…by Suzanne Falter-Barnes A few years back I wrote here about Kathryn Weber, whose beautiful ezine, The Red Lotus Letter, is one of the top Feng Shui ezines out there. (Feng Shui is the Chinese art of using interior decoration to create an auspicious life.) It\’s a great mix of the practical and the mysterious. To that end, Kathryn has shared with us some tips on how to set up a more creative office, using Feng Shui concepts. (Fellow skeptics, please stay open and read on. You may find some surprises here.) And, as someone who has RADICALLY overhauled my office, my files and my systems... Read More

ACT I – CRUNCHING THE CRUMMIES The most common invaders during our midlife years (which I define as that phase of life anywhere between forty and death) are the FIVE CRUMMIES. They are CRUMMY HEALTH, CRUMMY KIDS, CRUMMY PARTNERS, CRUMMY JOBS, and CRUMMY DEALS. They come in pairs or trios, or even a quintet. They break down your defenses, cause you to stumble, even to fall. The following are some specific antidotes and action plans when the CRUMMIES hit. CRUMMY HEALTH only starts with menopause or peri-menopause. The ante is upped when you add chronic back pain (from lifting those grandkids or hauling... Read More

…By Prill Boyle Attitude might not be everything, but it\’s a good place to start if you want something in your life to change. Let me tell you a personal story. After my youngest son was born, I did not have warm and fuzzy feelings about him. For three months, he had colic and cried all the time. Well into his second year, no matter what my husband and I did, we couldn\’t get him to stick to a schedule or listen to adults. If we told him not to whack his friend, he\’d get a twinkle in his eye and do it anyway. If we tried reverse psychology, he\’d outsmart us. Then... Read More

…by Julie Clark Robinson “I meant to do my work today – But a brown bird sang in the apple tree. And a butterfly flitted across the field, and all the leaves were calling me.” –Richard le Gallienne Remember that scene in “Big” when Tom Hanks — the man who woke up  one day to find that he was trapped in a boy\’s body — hops on his bike and awkwardly rides it down the street? That image comes to my mind more times than I can count – even all these years after the movie was made. Why? I think it\’s the way a grown man was able to so accurately move... Read More

…by Suzanne Falter-Barnes Ever notice how some websites feel great, energetic, fun — you just want to linger to soak up more? And yet other sites are truly repellant. These tips will help you create a truly happening site…. 1. Don\’t use a dark background. Think about the websites you\’ve seen that are fun, refreshing, and really draw you in. Ever notice they usually have a white or light background? Dark or heavily patterned background are emotionally draining to look at, and they\’re hard to read. Since the Web is a written medium, color counts! 2. Don\’t... Read More

…by Prill Boyle We\’re all afraid. If we\’re not anxious about getting senile or going broke, we\’re worried that our children will start using drugs or that we\’ll end up as one-hit wonders. It doesn\’t matter how accomplished, brilliant and beautiful we consider ourselves. Fear comes with the territory of being human. And the better we are at navigating through it, the more comfortable we feel in our skins and surroundings. Facing fear also goes hand-in-hand with realizing our dreams. That\’s why for the past six years, beginning the morning I got the... Read More

…by Julie Clark Robinson “An optimist is the human personification of spring.”  -Susan J. Bissonette Every day I wake up a little more giddy than the day before. Steaming cup of coffee in hand, I challenge my slippers to take on the dew and head out the door to see, literally, what\’s new. I give a nod of acceptance that the daffodils – whose emergence a few weeks back felt more glorious to me than any 4th of July fireworks show – are on their way out. I wonder if my neighbors think I\’m nuts. “Of course they do,” I tell myself. We\’re the family who moved in,... Read More

In this SERIES of monthly COLUMNS Dr. Stephen will help you: • Find out more about your depressed mood • Name that tune: A description of depressive and mood disorders • Change your depressed mood through action • Decide if you need medication COLUMN FOUR: DECIDING IF YOU NEED MEDICATION Let me begin by reminding you that I am a psychologist and, therefore, do not prescribe medications. Medications are prescribed only by MDs, either psychiatrists or general practitioners. My knowledge of medication management comes from 37 years of being in practice... Read More

…by Prill Boyle While leading a Defying Gravity workshop last month, I asked the women in the group to share a few of their fears. Lynn, a 50-something divorcée, didn\’t hesitate. “I\’m afraid to grow old without a companion,” she said. The irony is that if Lynn remains single, she\’ll soon have plenty of company. As we baby boomer women age, more and more of us will find ourselves alone. Some of us will never marry. Others will divorce. Statistically speaking, the majority of wives will end up widows. If all this sounds depressing, keep in mind that being single isn\’t... Read More

…by Julie Clark Robinson “Let the rain kiss you.  Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.”  -Langston Hughes Yesterday, I was strangely excited. The sky stayed dark all day and my battered wind chimes worked overtime. “Clang, clang….the weatherman wants to tell you something…” I stopped working for a minute and let my senses drink it in. “Clang, clang…get off your ass and turn on the TV”. After months of frosty air, I cracked open my office window and felt actual warmth seeping in. “Clang, thump! Rumble, rumble,... Read More