Finding Happiness

Mindfulness pushes our hearts to get involved in all our interactions. We often have a difference of opinion with friends and loved ones, but when so many children and adults are hurting, it is time to search for answers…

There are two words that, generally speaking, in the Western world we don’t like to mention much. One of them you will probably not be surprised by. But the other you might well be. Given my specialty is end of life planning, you can easily imagine what…

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…

One of my favorite late lunch haunts is a cocktail lounge next to a Chinese restaurant. The bar is uncrowded mid-afternoon and the WiFi is great, so I can spread out and catch up on a few chores. The bartender, who I consider a friend and therapist…

The seasons can have a bigger impact on our mental health than we may realise. So, if you’ve found yourself struggling with a low mood and lack of motivation since the nights have started drawing in, then you’re certainly not alone…

I stepped on a pickleball court 29 years ago, and it was love at first sight. Yet if I happened to mention my passion for pickleball to work colleagues or certain friends, my enthusiasm would be met with a heavy dose of snark and “pickleball shaming…”

When you were growing up, there’s a good chance that your parents told you, “You could be whatever you want when you grow up.” It’s something that most of us hear at some point in our lives. That’s all well and good when you’re a child…

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…

Do you ever feel fine during the day, but as the shadows start to lengthen and tiredness creeps in, you notice your spirits flagging? And that evening you were looking forward to seems more like a mini-endurance test to cope with before you can go off to bed?

At the age of 61, I find myself peering into my face with a kind of wonder. I know this face and yet it is constantly changing. I trace the lines around my eyes gently and with respect. These eyes have beheld so much beauty and also so much pain…