Did you know that in Finland in the 1980s, they rebranded Valentine’s Day so no one would feel left out? They call it Ystävänpäivä, or Day of the Friends, and it’s mostly about friendship. In the U.S., people usually think of Valentine’s Day as a romantic holiday, but because I worked for so many years at a greeting card company, I

Those of you who have read this blog for a while…or who have read my novel Sunrise Cabin …know how I like to take time every morning to count my blessings, or at least acknowledge some of my reasons to feel thankful. I think practicing gratitude is one of the best things we can do for mental health and happiness.

Outside the office building where I work, there’s a new sidewalk. Since I walk to work most mornings, and since I’m often wearing heels, I appreciate it. It took a long time to put it in. Weeks. Maybe longer than they expected, but I don’t know anything about construction, so it might be normal. It was a big job, definitely.

A little over two years ago I made this list of 101 Life Goals. I’ve made a few changes since. Hey, it’s my list. I can do that. And I could change it every day if I wanted to! But the vast majority of those goals are the same. I haven’t done a ton of them yet, but I’ve done

The other week when I was writing about 5 Ways to Restart a Bad Day, I talked about the value of taking a break. But oh, my goodness…it is easier said than done. Let me give you an example.     Last week I took a vacation day. At my company, you accrue vacation days gradually, but I’ve barely been

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about how to restart a bad day. Because if you’re like me, sometimes you get a day that’s not going your way, and by lunchtime you’re thinking, “Ugh. Today is awful. Maybe tomorrow will be better.” I know this is faulty thinking. Yes, a good night’s sleep can lead to a better