- Sep 17, 2018
- 2 min
Laugh out loud
"I laughed. I cried. I rolled my eyes." That's my 8-word review of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. My daughter and I just saw it, and while...
- Sep 13, 2018
- 2 min
Prioritize your values
"Why didn't you tell me that wasn't a good way to spend my money?" my daughter asked me when we were having a discussion on why she was...
- Aug 13, 2018
- 1 min
Remember the highs
"How was your vacation?" Dad asked. "Hot," I replied, and then immediately regretted it. We just had four days away as a family in our...
- Aug 6, 2018
- 2 min
Question your jealousy
I have a few friends of whom I'm consistently envious. Why? They go to concerts, festivals, vacations; they see shows and movies; they...
- May 28, 2018
- 1 min
Shift to gratitude
"You've got holes in another pair of jeans?! How many is that?" If you were walking down our street recently, you likely would have heard...
- May 17, 2018
- 2 min
Recall past successes
My daughter was acting uncharacteristically jumpy and frenetic. It was confusing and annoying until I asked her what was really going on....
- May 3, 2018
- 1 min
Go with the flow
I spend a lot of time trying to convince others not to argue with reality, because it's a fight they'll never win. I've repeatedly urged...
- Apr 2, 2018
- 2 min
Change it up
We are creatures of habit. I may be worse than most. As someone with a continual emphasis on productivity, I am a proponent of creating...
- Mar 29, 2018
- 3 min
Review the game film
Did you ever have one of those days on which you are so sad to learn that something your daughter and a friend worked really hard for...
- Mar 5, 2018
- 1 min
Keep it to yourself
"That woman just ordered coffee with nine creamers!" one employee exclaimed to the other. My eyes opened wide. Not because of the number...
- Oct 2, 2017
- 2 min
Stop the judging
In the spring of 2006, I was pregnant with my first child and attending my first Women's Foodservice Forum Leadership Development...
- Sep 11, 2017
- 1 min
Cut yourself some slack
I had good intentions. I had a blog post started and time set aside to finish it. But then my daughter, who's had a tough start to the...
- Sep 4, 2017
- 3 min
Pack your patience
Last month our family took its biggest vacation yet, traveling a total of 1971 miles from our home in Pennsylvania to several stops in...
- Aug 3, 2017
- 2 min
Give specific compliments
I once asked a boss for some feedback in what was turning out to be the world's shortest performance review. His response? "You're good...
- Jun 26, 2017
- 2 min
Press the easy button
In a 2013 blog post, Martha Beck challenged readers, "Every time you set out to do any task, ask yourself, 'Is there an easier way?' Or,...
- May 22, 2017
- 2 min
Say yes
What do a game of Battleship, an overpriced notebook, and a Monday night movie have in common? They are all requests from my family I...
- May 1, 2017
- 2 min
Embrace
"Everyone is so touchy-feely here." That is how I was quoted at the retreat I attended my freshman year of college, which was full of...
- Apr 27, 2017
- 2 min
Cherish the ordinary
Years ago, I came across a quote (which feels a bit like a prayer) that really touched me. I've had it hanging on a board in my office...
- Mar 27, 2017
- 2 min
Have fun first
I know I'm not the only person to wake up with a to-do list scrolling through my head. Those of you who share the affliction might be...