Saturday morning things began to go downhill. Phillip and I were in Breckenridge on a ski vacation with a friend of ours. We arrived in town on Thursday and had a gorgeous day of skiing Friday. I felt great. I hadn’t skied in ten years, but things came back smoothly.…
Five years ago I was sitting in our family room in Portland, staring out the window and chatting on the phone with an old friend when he swooped in. A gorgeous spotted owl. I could hardly believe what I was seeing. He perched on a tree at the edge of…
Packing for a vacation is always an involved process. You have to consider what the weather will be like, and what activities you have planned: fancy dinner or no fancy dinner? Then there is the space issue. Can you fit all of your shoes in just one piece of luggage?…
Your morning can make or break the whole day. Sleep in, forget to eat breakfast, get stuck in traffic and everything will seem off. I pay special attention to how I begin my day so that I can have the energy and optimism necessary to make it productive and enjoyable.…
Life is very up in the air for me and Phillip right now. Everything from where we will be in two months, to our careers, to my health, to our finances is unsettled. Normally this would really freak me out. I love, love, love to plan. I’ve been writing affirmations…
Yes, I procrastinate. At least a little bit every single day. I let the laundry pile up. I haven’t washed the windows in goodness knows how long. I’ve got a huge to-do list and nothing is getting done. Well, except for writing about nothing getting done. Procrastination is a flaw…
Spring is such a sweet time of year. It is as if the flowers and trees are reminding us that new beginnings can come out of that which looks completely bare. There is almost nothing better for stress than being outside, fresh air, off leash dogs running with tongues floppy…
I’m feeling particularly sentimental this Valentine’s Day. And while I can’t know exactly how love works; I know when it is there. I can sense it in the quiet moments when it whispers and in the intoxicating swirls when it feels like your heart will burst. Today, I’m letting love…
I hate to admit it, but my house is tethered to my stress level. I feel calmer and better able to relax when things are tidy. The paradox is twofold. First-fold: I can’t be upright cleaning for more than three or four hours before my back goes out. Second-fold I…
I live with two tiny, fuzzy yodas. With simple action and minimal communication, they offer profound lessons on stress management. Watch them for a day, just one, and you will know everything you need to about how to move through stress. Abbey We got Abbey, nickname Abbs or big girl,…