Last week, I spoke to two people who felt overwhelmed—crushed—by circumstances outside of their control. The first was an old friend who moved to the US several years before we did. She was struggling with the weight of all-things-political. Events …
I am a slave to time. Many people have calendars and clocks in certain rooms of their house. But I have them everywhere. Yes, I have both a clock and a calendar (printed out and stuck inside the linen cupboard …
After Christmas this year, I handed my husband and both of my adult children a sheet of paper, an envelope, and a pen. I asked them to write down their thoughts about their pandemic lives during 2020. Now, my family …
A few weeks ago, I decorated our home for Christmas. When the children were younger, they would wake up on the day after Thanksgiving (always a Friday and a holiday) eager to start setting up the Christmas décor. I know …
As we draw near to Christmas and Hannukah, many of us look forward to enjoying lifelong traditions. For me, traditions aren’t so much a clearly delineated set of acts but rather a jumbled collection of activities gathered over continents. We …
Recently, while listening to a podcast, I heard one of the presenters, a sports coach, use an expression that was new to me. He said: “You can’t always win, but you can always have a winning experience.” He went on …
Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day in the US, and despite everything going on in the States—and the world—millions of people took a moment to be thankful. This wonderful holiday has a special place in my heart. Like most Americans, I love …
Over the last few months, who hasn’t dreamed of finding a magic switch that reboots their happiness quotient? Many of us are feeling ground down by the ongoing relentlessness of these pandemic days. Add to this the climate crises and …
The time has come to remind ourselves that civility matters. It is the grease that allows the squeaky wheel of humankind to move along smoothly. A giant dollop of civility will reduce the annoying screech of feuds, thereby enabling societies …
Most of us like to feel in control. We adopt routines and put systems and schedules in place so that we have a pretty good idea of what will happen when, where, and with whom. Surprises are fun, but being …
What to Do When Everything Feels Out of Control. Read more »