This is the season of celebrations. Yet, for many of us, finding good cheer to celebrate is difficult. These days darkness is trying to sneak into our lives as both our daylight and our spirits grow shorter and darker. In my part of the world…

When I look at my dogs, I marvel at their astonishing, vibrant self-esteem. My two big puppies, four and eleven years old, respectively, never question their deservability. They assume, and rightly so, that they are fully worth being fed yummy meals…

Well, it’s here! That activity packed month of the year associated with the celebration of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and other occasions around the globe. In my homecourt, time is traditionally spent decorating, shopping for gifts, attending holiday…

We all know that challenges are a part of life. Yet we are never prepared for them when they appear at our door. “Why are you here, things are going well, leave me alone.” We all get those knocks – the knocks of life…

If this December you are feeling anything but merry and bright, it’s perfectly okay. There is no requirement to be “in the spirit,” or peaceful or joyful. And by all means, if you don’t feel like it, don’t deck the halls or hang the stockings with care…

Have you ever started the year with a sizable list of goals to complete by the next time the ball drops in Time Square? Goals are great. They are hard work and take repetition. If you don’t have a goal, you tend to live life haphazardly…

I began my downsizing journey many years ago. I found that it is more of an ongoing process than an event. Even though there were many events within the process, it was always focused around the removal of things. All of those cherished possessions…

You may think that most of your challenges are behind you, but the natural progression of life dictates that unexpected things will happen to you as you age. Few people are ready, as they reach 60, for the onslaught of physical and neurological…

It’s nearly December. Around this time of year, I start thinking about what planner, and therefore planning system, I’ll use in January in order to appear organized in the new year. But I hate planners. They’re too confining…

I’m intrigued by the mythical land of Shangri-la – that magical location that symbolizes perfection. James Hilton talked about it in his 1933 novel, Lost Horizon, and song lyrics have referenced that idyllic place where you experience a perpetual…