By Trina O’Quinn for the NABBW I spoke often about grief and loss in 2022. I also covered journaling and the different types of journaling as the way I chose to listen to my inner self. I used it to figure out what was bothering me and what to do about it. This year I will continue to use my journal for that purpose, while adding gratitude and joy as this year’s focus. Why did I choose gratitude? I chose it because it is my pathway to joy. Joy is going to be my word of the year. For me, the year 2022 was one of deep loss. January 2, 2022, I was with my mother when she passed, and my husband... Read More

By Anne L. Holmes, NABBW’s Boomer in Chief Periodically, as we Boomers age through the various stages of our lives, there come times when we face a major crossroad and we have to make huge, life-altering decisions. These days, instead of those decisions being related to school, work, marriage or the birth of our children or grandchildren, many of our crossroads  experiences begin with the letter “D.” As in “Disease,” “Divorce,” “Death” — and that other one, much less less serious, but still daunting — “Downsizing.” Today,... Read More

By Natalie Caine, MA, for the NABBW Think about all those special life milestones and events: Wedding, Graduation, New job, New parenting, A new grandchild, A relocation, Even a new day — All these are happy changes. And behind your smiles and raised glasses, there are people standing up for you. Supporting you. They believe in you. They give to you because they want you to understand that you matter. They want you to have bricks under your feet. They want you to feel hugged. We forget to visit happy memories as moon light to help you stand, over and over when you collapse, and when... Read More

By Judith Sherven, PhD NABBW’s Associate for Healthy Relationships Hear Yea! Hear Yea! Let it be known across the land: Receiving Praise and Compliments for Your Excellence Does NOT Make You Big-headed! Yet, in a recent workshop “Overcoming the Fear of Being Fabulous: It’s Time To Shatter Your Inner Glass Ceiling” (which my husband Jim Sniechowski, PhD and I present quite often as a career building and leadership boosting opportunity for corporate audiences) predictably some of the main reasons people gave about their difficulty receiving acknowledgment of their excellence were: I’ll... Read More

By Natalie Caine, M.A. NABBW’s Associate for Life in Transition Whether you are a first time parent of a college student or an experienced one, as Spring Break arrives, it’s likely you are planning their favorite meals and watching the clock, hoping their plane or car arrives on time. You’re anxious to have your family finally be “all together again.” And you can’t wait to finally see their faces! Meanwhile, your favorite college student likely has a totally different set of goals. I remember a group of college kids shared with me that they have been so stressed... Read More

By Judith Scherven, Ph.D. NABBW’s Associate for Healthy Relationships  Here we are at the end of 2014, getting ready for a new year in just a few days. For many people it will be “business as usual.” No point in getting stressed out with ideas of larger success. No point in reaching beyond what’s already working. And no point in ruffling the egos of colleagues or competitors. And that’s just fine, if it’s fine with you. BUT if it’s not, if you want to use this coming year to seriously advance your home life or your career, then here’s a delicious challenge for you: “What’s... Read More

By Natalie Caine, M.A. NABBW’s Associate for Empty Nest Back to school is already happening.  Parents are checking the lists and encouraging their children\’s hearts, saying, “All will be fine, it is going to be a fantastic year.” Then there is you, Mom and Dad.  I remember when I dropped my daughter off at college, three thousand miles from home. I knew I would be fine and I knew I would be sad. I did not know what I wanted to do with the free time nor with the longing for the phone to ring with her on the other end.  Sure texts were a connection, but there is nothing... Read More

What Should You Do When You Feel Unhappy? Consider Starting a Daily Practice  By Natalie Caine, M.A. NABBW’s Associate for Life in Transition  The book “A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles,” by Marianne Williamson suggests that we daily ask, Where would you have me go? What would you have me do? What would you have me say and to whom? Whether you are preparing for a change (empty nest, divorce, career, illness, loss) or just suddenly find yourself sitting “in the midst of it,” people always ask what helps me. Sometimes weeping or... Read More

Is Your Son Pulling Away From You? Here Are The Real Reasons He May Be Doing So – Part 2  By Deanna Brann, Ph.D. NABBW’s In-law Survival Associate In the article I wrote last week, I shared the story of Janice and her son Peter. Janice was struggling with the changes in Peter’s behavior toward her: She was convinced that these changes were the result of Peter’s wife. She was sure her daughter-in-law set these changes in motion because she didn’t want him talking to her. Is this really what is going on? It could be. This does happen. A daughter-in-law can set into motion such... Read More

Is Your Son Pulling Away? Get the Real Reasons He May Be Doing So – Part 1 By Deanna Brann, Ph.D. NABBW’s In-law Survival Associate With all the strife occurring with the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, where does your son fit into the equation? Does he play a role or is he a victim of circumstance? The next few articles are going to address these specific questions and help shed some light on who he is and the role he plays. As I write in my book, Reluctantly Related: Secrets to Getting Along with Your Mother-in-Law or Daughter-in-Law, a son needs to emotionally separate from his... Read More