We all long for genuine connection with other human beings. Connecting with others not only makes life richer, it appears that we are actually wired to form relationships with others. In Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect, psychologist Matthew Lieberman explores groundbreaking research in social neuroscience, revealing that our need to connect with other people is even more fundamental than our need for food or shelter.Continue Reading

Are you your own worst critic? Do you feel like nothing you do could ever be good enough? We probably all do this at one time or another, but if you are constantly judging yourself for not being perfect, it may be time to take a good look at your internal self talk and make a different choice.Continue Reading

Happiness can only exist in acceptance. – George Orwell

Every single moment in life offers us a choice: we can either be in the moment and accept what is happening, or we can resist it. This is a lesson that life tends to present to us over and over. Whether it’s weather throwing a wrench into our plans, or a friend or co-worker not cooperating with our wishes, gracefully accepting what is can be challenging. Continue Reading

I recently came across an article on 12 Weekend Habits of Highly Successful People, and I found it fascinating that many were not what I expected after reading the headline. Yes, there was the predictable advice of “get up early,” “get ready for the rest of the week,” and “keep up the momentum,” but a surprising number advocated making time for meditation, unplugging, and making time for fun. But what struck me as most useful was Randi Zuckerberg’s advice. Randi is the founder and CEO of Zuckerberg Media (and, yes, she is the sister of Facebook’s creator), so her advice to “forget FOMO and embrace JOMO” was rather unexpected.Continue Reading

I love coffee and couldn’t imagine facing the day without that first cup. I also wouldn’t want to give up my daily afternoon latte, but with the exception of those two daily cups, I really am a tea drinker at heart. There’s just something soothing and therapeutic about a good cup of tea.Continue Reading

Cats are creatures of habit. This may be one of the thousands of reasons why I love these gorgeous creatures so much: I love my routines, and change doesn’t always come easily for me, despite the fact that most, if not all, change in my life has always been for the better. And there’s nothing wrong with positive routines. When the Dalai Lama was asked “if you only had one word to describe the secret of happiness, and of living a fulfilling and meaningful life, what would that word be,” he replied without hesitating: “routines.”

But there is a lot to be said for moving outside of your comfort zone.Continue Reading

The extremely cold and snowy weather in many parts of the United States has caused a lot of anxiety for many. Our friends to the north have been buried under up to 100 inches of snow in some places, and others have been experiencing temperatures as much as 40 degrees below normal values for this time of the year. Even Floridians have experienced record breaking low temperatures. As if all of this wasn’t enough, the media contributes to this anxiety with its warnings about dangerous cold, named winter storms, and all sorts of other weather hype.Continue Reading

I’ve been spending quite a bit of time lately thinking about how important it is to maintain a positive mindset – and how challenging it can be in a world that constantly bombards us with messages that are anything but positive.Continue Reading

One of the many things I admire about cats is their ability to focus. If you’ve ever watched a cat stalk her prey, you know that even though the cat is very much aware of what is going on around her, she will not break her concentration on waiting for just the right moment to pounce. What seems to be so easy for cats can be an overwhelming challenge for humans.Continue Reading