Coping with the loss of a loved one is not easy. However, these experiences can act as valuable tools for wisdom and growth. A time to reconnect with family I don't usually travel for the holidays, but this Thanksgiving was an exception. My grandmother recently passed away. My parents wanted to pick a date for… Continue reading How to Cope with the Loss of a Loved One Lessons Learned and Healing Strategies
Do you feel like you've read every self-improvement book out there, applied all the tips, and still, nothing sticks? I've been there. Recently I heard an interview with Neale Donald Walsch, author of the Conversations with God series. He describes how a woman approached him with this very issue. As it turns out, the solution… Continue reading When Nothing is Working: How to Transform Your Perspective Simple Mindset Shifts and Actions You Can Take Today
Do you find yourself just trying to get through the day? As much as I talk about living in the present, I don't always practice what I preach. These last few weeks, I've been operating purely in reaction mode. My ever-growing list of obligations looms over me like a tidal wave, and I don't see… Continue reading Are You Settling for Second Best in the Game of Life? How to Get Back on Track
Ok, so that headline was a bit tongue-in-cheek. But honestly, it's been a tough week. I was thinking I'd take a break from posting. But today I heard a talk that was packed with so many great lessons, I had to write about it. Rabbi Paysach Krohn came to speak at the school where I… Continue reading Have You Lost Hope in Humanity (Especially Teenagers)? 3 Pointers for Renewing Your Faith
I'm lucky that, as an English teacher, I'm exposed to books that cover a full spectrum of genres, styles, and subject matter. In one class, we just finished Thornton Wilder's play Our Town. In another, we're reading the non-fiction Present Shock by Douglas Rushkoff. Each provides a very different answer to this question: what does… Continue reading What does it mean to “be present”? How this phrase has changed over time and what we can do about it
I usually listen to music in the background while I write, more for the emotion than the lyrics. But this song by Prince & the New Power Generation stopped me in my tracks. The song is "Money Don't Matter 2 Night." Like most great pop songs, it's more complex than it seems on the surface.… Continue reading Money Don’t Matter 2 Night: In Conversation With Prince Rethinking Our Relationship With Money
Lately my inbox has gotten so out of control (yes, I need to address that) that I rarely read emails except from work and family. I've gotten super fast at hitting the "delete" key. But one from Lindsay Maloney of Book Your Dream Clients got my attention. She invited readers to participate in a book… Continue reading Revive Your Soul With The 21-Day Consciousness Cleanse
While personal responsibility is key to success, a mentor can help us reach our destination much faster than we could on our own. According to John C. Crosby, "Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction." How do you find your mentor? For one, you must… Continue reading How to Find Your Mentor and Catapult to Success
I teach middle-school students in an after-school program, which itself can be challenging. But one particular kid really knows how to push my buttons, and he’s the ringleader when it comes to stirring up trouble. I do my best to stay calm, telling myself that their intention is to get me worked up and I… Continue reading How to Avoid a Meltdown At Work
The phrase "self-care" has become super trendy (at least in my Pinterest feed) and can be a bit annoying. But why is it so popular? I think it's because many of us have become so fixated on achievement that we put our wellbeing on the back-burner. Only when we experience the negative repercussions of the… Continue reading The Best Self Care Books to Nourish Your Mind, Body, and Soul
