Caring For Yourself

Breathing

March 27th, 2013
Posted By:

“Breathing in,
I calm my body,
Breathing out,
I smile.
Dwelling in the
present moment
I know this is a
wonderful
moment.”
~Thich Nhat Hanh

6 American Optimists

March 26th, 2013
Posted By:

Readers: start your engines! If you are anything like me, you probably have days when it’s just plain hard to get into gear and get going. To help you move it along today,  here are six Americans (I am inspired by Gabby Giffords!) who told Reader’s Digest that life is better when you think positive and here’s what they have to say about looking on the bright side of life: Spirtual Adviser Billy Graham, 94, Christian minister, says, “If I didn’t have spiritual faith, I would be a pessimist.  But I’m an optimist.  I’ve read the last page in the… Read More

Diane Von Furstenberg

March 20th, 2013
Posted By:

You probably know of Diane Von Furstenberg from her infamous dress designs for women, especially her iconic wrap dress.  Her dresses have been worn by First Lady Michelle Obama, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow.  Today, Diane Von Furstenberg masterfully runs a global company, tastefully designing women’s fashions, along with fragrances, cosmetics and home collections. Diane Von Furstenberg But Diane Von Furstenberg is more than a fashionista. She is also a passionate and generous person who spends a lot of time mentoring women and distributing her grant and philanthropic money to community building, education and environmental causes, among… Read More

Wild By Cheryl Strayed

March 19th, 2013
Posted By:

Tell me, what is it you plan to do With your one wild and precious life?                      ~ Mary Oliver                      “The Summer Day” From the moment I started reading the first words of the amazing New York Times bestseller, Wild, by Cheryl Strayed, I couldn’t put it down. It has truly been a long time since I have read a book written in such a direct manner; a book so full of beautiful introspection and honesty and yet at the same time so poignant in its telling of Strayed’s compelling personal experience with grief following the tragic death of her mother… Read More

Making A New Bedroom

March 18th, 2013
Posted By:

On the weekends, I like to try and organize myself.Sometimes I succeed in my de-clutter efforts and sometimes I don’t.  During the work week, I have a very bad habit of throwing clothes and papers into piles.  By the time the weekend rolls around, I know I have to deal with the piles and hang stuff up and throw things away. This past weekend marked a milestone for me because I just had my bedroom painted and most of the stuff that was under my bed,  hanging on wall and door hooks and on top of my furniture was in… Read More

The Art of Resilience

March 15th, 2013
Posted By:

Being Proactive Can Strengthen Your Resilience The subject of resilience totally fascinates me. Resilience is being able to bounce back after being tossed around by life.  Trying to figure out why one person bounces back from a life trauma and another person breaks from the pain tells us something about the human condition don’t you think? It’s a roll of the dice. It’s the $64 million question. The ability to stay on track and keep your focus, the ability to develop an inner strength in the face of adversity is inspiring to me and in turn I draw strength from… Read More

Be Careful Out There

March 11th, 2013
Posted By:

On Saturday, I went to visit my parents who are in their eighties and my brother who has Down’s Syndrome. It was a beautiful day, full of sunshine and hints of the coming of Spring.  We had a delicious lunch at a local Irish pub and some good solid conversation and then it was time for me to “toddle on home,” as my great friend Ellen would say. I stopped at the gas station near my parent’s house because I like to take advantage of the cheaper gas prices in Rockville, Maryland.  There were no other cars in the gas… Read More

It’s All In Your Attitude

March 6th, 2013
Posted By:

Hi Dear Friends! Yesterday I went for my annual eye exam and of course the doctor dilated my eyes.  I now have to use eye drops three to four times a day.  One is a prescription drop and the other is an over-the-counter brand.  I am just getting used to this new routine and I am finding that it’s a lot of drops to have rolling down my face.  Better get some water-proof mascara right? Needless to say, computer time has been temporarily shortened but today I still wanted to post some thoughts about healing and managing life’s wacky stresses.… Read More

Lessons Learned

March 4th, 2013
Posted By:

I try to clear my brain on the weekends and taking long walks or short runs usually does it for me.  I like to make an effort to wipe my mental slate clean of whatever happened last week and get rid of it so I don’t carry it into the next week. However, this weekend I am fighting a cold and the weather in Washington, DC was just too cold and windy to allow me to get out in the elements. Instead, I exercised indoors on my stationary bicycle and the only way to break the monotony of  being in… Read More