Recently, greetings from my friend Abby highlighted the results of a study on happiness that seems to be cropping up everywhere. Turns out, happiness is contagious - who knew? Well, most of us. Given a choice, don’t we usually prefer hanging out with joyful and fun-loving folks? It was, however, heartening to learn […]
Sometimes, in the midst of a midlife transition, you feel like Alice in Wonderland. You’re in a confusing place; nothing works according to customary rules and you don’t know who you are anymore. You need guidance - but from a cat with a big grin who seems to appear and disappear at will?
Well, […]
These days we are besieged with discouraging news and information – probably more than we want, or ever expected. This constant barrage may not only exacerbate realistic concerns, but can also activate pessimistic thoughts already lurking in the recesses of our subconscious minds.
“As you think, so you become,” reads one Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) axiom. Years […]
When you are trying out a new identity at midlife, you will undoubtedly explore different paths, make plans and set goals for yourself. But an often overlooked component for reinventing your life is “insight” – that sudden flash of knowing that can clarify so much.
Jonah Lehrer has written a fascinating article on such epiphany […]
I have to admit it - my favorite course in Graduate School was “The Neurophysiology of Brain and Behavior.” I was pretty much alone with this predilection, except for one woman who worked in a research lab at the local VA Hospital. Each week my classmates moaned, and even groaned, as they crowded through […]
I remember attending a 50th birthday luncheon at the Wellesley College Club on a sultry, summer’s day - much like the ones we’ve been experiencing here in New England. As I walked into the expansive dining room, a phalanx of black balloons signaled the location of the party table. Nearing the table, I saw that […]
I have a small confession to make - writing was never my thing. No, I mean really; I literally avoided it whenever I could. My college curriculum was designed to prevent me from heading to the library to write papers. As a result, half my courses were lab sciences - even with […]
Sometimes I receive a question from a reader that seems to warrant a response of more than a sentence or two in the comment box below each issue of MIDLIFE DISCOVERY. After reading last month’s “In Pursuit of Self-Care,” Kay sent me an email with the query, “How do I begin to meditate?”
Believe me, […]
Someone asked me the other day how my “small-changes-add-up” approach to making New Year’s resolutions was working out. Her comment prompted me to check my January newsletter where I outlined a plan to add meditation to my daily regimen. I’m happy, and quite frankly surprised, to report that I’m still meditating twice a day.
My success […]
Life transitions require time - and that can be frustrating when you’re a person like me, who loves to complete a project and move onto her next happy creation. But transitions are not minor undertakings. What propels you into any transition, especially at midlife, is the discovery that your life, […]