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  • Staying grounded with a personal mission statement

    As a devout introvert, overthinker, and goal setter, I am always looking for ways to live a purposeful, intentional life.  Several years ago, I created a personal mission statement as a way to hone in on my life philosophy and serve as an ethical and behavioral touchstone. My mission statement is simple and encompasses my…

  • As the sun sets

    You may  have noticed (or not) that I have been absent from the Blogosphere for the last couple of weeks. We have been in Mazatlan, Mexico, celebrating the life of a dear friend. Making new friends, and embracing old friends. Eating, drinking, and being merry. Taking long, contemplative walks on the beach. Digging up treasures…

  • My 2023 New Year’s Rejections

    The blogosphere is currently full of posts about New Year’s Resolutions and Words of the Year. I even contributed one. I remain unapologetic about that; however, my fellow blogger Ally Bean took a different approach that I find intriguing, New Year’s Rejections.  It occurs to me that these two approaches are not mutually exclusive. In…

  • Getting grounded in 2023

    Has the hustle of the holidays left you feeling ungrounded? Perhaps 2022 was overwhelming altogether. Or maybe, like me, you recently retired or went through some other major life transition. Whatever your reason, if you are feeling ungrounded, there is no better time than the beginning of a new year to re-ground yourself. That is…

  • Temporarily closed for reconstruction

    The end of the year is approaching. It’s a perfect time for taking stock and making changes. For me, this year, that means updating my blog. (I still have the same theme and photos that I used the day I started my blog in October 2014!) It’s time for a remodel. I will be taking…

  • The call of the trail

    Can something be both glorious and awful all at the same time? If you’re a runner, you know the answer to that question is a resounding yes! Before today, I hadn’t gone on a single run in more than a year, and I haven’t run regularly since pre-COVID. But for some reason the trail has…

  • Repeat after me: you are partly right

    When someone praises you, do you feel pleased or uncomfortable? When someone criticizes you, are you devastated or defensive? Perhaps a combination of the two? In her book, We Were Made for These Times, Kaira Jewel Lingo offers another more thoughtful response: you are partly right. This response acknowledges that neither praise nor blame is…

  • Not your usual gratitude list

    November is traditionally a month of gratitude in the United States, culminating in Thanksgiving Day. Many people take advantage of this time to share publicly the things for which they are grateful. I have historically done the same with my blog, and this year is no exception…but it will be a little different. Blessings in…

  • Risky business: is it worth it?

    Life is full of risks. Some people seek them out. Some people try to avoid them at all costs. But, like it or not, risk is an inherent part of life. I mean getting out of bed in the morning involves a certain amount of risk. Of course, staying in bed has risks of its…

  • What do you do when you can’t sleep?

    You’re lying in bed, the minutes ticking by, but sleep just won’t come. Unfortunately, this scenario becomes more frequent for many of us as we age. (I know, I know…we’re all sick of hearing “…at a certain age, you can expect…[insert something annoying].”) Experts say age-related sleep disruption is due primarily to changes in hormones…