Reducing Stress

I have returned home from summer travel. The good feelings I had built up during my active vacation (two weeks of hiking in the Sierras) are being tested because I live in a valley that features the worst air quality in the nation at this moment due to the raging wild fires on the West Coast of the USA. Read More

Are you a worrier? There are a lot of us about. Perhaps especially as we get older. Personally, I’ve been a worrier all my life. There is so much to worry about! Read More

I read recently that one of the first signs of Alzheimer’s is raised levels of anxiety. After a particularly stressful month, it started to resonate with me.

Ah, Thanksgiving! A time of celebration, of gratitude and family get-togethers.

For some, getting together with extended family is a joyous tradition. For others, it’s joyous only some of the time. Not all family is created equal, however. Read More

I am no stranger to problematic situations. Even as I grow older and wiser, I still get flustered. This is evidenced by my recent refrigerator delivery. Or let me restate that, my scheduled refrigerator delivery. Three and a half hours into the delivery window, no fridge had been delivered. When I called the store…

Anyone who has ever done Pilates or taken a Yoga class knows that one of the great benefits derived from those types of classes is the relaxation and sense of well-being that comes from an hour of deep, deliberate breathing. Read More

A few years ago, we adopted a sweet Australian Shepherd puppy and named him London. London was a joy most of the time but sometimes he was a complete terror. We worked hard to train him, but from time to time, I found myself yelling. “London, come here!” “London, leave your sister alone!” “London don’t eat that!” Read More

I have just returned from a journey, camping in one of the remote mountain areas of Peru. It was an amazing experience that I only dreamed of, especially since I am in my 60s and didn’t think I was strong enough to make the journey. Read More

Stress and anxiety are complex and have many causes. That said, while their causes are diverse, one common tread runs through both – a lack of a sense of control. When we feel out of control, we suffer.

On a practical level, we may worry about our inability to control an illness that we are facing or to manage our financial situation. We may even worry about our inability to control our own thoughts and emotions. Read More

Being an emotional person can be both a blessing and a curse. I know this from first-hand experience. So does my family! Read More