Being Grateful

We’ve all heard it many times and many different ways during our lives. Count your blessings, give thanks, feel lucky for what you have, think of people who don’t have as much. We understand the words, but seldom do we stop to think…

I can’t remember who said that “aging is not for the weak.” And if you think about it, that’s very true. In working with hundreds of women over the age of 40, I have learned that the aging process effects every woman differently. Some gracefully slide…

I’ve been singing the praises of bringing a grateful attitude into one’s life for years. If there is an award for being grateful, I’m in the running. Radical gratitude got my podcast guest, Margaret Zhao, through being an “enemy of the state” during…

When I taught writing, I asked my students to describe their parents by using the five senses. Gosh, does this writing exercise elicit vibrant responses! Here are some words my community college students, who ranged in age from 18 to 60, used to describe…

It’s easy to think of May as a month to honor mothers; however, there are those who were born to moms who did not want them, those they were estranged from, or mothers who’ve passed away. For these individuals, Mother’s Day can be a time…

Gratitude and appreciation have undeniable power. Being grateful can shift how we see our lives and help us become happier and focus on what matters. With or without crystals, practicing gratitude has numerous benefits…

Since time immemorial, people have been discussing the quality of gratitude. Plato (427–347 BCE) said, “A grateful mind is a great mind, which eventually attracts to itself great things.” Aristotle (384–322 BCE), a pupil of Plato, pointed out the relationship…

When we refuse to judge others, we express love and compassion. Love does not mean we become passive and allow others to abuse us. It is quite the contrary. Compassion is not weak but strong. It allows us to see where the suffering…

Did you know that writing gratitude lists boosts your mood and improves happiness? I sometimes forget this in my day-to-day grumblings about hangnails and hay fever, but today, I’ve dusted off my gratitude list. Firstly, I am grateful for my…

It’s the holiday season. In the last several weeks, most of us were concerned with buying gifts for family and friends. But have you thought about giving yourself a gift? How many times do you give yourself an important gift in your life?