcast, you’ll explore how to do just that in three easy steps that allow you to genuinely support your peeps without doing it all for them.

 


Check out this latest episode!

Monday, August 2, 2021

The Problem Isn’t The Problem

 

The problem isn’t the problem. You read that correctly. Really. The problem isn’t the problem: the problem is when we forget to focus on the solution.

 

Take Ben Lovell, for example, a 42-year-old Englishman whose right leg was amputated due to a life-threatening blood clot in 2017. He went through it all: suicidal thoughts, depression, PTSD, the works. And then Ben figured out it wasn’t serving him to focus on the problem, namely lack of leg and his inability to walk for more than 20 minutes at a time.

 

So Ben started working on the solution. For him, it was two-fold. First, Ben created AmpCamp, a fitness boot camp for fellow amputees, which given that prior to his amputation, Ben’s fitness consisted mainly of getting off the couch to stroll down to his local pub, was already a feat. Secondly, Ben decided to climb England’s three highest peaks – he who had never climbed a mountain in his life – and did so this year in 27 hours. Again, despite the inability to walk more than 20 minutes at a go.

 

In other words, Ben stopped obsessing on the problem, lack of leg and all it entailed, and turned his mind, heart and body 180 degrees in the opposite direction. Which brought him success, purpose, and fulfillment. Not bad!

 

Now you don’t need to lose a limb or have anything else as drastic to occur in your life to re-focus from whatever your problem is to tracking down a solution. It doesn’t matter whether the problem is as minor as traffic or a bad hair day, or as major as an ailing child or loss of a job. Whatever the problem is, it won’t disappear or be resolved by staring at it.

 

Your best bet, in all situations, is to follow Ben’s most excellent example. Resolutely turn yourself from groaning about the problem to figuring out a solution. Or several.

 

You can do this. Yes, you can.

 


Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Put the Fun Back Into Your Life – Episode 22

When did the idea of fun vanish from your life? What happened that turned you into this serious, perpetually worried, anxious person? Wouldn’t it be nice to have that feeling of “fun” once again? Well, in this podcast, you’ll find out just how to re-discover “fun” no matter what you’re doing, and in the process enjoy your life so much more.


Check out this latest episode!

Thursday, July 8, 2021

Meet An “Amazing” Whose Talents Spans Decades

 


Marilyn McCoo, at 77, returned to the soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” along with her husband, Billy Davis, Jr., to reprise roles originally featured in 1986 and 1987. How nice that wonderful characters are never forgotten in the long life of a soap opera. 

Marilyn, however, is probably best known for her hosting appearances on the 1980s music countdown series “Solid Gold.” Or, if you’re a music aficionado as I am, for her astonishing 4 octave range in such 1960s and 1970s hits by the group “Fifth Dimension” as “Up, Up, and Away,” and “One Less Bell to Answer.” True talent is a gift that just keeps giving-- ageless, timeless.

For more Amazings, go to https://www.Facebook.com/MeetTheAmazings.


Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Mining For Gold – Episode 21

Does the uncertainty of post-pandemic life have you chewing your nails to the quick and spending your nights tossing and turning? How can you survive in the midst of so much economic and social chaos? In this podcast, discover the “gold” that is truly yours, and that can not only sustain you, but help you thrive, even in the face of so much change.


Check out this latest episode!

Monday, July 5, 2021

Meet An “Amazing” Who Is Finally Receiving The Recognition He Truly Deserves

 

Captain Paris Davis, at 81, is in line to finally receive the Medal of Honor this Vietnam Vet so rightly deserves. Captain Davis found himself the last American standing among a company of South Vietnamese volunteers trapped by enemy forces. 

One of the first Black officers in the Special Forces, Captain Davis, then 26, defied all odds by continuing to fight despite being shot repeatedly (5 times) as he dragged three of his wounded comrades to safety. His nomination for the Medal of Honor was mysteriously lost – twice – but due to the continued efforts of his determined fellow-soldiers, it has once again seen the light of day, and this time, it is not only not lost, but looks well on its way to being awarded to the courageous Vet. Congratulations and thank you for your service, Captain Davis.

For more Amazings, go to https://www.Facebook.com/MeetTheAmazings.

 

 


Thursday, July 1, 2021

What’s Right With This Picture?

 

Lunch at a restaurant! With a friend, live and in person! A restaurant with indoor seating, no masks required for the vaccinated. OMG, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. After the long year of home-cooking (not much variety there), take-out (fun from time to time, not all the time), and lusting in front of Food Network re-runs, the trip to the restaurant was more than a welcome event. It was Nirvana.

As my friend and I lovingly perused the menu, comparison-shopping the promised taste treats, I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation of the couple behind us. “They don’t have anything I want,” the woman moaned. “I thought you liked salmon,” her friend replied. “Not grilled like that, it’ll be all dry,” the woman said. “Maybe you can ask them to poach it,” her friend suggested. “Fat chance,” the woman said. “And what’s with the waiter?” she continued, “we’ve been here at least 15 minutes, and haven’t seen hide nor hair of him since he plunked the water down. Which he spilled on the table, by the way – look at that!”

No doubt the woman was correct, mostly anyway. But what a way to nuke an otherwise perfectly good experience! Instead of which, she could have simply focused on “What’s right with this picture?” It may not have changed the facts: perhaps the restaurant wouldn’t have prepared her salmon differently, and the waiter hadn’t been to their table in 15 minutes, but it certainly would have changed the woman’s experience of the facts.

Let’s see. It was a restaurant, so no food-prep to do or dishes to wash. There was an extensive menu, so lots of choices beyond the salmon. There was a person willing to wait on them. The couple was seated, together, indoors, without masks, which means . . . they could have enjoyed conversing with each other. They could have appreciated the simple fact of getting to be out in the world again, considering our past pandemic year. So much was “right” with their picture!

No matter where you’re at, no matter how you are coming out of your COVID-restricted shell, do your darndest to see “What’s right with this picture.” Your job may have suffered, you may have to adapt to new work circumstances. Your kids may be driving you bonkers with their bickering over changed school arrangements. You may be worried about what your friends will think of all this pandemic-induced weight you’ve gained or lost. You may be confused about how to resume normal family or couple or dating life, and what’s normal now anyway?

We are all in this together, more than ever. One thing I know for sure, we can all benefit from a healthy dose of “What’s right with this picture” when we look out at our changed world, our friends and co-workers, and yes, especially and even—ourselves.

 


Meet An “Amazing” Who Runs With Joy And Exuberance

 

Ginette Bedard, at 87, has run in over 350 races, including 44 half-marathons and 20 marathons. Her first was the New York City Marathon in 2002. Given that Ginette only started running at 69, this is truly a phenomenal feat.

She has several record-breaking times to her name and has no plans to stop running. This isn’t surprising given that Ginette runs three hours a day every single day of the year regardless of the weather. One year, her husband (who has since passed), her primary supporter and cheerleader, actually went out and shoveled a path through the snow in the park she likes to run in so Ginette could enjoy her run. Now that’s devotion--both of her spouse--and of Ginette’s dedication to the sport.

For more Amazings, go to https://www.Facebook.com/MeetTheAmazings.

 

 


Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Handling Fear - Episode 20

Does fear ever hold you back from asking for that promotion, or exploring that new hobby, or going for a better relationship? Is there a better answer than “Oh, well,” and making do with your current situation? Yes! Find out, in this podcast, how to weed out absurd fears from real ones, and how to respond to real fears so that they no longer stand in the way of your heartfelt desires.


Check out this latest episode!

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Practice Makes Permanent

 

Remember that motto our elementary school teachers used to say, to hopefully prompt us into better penmanship or math or whatever we weren’t exactly excelling at? “Practice makes perfect!” Yeah, right, like I’d ever master cursive the way my teacher wanted, or math, or science (forget chemistry). Practice made a little dent in things, but “perfect”? Puh-leeze. If anything, it seemed the more I practiced something, the better I got at doing it the way I always did it.

Which is a truth my ballroom dancing instructor brought home to me, quite forcefully, one day. “Practice,” he said, “makes permanent.” Oh, my, now there was a new take on things! Which is why, rather than have me practice endlessly the same thing the same way, he always carefully reviews whatever it is I am learning, so that he can help me make the tweaks and adjustments that will result in the “permanence” desired.

Think about that for a moment. What are you practicing, day in day out? As in doing the same thing the same way all the time. Are you practicing complaining, for example? Or practicing happiness? Are you practicing looking at your kids, your spouse, your boss, your co-workers, your friends, with an appreciative eye? Or with a critical eye? Because whichever you choose, that approach will become permanent, with consequences – intended or not, on your relationships.

My mother, may she rest in peace, used to greet me at the door to her home with comments like “What’s wrong with your hair?” as opposed to “Hi, good to see you.” This, after I was a grown woman, by the way, not a child. I finally came to understand (after many years of therapy and meditation) that my mother’s unyielding and constant criticism was her way of loving me. She wanted me the best for me, and to her, criticizing everything she didn’t think was best for me was how she could accomplish it. Which led to far less interaction with me, and far less intimacy than she would have wished.

But here’s the thing: that’s really the long way round! Since indeed, whatever you practice on a daily basis will shape your reality, including your relationships with others, what would you rather practice? Much as I loved my mother, our relationship would have been far more harmonious and close, if she’d chosen to practice appreciation over criticism.

Pay attention to what you practice. What is your habitual approach to people and situations? If you like your approach, if it brings you joy and satisfaction, great! Your practicing is leading to wonderful “permanence.” But if whatever you practice brings you anything less, then consider practicing something different. Because “practice makes permanent” isn’t just a cute aphorism. It’s a deep and abiding psychological truth.

Indeed!

 

Make Worry Your Friend (!)

Really? How can worry possibly be a friend, given the rampant anxiety it plunges you into. But yes, used properly, worry is indeed a very valuable friend, which is what you will explore in this podcast: the hows, wheres and whys of your new and powerful friend – worry!


Check out this latest episode!

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Listen With Your Heart - Episode 18

Why is it that people don’t understand you’re busy! But when you offer a quick apology for whatever it is they think you did wrong and zip off, they’re miffed. What’s up with that?! Isn’t an apology sufficient? Nope. Not unless you’ve been listening with your heart. Discover in this podcast what makes for a genuinely satisfying apology, without taking oodles of time out of your already harried life.


Check out this latest episode!

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

How To Find Happiness & Success In A Post-COVID World –- Audio Book Tells How

 

As we slowly enter a post-COVID world, we can't help but realize that everything is different now—how we live and love and just plain survive is in question. My book, "I Survived COVID-19, What Now?! Finding Happiness and Success in a Post COVID World" is now available in audio. It shows us how we can transform the uncertainty and anxiety of the future into a positive way forward.
 
The audio book is available on Amazon. Click below for more information and to hear an audio sample.
 
 
For an intro about the book, go to  https://bit.ly/SuccessPostCOVIDWorld.
 

Friday, May 7, 2021

How a Shift in Perspective Can Improve Your Health and Longevity

 


The day I had to take the car keys away from my mother was traumatic. For both of us. Coming home from doing errands, my mom missed the driveway entirely and drove right up onto the front lawn. Mortified, she announced to me, “Your father’s going to kill me.” I groaned inwardly. Dad had been dead for almost a year.

  https://sixtyandme.com/shift-in-perspective/

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

How To Change – For Real! - Episode 17

Are you ever frustrated over how hard it is to change sometimes? Like sticking with a new diet or exercise plan, or de-cluttering your home, or being nicer to your kids or co-workers? In this podcast, find out what’s truly in the way of that change you long for, and the steps to making change really stick!


Check out this latest episode!

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

The Hope Of The World

 


It’s easy to wonder about the future of our nation, or even the world, when we observe younger people engaged with their devices 24/7, seemingly uninterested in anything but the latest “trending” or selfie. How will future generations thrive given what seems to many as their selfish attitude of entitlement, wanting all the perks and rewards without having to exert any particular effort, much less actual work?

And yet . . .just this year, in the midst of the pandemic, a 26 year old, Jacob Azevedo, was so disturbed by the violence done to Asian-Americans in his Oakland community, that he turned to those very “devices,” to help. Via social media, he offered his willingness to walk with anyone in Oakland's Chinatown neighborhood so that they would feel safe. In a matter of days, an astonishing 300 volunteers signed up to offer their services as well, and so it was that “Compassion in Oakland” was born. A community healing itself, an endeavor created by an individual who used the technology, the communication apparatus of his time. 

If you look at the pictures of the volunteers on the Compassion in Oakland website, you can’t help but notice how most of them are young. Apparently not as entitled or selfish as some of us have thought, but using their devices as intended: to connect, not exclude.

Is this to say that all younger people are so community minded, so giving of self? No. But that’s not the point. All it takes is a few dedicated, committed, open-minded individuals with courage and conviction to pave the way for many others. Their approach, their way of doing so may be very different from that of previous generations, but then, isn’t that what youth is all about? To bravely go where none have gone before? 

Right on!