One of the popular phrases of 2016 was “the struggle is real.” Usually, the phrase was presented in the context of something not so insufferable, what we often refer to as “first world problems.” For example, “The take-out guy messed up my order. The struggle is real.” Or, “I’m so tired, I can barely make it…

Do you believe in miracles? In my opinion, there are miracles all around us, happening on a daily basis… but, we don’t always allow ourselves to see them. Some miracles involve work; not just physical stamina and performance, but the establishment of a miracle mindset. Did author JJ Virgin expect to have to deal with…

As women age, we tend to have a much harder time losing and/or maintaining weight. What do we blame? HORMONES! We don’t have enough of the good ones and too many of the bad. But, what if you looked at your weight loss efforts from a purely scientific standpoint? That’s exactly what Dr. Natasha Turner…

There is a beauty in the physical world that cannot exist on its own. It requires collaboration. Community. Cohesion. And, most importantly, care. Care of others, care of ourselves. Sometimes all we have is our selves. There are no elves to do our work. No elf magic to match the tragic. It falls on us….

From the time I was five until just about a year ago, I did not have a loving relationship with my body. Five sounds young, but it was then that I realized that I looked “different.” I had a belly and other girls in my class didn’t. Fast forward 35 years later… I still struggle from…

“I’m not crazy, I’ve just been in a very bad mood 40 years!” I wanted to start this post on a bit of a light-hearted note with a quote from one of my favorite movies/plays, Steel Magnolias, because this can be a touchy topic. Where I grew up, therapists offices were rare. People really did think…

The hosts of one of the podcasts I listen to every day (it’s a comedy-based podcast) will often play little “games” where a scenario is presented and the pros and cons are weighed. A recent one asked, “If you were paid $1 million to go back and re-live middle school and high school, would you?”…

I often joke that it’s a good thing I have two grocery stores within a block of me, because I’m at one or the other every two days. That may not sound very efficient, but I’m a huge fan of fresh food (veggies, meat, dairy) and my frequent visits have allowed me to cut down…

I am not a good arguer. Mostly because I abhor confrontation and usually just shut down whenever I get into a dispute-type situation. Let’s just say I could never, ever be a lawyer. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been in some pretty heated arguments over the years (sisters don’t always get along). It’s kind of…

When people find out I work from home, the usual response is something like, “Wow, that really takes discipline… I’d be watching TV all day.” But, my biggest problem (and I think other telecommuters would agree) is the discipline to STOP working. I often find myself tap-tap-tapping away at my keyboard late into the night….

Sometimes I need a little extra inspiration to get started with these daily blogs, so for today, I Googled “movies with bullies.” The results brought me to an article that listed the “25 Greatest Bullies in Movie History” (not greatest in “grand,” but rather memorable). Can you guess who was #1 on the list? Biff…

As kids, the concept of an ideal relationship often comes in the form of romantic movies. But, the fairy tale outcome is usually not attainable, at least not without some blips and bumps along the way. Dr. Holly Parker, author of If We’re Together, Why Do I Feel So Alone?, recently joined Erica Spiegelman on…