How the hell do you do that? It’s a question my husband and I have gotten frequently since 2011. That’s when we first went to live in New Orleans for two months. Since then we’ve returned to New Orleans multiple times, we have lived for a month in San Francisco, then after that in a small town in southern Long Island close…
We just celebrated 21 years of marriage John and I got married 21 years ago today. I can confidently say I love him more today than I did back then. One of the reasons I love him more is that I love me more – and that’s in part because he’s helped me grow into a happier, healthier, more loving and generous…
Getting clear on what you need can help you teach your loved ones what to do for you And you thought the Bernie memes were done … What is your ideal Valentine? If you watch Valentine’s Day ads, you would assume every woman is pining for roses, diamonds and a car. If they are moms in pandemic, they might actually just want…
We are here, you and I, because our mothers lived long enough to bring us into the world. And their mothers survived and their mothers before them.
We inherited the DNA of survivors.
Whatever your family suffered through, whether that’s slavery, war or the Holocaust, your bloodline was not snuffed out. The women who delivered you here endured.
Here’s a recap of 2018’s most popular posts about living life intentionally.
My mom planned around being the Christmas island of misfit toys. If you didn’t have a place to go or if your family left you frazzled, she’d have a snack and a beer waiting.
Happy winter solstice! For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, Dec. 21 is when we get the shortest day in the sun’s light. So many people are racing to get holiday shopping done, to get to one more party, or to get to their family gathering, that it sounds like many of us are locked in a battle with…
One of the magical things about decluttering is that it forces you to ask a wonderful question:
What is important to me in my life?
As you tackle a pile of clothes, a cluttered countertop, a shelf overflowing with books, there’s no way to get rid of clutter without answering that question.
In a few areas, it’s either-or — I love clothes and jewelry like Debbie and I take pride in my career like my mom — but I find the blends even more interesting. Like my mom, I value punctuality and find it rude when people are late, but like my stepmom, I get that life’s messy and some rules are meant to be broken.
We’ve taken extended trips to New Orleans and San Francisco. We also lived in New York for a month before ultimately moving.
Because so many people have asked how we’re able to pick up and live elsewhere for a few weeks, I’m starting work on an e-book answering that question.
John and I spent part of our autumn vacation giving retirement a test drive.
Vacation is typically synonymous with the “not working” part of retiring, so what was noteworthy was staying in a Santa Fe retirement community with our neighbor, Charles.
I would rather have the kind of home where people have a good time, without fear of ruining overly precious belongings because gravity can be a challenge and we all have accidents, than to protect purchases in their pristine condition.
Inside Out and Mama Gena gave me timely reminders that the whole range of human emotions is valid. Even at holiday time.
According to Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, “The clearest message that we get from this 75-year study is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.”
Nan Sanders Pokerwinski weighs the winter options: Stay in and make progress on projects she’s been itching to get into or go enjoy activities with friends?
Allison Tray writes: I did something really radical: I decided that I did not have a sleeping problem. I used the power of my thoughts to convince myself that as a living creature, I required sleep and it was going to happen.
Think about the origin story of the first Thanksgiving: When white people showed up in a place Native Americans already inhabited, the natives showed the immigrants how to survive, then celebrated their success.
We travel great distances to eat turkey with our families around this tradition built on unity, not division.
Early on, I adopted a philosophy for traveling and shopping that seems to work for my lifestyle: “If I could carry it, I could have it.” It emerged when I was just starting my business and was pretty strapped for cash. “No carts allowed” saved my wallet.
Despite all the energy I have spent for the better part of two decades trying to convince myself to ignore the strong pull of place, it turns out, being in the wrong place (especially after being in the right place) can take a real toll. So can two decades of beating yourself up for wanting something you don’t think you should want.
I choose to encounter clutter and make it my own. Am I a hoarder? Probably a little. I prefer the terms “collector” and “archivist,” though. They carry the elegance of scholarship and a bit of the self-righteousness of learning from the past.
My relationship with stuff changed because of Katrina. Before, I was a collector of stuff.
Marie Kondo is the author of the cultishly popular book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” which has sold nearly 6 million copies and seems to have taken on an even larger cultural footprint. I’ve asked friends to share their perspectives on clutter in their lives.
An article on Business Insider headlined “A neuroscience researcher reveals 4 rituals that will make you happier” summarizes some key findings of UCLA neuroscience researcher Alex Korb and his book The Upward Spiral.
Few people are brave enough to own their honest story in the way Jojo did, even fewer would put it on their business website. I asked for her permission to share her story of finding happiness through trial and error and eventually getting brave enough to listen to her heart.
I’m grateful she and Rachel both said yes so I can share with you this story of loving hard.
We don’t all have a choice about our circumstances in life — where and when you were born, your skin color, gender and medical condition when you were born, the resources your family had were all dealt to you. We do have a choice about how we view our circumstances. For everything I can think of to complain about in my life,…
