Everyday I get an email from Women’s Health magazine reminding me to take part in their daily sweepstakes. The prizes usually follow a monthly theme. For example, fitness products or beauty products. This month the theme is fashion. Anyway, to enter the sweepstakes, you take part in a daily poll. The questions touch on subjects like dating, sex, etc. They use the results for future features in the magazine.
Today the question concerned over-eating and stress. The question was, “Do you eat more when stressed out?”  The possible choices were, “Yes. No. Doesn’t apply to me.”
Doesn’t apply to me?  This one …read more

When is he going to propose?  Are you guys fighting?  Shouldn’t you be mad about that?  I think that’s something to worry about, don’t you?
Everyone has those friends and family members who want to show that they care by inquiring into every little detail about your relationship and offering their personal opinion about every response.  They want to know everything!  Older siblings, younger siblings, parents, ex-boyfriends, best friends, co-workers, lots of people seem to feel comfortable offering their opinion about your relationship when you didn’t really ask for it.  They are usually just trying to “watch out for you”, but …read more

I like my life.  Maybe it’s not everything that it could be, but it’s a good life. I’ve realized that it’s fluid and ever-changing. When I get stressed, I try to take a deep breath and a step back. I examine the situation and figure out how to make it work. I flip it somehow. With age I’ve learned the importance of being flexible.
I read today that older people are happier than younger people. This comes from the American Psychologoical Association of Toronto, Canada and a Pew Research Study.
I accept this idea completely. I have a teen. She is a beautiful …read more

I’m skinny.  I’m tall.  I’m rich.  I have a job.  I have a great husband.  I am famous.  I have a hot boyfriend.  I have lots of friends.
There are a million reasons why someone might be jealous of you.  It might be something that you have control over, or it might be something that is just part of you naturally.  Humans are naturally competitive and when they see something in someone else that they desire for themselves, there is a definite tendency to feel that ugly little twinge of jealousy.
If you worry that someone in your life is jealous of …read more

Some people operate in a high-stress environment in many aspects of their life.  These are the high-powered business executives with three toddlers and two Labradoodle puppies running around the house.  They pride themselves on being quick and busy all the time.  Then there is the other end where people purposefully choose a life that allows for a low-stress lifestyle.  Even if you feel that your life is completely stress-free and you are uber-calm and collected at all times, there are probably moments where you are experiencing pressure.  These occurrences might be troublesome if you don’t perceive yourself as having stress …read more

There is definitely a period of time in your late 20’s and early 30’s when you start to watch everyone around you get engaged and married.  I’ve heard from older friends that this happens, and I am realizing that I have actually reached that exact point in my life where it is happening to me.  Only a few years ago no one was even thinking about marriage, and now the singles are dropping out of the market at a fast pace.
There were definitely the couples who got married right out of college…but those were outliers.  They had been dating since …read more

I read something interesting about DVRs at Crave.  Do you use a DVR? A Tivo? If you do, then according to a study that was “commissioned by NDS, a provider of technology solutions for digital pay TV…” people who use their DVRs are happier in their relationships. They record their shows and then are able to watch them at their leisure, thus making their entertainment time less stressful. 
The survey also reveals that owning a DVR can lead to a happier, less stressful life. Eighty-one percent of respondents said their DVR has made life better by allowing for more time to …read more

Don’t let the Holidays stress you out.

Prozac $12
Zoloft $86
Xanex $4

Just look at that face. That is Trotter, my beloved Chocolate Labrador. Doesn’t he look calm and relaxed? Actually he’s waiting for me to feed him.
I am always so amazed at how dogs seem to be able to provide us with a sense of peace.
Yesterday, I completely freaked myself out about something a client had said to me…which snowballed, internally, to my freaking out about every little nuance concerning my business and even my ability to be a small business owner.
Then it was that TIME. That time of day, when I get a look from Trotter whose expression seems to …read more

Do you think I’m under a bit of stress lately? I’ve certainly been talking about it a lot, haven’t I?
To relieve stress, I usually cook a ginourmous pot of stew or pasta sauce — which of couse is in itself a form of stress…the prep work, the chopping and especially the clean up. There must be better ways to leave your troubles behind.
There is, it’s called travel. I just came back from Vegas and had a wonderful time. I love everything about travel — truth be told, I don’t even mind the circus act that we know today as …read more