Top 3 Signs you may be stuck: 1.  You have had the same goal over a year, but have not made progress 2.  You have little or no expertise in

We are almost at the end of the 1st quarter of the year! How are you doing with the fitness goals you set in January? If you haven’t been able to stay with your goals, it might not be your fault. Over the years I have realized just like everything in life, we have to pay attention to what we like instead of just doing what we think we should do. For example, I always wanted to be a runner. I always envied runners because it seemed like the perfect workout. It’s convenient, no

One of the best ways to get more time back in your day is to know and use a few quick and easy recipes. I have realized on my joy journey that it's OK to make quick and easy pantry meals. I used to think, to be the "Perfect" mother and wife I must make everything from scratch all the time or it was 'cheating'. I now know: (1) There's no such thing as a "Perfect" mother and wife (2) My family's love is not based on what I do for them or how Brene' Brown describes it in h

I love the Christmas holiday season. It’s almost the only thing I like about winter. I love the music and decorations and spending time with friends and family. I have more time to try new recipes or cook the ones that require patience to prepare. I have learned over the years, many enjoy the holidays but are secretly hoping it will pass quickly instead of enjoying the moment. They get overwhelmed because they think about all the things that 'must be done' to celebrate 'p

What happens when your birthday is approaching? Do you plan a big party? Do you remind everyone of the big day or maybe just a few close friends? Do you try to forget about it and hope no one remembers or notices? My 13 year old daughter recently had a birthday and she was so excited. This got me to thinking about birthday disparities I’ve noticed between children and adults. As kids many of us were excited about our birthdays. It felt like it would take 5 years to arri

How are you doing? I know many of us living in the US have lots of different emotions right now. Unfortunately, I do not have the answers to the larger world concerns. However, this is a good time to do a self-check. This is the time to implement or get back to a consistent self-care plan for yourself. Self-care is something that’s important to make a part of our daily living for various reasons. Regular self-care can: Help you feel energized Help you be more connected E

I love summer! It rarely gets too hot for me and I have lived in hot climates like Texas and Florida. As part of my choose joy now journey, I’m always looking for ways to amp up the fun in my life as well as going outside of my comfort zone. This summer my family and I enjoyed a few days at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. It was great! My family loves riding all the roller coasters and other thrill seeking rides. Although we lucked out and had great weather and short line

Four more years until my baby son will be off to college and on his own! Graduation season is a time of mixed emotions. Excitement for the possibilities for the next chapter of life and sadness to leave behind things “the way they were”. I have definitely been experiencing this for the graduation of my oldest child from 8th grade. It may not seem like much of a big milestone to some, but it has been for me. Also currently there is so much change occurring in my life righ

Many of us have been raised to believe it’s better to give than receive. In order to allow joy fully in our lives we must allow ourselves to receive, but so many of us have difficulty with this. You might be thinking, “hmmpf that’s not me, I’d be happy to receive, is Oprah around the corner handing out cars?” Before I explain further, tell me if any variation of these statements sound familiar to you: Someone compliments your outfit or perhaps your smile. You say, “this ol