I have always been a proponent of periodic journaling as a tool to help reduce stress: "personal" journals, "gratitude" journals, "why I can't make a 4-foot putt" journals.... The idea behind journaling is that it helps you take a step back, gather and express your thoughts, reflect on your current circumstances and put things into [...]
Yesterday, after speaking with a friend about a personal matter, I later realized I could hardly recall any specifics from our conversation despite having initiated the chat. I was both bothered by and curious about how this could happen and whether it was truly a rare occurrence. After giving the matter some serious thought, I [...]
During a board meeting I recently attended for a young company, the two talented founders were discussing an interesting management observation. They described the difficulties that arise when leaders focus on working "IN" the business and lose sight of working "ON" the business. When you're focused on working IN the business, you're working your tail [...]
I have been receiving emails and calls from family caregivers asking about all the recent stories they are seeing about happiness. To summarize their comments, there is a feeling that if attaining happiness, even intermittently, sounds so damn easy, then why are they having so much trouble being happy? Fair question, especially if you consider what [...]
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain." When I first read this quote, I wrote it off as no more than a nice message that belonged in a Hallmark card. But when I came across it again a week or so later, I started to think [...]
Expectancy is a funny thing. It seems the more you focus on a specific outcome, the more attainable that outcome becomes. And nowhere is this mentality more important than it is with regards to improving the quality of life of family caregivers. I once took a high-performance driving course (don't ask me why). The instructor [...]
During the recent NBA Draft, I heard a story that caught my attention and I wanted to share it with you. Today, a lot of what we hear about professional basketball players focuses on their larger-than-life egos and their even larger paychecks. Amidst all this media hoopla, it's easy to forget about the little kid [...]
For many family caregivers, the word burnout has negative connotations... but for all the wrong reasons! When I speak with family caregivers, especially in support groups, they often equate burnout with failure. Never mind the ramifications that burning out can have on a caregiver's health and well-being; it's often interpreted as a sign of weakness, [...]
You are! And as a family caregiver it might just be your most important role. This past December, I was speaking to a large group of family caregivers when I asked them if they knew any heath advocates. Initially there was confusion over what an advocate was and then, later, caregivers expressed serious trepidation about [...]
When I was a little kid, I thought my dad was Superman. He built homes for a living, so I always saw him in a very physical role, in control of situations, and able to handle whatever came his way. He was, without a doubt, the protector of our family. It wasn't until I became [...]