Gratitude can strike at any time. Mostly they are the small moments and little things said that matter the most to me. Here is my list of moments when I feel grateful;

Cozy sweaters, wood burning fires, art projects, blankets, red wine, books, afternoon tea…

I’ve been thinking lately about how January gets a bad rep. When it comes to the twelve months of the year, this one tends to be the least favorite of all. The post-holiday season let-down. The failed resolutions. The introspection on our flaws and efforts to correct them…these are at the forefront.

We’re in full swing summer season now. Do you have a summer bucket list? What have you checked off?

I’m not one to make bucket lists. I keep my to do’s in a journal and in my brain. Every summer though, there are certain things I know I want to do. Like, take a dip in the ocean. Full-head-in-kind of dip. It’s colder than heck but it feels amazing. Picking the berries right off the bush, is also a must-do for me.

It’s easy to let summer’s fleeting season pass us by. It comes and goes so quickly but luckily I have a summer fun recipe you’ll love…guaranteed to make your summer joy happen. This post has been updated from the archives.

Are you like me and have a hard time asking for help? You don’t want to burden your friends so you tell them you’re okay when you’re actually falling down a hole so deep you fear bumping into Alice?

I can’t think of a more appropriate time than during separation and divorce that we require help from family and friends. All at once we’re single parenting, dealing with lawyers, moving, starting a new career or educational program. Yet we try to manage it alone. We think if we can’t manage it all alone, we must be weak. There must be something wrong with us if we need help.

“Are you lonesome tonight? Do you miss me tonight?”

The words to that old Elvis song always tug at my heartstrings. I picture my grandmother mending socks, humming along to this song playing on her kitchen radio. She became a widow quite young. She wasn’t even 60 yet. She lived alone until the day she died (excluding her final years in a care home).

One of the hardest adjustments during divorce, is finding yourself alone. Alone. Just that simple word conjures up all kinds of not so nice feelings. When you’re alone, is it because no one wants you?

I was inspired by Marc Chernoff’s recent post at Marc & Angel hack Life. Marc lists ten hard things you shouldn’t be afraid of doing for yourself. What I took away from this list is that fear of change is the underlying culprit of happiness or the cause of —death while living.

In his post, every single thing Marc listed resonated with me. Usually when I read a ten reasons or tips post, I can take away half of them and leave the rest. Not this time.

First, I want to wish a Happy New Year to my Escapees! I hope it isn’t too late for that sentiment. What does 2019 have in store for you? Are you being kind to yourself and treating yourself with compassion. Are you turning off your inner critic? I’ve been reading a lot of posts about that very thing lately. And I couldn’t agree more with the importance of being kind not only to others but self.

But that’s not what we’re delving into today. I tricked you there, 😛

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It’s no secret that going no-contact from the narcissist in your life is the ultimate solution to taking your life back. Taking back your power that has been stolen by a narcissist isn’t easy but it is necessary to allow yourself to get on with your life and begin healing. But not everyone is in a position to go no contact.

Incidentally, in case you’re wondering if the Six Degrees is a play on words, it is.  It’s based on the theory that we are all separated by only six people. So, by the time we get to a seventh (random) person, the chances are pretty good that we know someone in common. But I’ve digressed. Suffice to know that we can also choose to separate ourselves by degrees. Comes in handy when we have a narcissist in our life…

Feeling Overwhelmed? Self care is always in vogue but I can’t think of a more urgent time than now, to take care of our body and mind. Following the news, specifically in the U.S., can cause our heart rates to speed up, stress hormones to release and trigger all kinds of negative energy. Now, more than ever we really need to remember the importance of self care. I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know but consider this a strong reminder.

The darkness is falling simultaneously with more violence and political unrest. Although we cannot ignore it, too much focus on this causes sadness and energy depletion. So, today let’s look at how to take care of our own spirit to ensure we can continue taking care of the ones we love and get the most out of life.

I can’t believe we’re well into month five of 2018. Almost half way through another year…and I was thinking back to my promise to live ‘fearlessly authentic’ in 2018. It’s time for a quick check-in to see how I’m doing. You may recall this wonderful image that inspired my whole year;