What are you celebrating? Unable to gather in large groups, perhaps, like me, you’ve lost track of celebration. Yet even when we don’t feel like raising a glass there are multiple reasons to do so. Completing a work day, connecting with a friend on a phone call and sitting down to dinner represent good fortune worthy … Read more
Beneath a huge sky in the backseat of “Cream Puff”, our silver sedan, and sitting with no where to go, my body slowly began to relax. The only available movement was exercising my eyesight to look out the window. With each breath every muscle in my body seemed to slacken. My lungs repeatedly exhaled involuntarily, expunging stress from … Read more
How do you resolve the idea of little human contact when providing hospitality? Hotels, cruise lines and tour operators are searching for answers to this question. The question is analogous to the yearning of wanting to hug a friend but having to hold back…so NOT natural! To distance ourselves we’ve relied on technology. Just … Read more
Just recently multiple friends (re-)discovered their backyards. According to a July 14th Wall Street Journal article, forty-six percent of consumers “said they did a landscaping, gardening or outdoor-living update in the last three months.”* Yes, we can connect and feel enthusiastic Close To Home! We can cultivate trust with our neighbors! Who said we have … Read more
No hugging, cheek kissing or hand shaking allowed. Yes, our social skills are a little rusty. Yes, there’s an underlying feeling of uncertainty (less when people wear face masks). Yet even in a socially- distanced way, physically being in the same space with another offers relief. Nothing can replace physical presence. Now we … Read more
When purchasing our first house my mother-in-law advised prioritizing location over other considerations. Smart advice. Similarly, where we “land” emotionally is also about location. “Are we above or below the line?” asks Martin Seligman, author of Flourish (aka, father of Positivity). Understanding “mental location” translates to improved clarity for managing ourselves, especially in uncomfortable situations. … Read more
When looking at our backyard you see lots of small holes passionately dug by two bored dogs. These holes were not made by sweet rabbits. The silver Standard poodle, Toulousse, and the chubby black Labradoodle, Louis, enthusiastically thought, “There must be treasure underneath, worms, treats and even a buried steak.” Walking in the yard is … Read more
Let’s go back to our birth. After months inside, suddenly we become a Being on the outside. A “New Normal” dichotomy begins. We live constantly with “who we are” on the Inside and “how we show up” on the Outside. Wouldn’t it be nice if the Inner aligned with the Outer? Consider the joy … Read more
My mom is…let’s just say on the older side. She wouldn’t want me to share the number and she defies her age anyway. Nevertheless my siblings and I check in often these days via the telephone and FaceTime, setting up a regular schedule to alleviate alone time. Our conversations touch upon the coronavirus, family news and … Read more
“Recognize The Seeds We Sow” Now -(Fred Mandell, Becoming a Life Change Artist) Do you know the phrase, “We’re right where we’re suppose to be”? This truism is irritating especially as we’re confined to our homes. Home isn’t necessarily where we want to be! Yet, here we are, faced with showing up … Read more