“Write what you know.” That’s the advice everyone gives new authors when they’re struggling to figure out what to write. My mentors gave me that same guidance. “OK then,” I thought. “I’ll write about things that have happened to me.” But here’s the problem: my life is boring—with a big ol’ capital B.  I don’t […]

My husband and I are empty nesters, which means our pets have officially become our “kids.” One of those kids, our golden retriever ZZ, had his third birthday last week. Naturally, we couldn’t let the occasion pass without a proper celebration. I made goodie bags for his doggy friends at play care and baked cupcakes […]

Last week, I spent time in the Outer Banks for a little family reunion. It was lovely! There’s something about the ocean that makes seeing family feel even more special. But one of my favorite parts of the trip wasn’t a big gathering or a group activity. It was the quiet, early-morning walks on the […]

Like most people, I have a scale in my bathroom. And like most people, I’ve mastered the art of avoiding it. “I don’t have time,” I tell myself, or “The scale’s probably broken anyway.” Anything to delay that moment of truth. But recently, I had a legitimate excuse—the batteries in the scale were dead.  Hallelujah! […]

We’ve all heard that positive thinking can help us manage stress and cope better with life’s challenges. But how do you actually get into the habit of maintaining a positive outlook? For me, the answer was trying the “10 Good Things” method. Whenever negativity creeps in, I pause and make a mental list of ten […]

I am a creature of habit. I like following a straight, narrow path, knowing exactly what lies ahead. Take restaurants, for example. I always order the same meal: salad (no meat, no cheese, no croutons, oil and vinegar dressing) and the same drink—water and a glass of chardonnay. Every two weeks, I visit the same […]

I don’t know about you, but I’m my own worst enemy.Believing in myself, trusting my abilities, and convincing myself that “I can do it”—it’s always been a struggle for me. In every aspect of life. Until… I met my boxing coach. Lucky for me, he didn’t put up with my excuses. ME: That’s stressing me […]

Core strength. Without it, the body is weak. Strong core muscles make climbing mountains, running races, swimming laps—heck, even everyday tasks—so much easier. But this week, I realized there’s another type of core strength that’s just as important: emotional core strength. And wow, do I need to exercise that more. Here’s what happened. Life was […]