Stop kissing toads
We all know fairytales aren’t real. Or do we? Some of us still seem to confuse a toad with a prince (or princess.) We seem to believe that with enough love (and second chances), our bumpy relationship will magically transform…
Flip the script on failure February
Year after year, the most popular New Year’s resolutions in the U.S. include exercise more, eat healthier, lose weight, and save more money. But for all the focus on resolutions, fewer than half of us bother to make a list—and…
Let it begin with me
We’ve all heard the song, let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Written as a hymn in 1957, it’s been sung by everyone from school children to Mahalia Jackson and Vince Gill. We all desire…
The upside of quiet quitting
From TikTok to TV news, there’s a lot of buzz about quiet quitting—and a lot of ideas about what this trendy term means. Some may see it as a passive aggressive way of ‘giving the finger’ to a workplace situation…
The other four-letter word
We usually think of four-letter words as the ones bleeped on network TV. This other four-letter word is not one of those. It's fawn -- which probably brings to mind a baby deer or the action of flattering or fawning…
Are you a lifelong Worry Wart?
Lately I’ve been feeling a bit untethered -- like Major Tom, the astronaut from David Bowie’s song, Space Oddity, who loses touch with Ground Control and floats off into an endless black void. I loved that song as a kid,…
STOP in the name of love
Pretty much every one of us remembers an experience of being shamed. And we’ll do anything to avoid being engulfed in those burning flames of humiliation ever again. Unfortunately, people from so-called leaders to so-called lovers use shame as a…
Break free of third eye blind
Facial fillers are synthetic injections intended to soften the rough edges of aging. But the side effects aren't always so pleasing -- as Courtney Cox discovered when she shared how layers of fillers made her ‘look strange’ and ‘not like…
Your brain on hugs
In the movie Groundhog Day, Bill Murray’s character experiences the same day over and over again. Sometimes we feel this way, too. Despite changing jobs or partners or even our appearance, we keep reliving the same old stories. Psychologists call…
A wish for C.O.A.L. in your stocking
When I was a kid, my dad would tease us about getting coal in our stockings if we didn't behave. I didn't quite understand what coal was, but it didn’t sound good, so I tried to behave. Of course, now…