Do you like to make people happy? I do!  I love to do nice things for people!  It makes me feel valuable and worthy.  I get pumped up about random acts of kindness and things like “paying it forward.”  For the most part, it’s pretty all around awesome when I’m able to help out a…

When will you have enough to be happy? What is the dollar amount in your wallet that will make you feel fulfilled?  What status do you have to achieve in order to feel successful?  Who do you need in your life to feel loved?  What do you need to do, achieve or acquire to be…

I am a good girl.  I have always prided myself in following the rules, doing what others expect of me, and keeping my word.  Maybe that’s why it’s been so hard to swallow when life hasn’t turned out the way I thought it would.  How could my ex-boyfriend have deceived me like he did, when…

Sometimes the greatest blessings can come from the simplest and even messiest moments.  That was certainly true for me this morning. I was looking into my son’s eyes before the sun rose, as he was lying curled up in the fetal position next to me, feverish and miserable with the stomach flu, when he did…

“Who does she think she is, anyway?” you hear a friend saying.  “She’s not so special.  Her marriage is failing/her career is in shambles/her relationship with her children is terrible.  What makes her qualified to give advice about motherhood/marriage/friendship/life?” Does that sound familiar?  Maybe it’s something you’ve heard someone else say, or something you’ve said…

“And they lived happily ever after.”  “He’s my soul mate.”  “She’s my dream come true.”  “I want the fairy tale.”  Do you know how many times I’ve heard these kinds of phrases and wistfully pined away for a love like that – a love that would make my head spin and my heart soar, a…

Can you find the flaw in the Navajo rug pictured above?  Trust me, it’s there.  It’s what makes the rug so beautiful. Navajo rug weaving is recognized worldwide for its exquisite beauty, intricacy and attention to detail.  Navajo rugs are perhaps the most sought after textile product of the American Southwest.  Yet, the Navajo do…

I’ve gotten more compliments over weight loss than anything else I’ve ever done in my life. Never mind the times in my life that I’ve done things of substantive value.  Forget about graduating from college, getting promoted to a director at my job or donating my time to worthy causes.  Losing weight has garnered the…

When I was a little girl I wanted to change the world.  I wanted to make the world a better place.  I dreamed of getting a job for Make a Wish Foundation or something life-changing like that, helping sick children while also making a fair amount of money.  I thought that in order to do…

What would you do if you had an extra hour each day to spend however you wanted? Last week, our family was gathered around the kitchen table eating dinner whining about having to eat dinner when I read our question of the day from “101 Conversation Starters for Families,” a book we like to read…

Have you ever found yourself giving advice to a loved one, only to end up disappointed and frustrated because they didn’t listen to you?  Maybe you’ve tried telling your best friend to quit that awful job already.  “Can’t you see that it’s making you miserable?  You’ll be so much better off once you resign!”  Or…

If I’ve spent my life trying to be accepted, why have I never felt accepted?  As it turns out, it appears as if I’ve been making a giant mistake.  I’m willing to bet that most people seeking acceptance have made the very same mistake at one time or another. My fatal flaw is this:  I…