Health and wellness

Fruits, vegetables, juice, smoothie and dumbbell health diet fitness concept

I love all things health and wellness–and by wellness, I mean mind, body, and soul. I’m not an expert by any means, but I do have a lot of opinions–developed through study and personal experience. I share them here. I’d love to learn from your experience as well, so I encourage you to share anything and everything about health and wellness.

  • The painful beauty of impermanence

    This past Friday was Nirvana Day. No, not that Nirvana. This one. Nirvana Day is the day when Buddhists commemorate the death of the Buddha, the day when he reached final Nirvana. It is also an opportunity to honor our loved ones who have died and a chance to contemplate death and impermanence as the…

  • Thank you notes – February 2019

    It’s easy to get so caught up in the hustle of life that we forget to appreciate the small miracles that happen every day. I created the monthly Thank You Notes post to help me relive the happy moments, savor the gratitude, and share them with you. I hope they also inspire you to think about…

  • 7 ways to celebrate a heart-healthy Valentine’s Day

    When you hear Valentine’s Day, what comes to your mind? Is it chocolates, a romantic night out, or a party with sugar-fueled children bouncing off the walls? Does it include overindulging in rich food and drink? Considering Valentine’s Day is a holiday of the heart, and February is American Heart Month, why not celebrate in…

  • Changing course mid blog post

    One of the items on my Winter Bucket List is to start querying agents (again). You’d think since I have written a query letter and only need to tweak it and start researching agents, this would be an easy matter. But more than a month into winter I haven’t even begun. Part of it is…

  • Here we go again: Orangetheory Transformation Challenge 2019

    Last year, I participated in my first Orangtheory Transformation Challenge. From that experience, I learned that transformation doesn’t necessarily happen in eight weeks (unless you’re a butterfly), but that eight weeks is a solid start to forming healthy habits that aid in the ongoing process of transformation. If you’d like to see other lessons learned…

  • Winter bucket list update #1

    A month has gone by since I posted my Winter Bucket List, so I am pleased to present my first check-in. Health & fitness 1. Choose a race for 2019 and get registered. Mission accomplished! I registered for the Swiss Days 10k in Midway. I chose that one, because it takes place late in the…

  • Are vitamin supplements good for you?

    I just spent more than $30 on calcium and fish oil supplements. A nagging voice in the back of my head reminded me of a recent news story about the inefficacy of supplements. An opposing voice cautioned about the dangers of osteoporosis and heart disease, not to mention dry eyes. (I know, I should probably…

  • Forgiveness: starting 2019 with a clean slate

    January 1. There’s something magical about that date. Perhaps you hang a clean, blank calendar or crack open a brand new journal. Your options are wide open. Anything is possible. The beginning of a new year represents a chance at a fresh start. Why not take this opportunity to get rid of old hurts? Wipe…

  • Winter bucket list

    As I write this post, those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are approaching winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and the official beginning of winter. I am celebrating by posting my winter bucket list–those things I’d like to enjoy this season. I’ll be checking in on the 21st of each month to…

  • Meet yourself with kind curiosity

    Saturday morning I woke up feeling “blah.” I don’t know why. I mean it was a Saturday morning; the weekend stretched out before me. It’s the Christmas season—the most wonderful time of the year. So I pushed myself to cheer up. The self-talk went something like this. “What are you moping around about? You are…