“Much of what we acquire in life isn’t worth dragging to the next leg of our journey,” writes Gina Greenlee in Postcards and Pearls: Life Lessons from Solo Moments on the Road. “Travel light,” she adds. “You will be better equipped to travel far…” 

As I gathered my briefcase, purse, and lunch from my car and headed up to my office this morning, I remembered I’d be welcoming a new co-worker today. She comes from another campus in our community college district, and I’m looking forward…

If you’re like me, the phrase “I’m sorry” makes regular appearances in your conversations. I say it when I’m late, when I feel embarrassed, when someone tells me they feel sad about something. I also say it when the person I’m addressing looks…

I’m the first of my close friends to retire – by a long shot. In fact, even among my work friends, most of them still have another five years to go. Then they can turn off the alarm clock and plan their days to their liking. If they’re like me though, they may be surprised…

I know this feeling of sameness so well. It starts with being grumpy for a few days or weeks – on edge, short-tempered. Then I’ll start sleeping poorly. I know that it’s taken a hold on me when I don’t want to get up in the morning…

No matter how much we take care of our responsibilities, nurture our relationships and work hard to develop a number of Plan Bs, we still occasionally find ourselves in the midst of a difficult time. Whatever the form of that struggle…

As summer turns to fall, many of us are reminded of our youth, when September meant going back to classes and setting goals for the new school year. Even though our classroom days are mostly in the past, developing new ambitions every few months is a great idea. Read More

As we age, it’s easy to sit back and leave it to others to make the world around us an interesting place to live. In reality, though, inspiring ourselves and creating our own stimulation can mean the difference between a humdrum existence and a lovely life. Read More

When you’re a year or two away from retirement, or from your kids graduating and moving on with their lives, you start fantasizing about how wonderful it’s going to be to have lots of free time to do whatever you want to do. Read More

I went on my first diet when I was 14. I had been a gymnast and a diver when I was younger, and as I slipped into the more sedentary life of a teenager – and my body entered puberty – I started worrying that I weighed too much. Read More