Last fall, after years of saying, “I really need to start a meditation practice,” I finally did it.

At first it was all sweetness and soothing music, as I joined a 21-day online challenge led by none other than Mr. Mind/Body himself, Deepak Chopra. His calming voice, pearls… Read full post »

Last winter I bought my dream car, a gently used Toyota Prius, because my friend was selling it for a tempting price and my ‘98 Corolla was aging rather ungracefully. I kept my new acquisition off the road for a few months in order to save on car… Read full post »

Valentine's Day is an occasion for sentimental cards, assorted chocolates and candlelit dinners for lovers. To me, it's also a reminder to love myself. Here are some of my favorite ways to romance life on any day of the year.

Create meaningful rituals. Ritual is largely missing from most peop… Read full post »

I just turned 50 and, while it’s hard to wrap my mind around this fact, I think it begs a celebration. I’m therefore inspired to create a list of 50 things that I’ve learned in my five decades on the planet. It’s a gift to myself, really, to honor…

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I lived in Hoboken, NJ, for 15 years during my late '20s and 30s. It's a mile-square city, a so-called bedroom community to Manhattan, and the birthplace of Frank Sinatra. It was also one of the most close-knit communities I've ever called home, full of people who still… Read full post »

I've had a rough couple of months as some major bummers have rattled my faith, dashed a few hopes and driven me to big, fat tears. However unique my circumstances, I know I'm not alone. A glance at the news reveals countless people grappling with crumbling economies,… Read full post »

Food can be a reliable friend when we seek to comfort and nourish ourselves. But when we repeatedly eat types and quantities of food that leave us feeling miserable, food becomes a weapon that we use against ourselves in an agonizing cycle of self-sabotage and, ironically, self-denial.… Read full post »

I lead workshops based on The Artist's Way to help people recover and express their innate creativity. We don't always make art in the course, but we do spend a lot of time listening to each other as we explore what gets in the way of living our… Read full post »

About fifteen years ago I was driving solo along the highways of New Mexico with some books on tape to keep me company. The most memorable of these was Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway, a self-help classic by Susan Jeffers. Among other good recommendations, Jeffers suggested… Read full post »

As I approach my personal half-century mark, I find myself in strange territory. Having successfully climbed a few career ladders in my life, I am currently, apparently, without ambition. It doesn’t feel like a bad thing.

I’ve lived in big cities and charming towns and traveled the… Read full post »

 

Heard the one about the Chinese farmer?

According to the Taoists, he had a horse that ran away. A neighbor said, "Oh, that's bad news,” and the farmer replied, "Good news, bad news, who can say?" The horse soon returned with another horse, which many labeled good news. The… Read full post »

“Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go.” –Herman Hesse

I recently interviewed a man who leads personal development programs with the help of a horse. Specifically, Brian Reid puts people who are stuck and struggling on top of his horse to… Read full post »

In the past year I’ve heard from two friends who were disappointed in me because I didn’t meet their expectations or show up in the ways they wanted me to. In one case the friendship was already fading and I took the opportunity to own up and disengage. The other friend’s… Read full post »

One year ago I left a full-time job to rejoin the ranks of the self-employed. While the job provided wonderfully steady pay and health insurance, it was in no way related to my vocation as a writer, teacher and creativity coach—things I’d been doing “on the side.” And so I too… Read full post »

I teach creativity workshops based on The Artist’s Way that are ostensibly about artistic pursuits but mostly about giving ourselves permission to love what we love and do what we love. A big chunk of the journey involves learning to value ourselves enough to believe that we deserve self-design… Read full post »

Oprah Winfrey and I celebrate our birthdays this week. She has zillions in the bank and can spend her big day anywhere on the planet with 200 of her favorite people in tow. I have, well, less money in the bank and will spend my birthday with my husband and friends… Read full post »

I’ve heard that nearly 90% of New Year’s resolutions are broken by February, and my acupuncturist says that spring is actually a more fruitful time to make significant life changes. But the start of a new year offers itself up like a landscape of fresh snow, unmarked by… Read full post »

The rush is on to buy gifts and goodies to celebrate the season of lights, American style. I’ve made a few purchases, including one gift that I can’t wait to give, but I’m also trying something new this year: if I can’t come up with a meaningful item… Read full post »

At its worst, this recession has left countless people homeless, jobless, hungry, angry and injured. At best, it’s led many Americans to cut up their credit cards and cut out unnecessary spending. Others are voluntarily simplifying their lives, reducing consumption, sharing resources with n… Read full post »

It was 7:05 a.m. on the day before Thanksgiving, 1997. I was anchoring a public radio newscast in Newark, New Jersey, as I’d done every weekday morning for months, when the music host left the studio to grab more CDs. Alone with the microphone and a million listeners,… Read full post »

Back when I was single, I created a few personal profiles for online dating sites. When asked to name my religion, I wrote "Kindness." While it sounded flirty at the time, it was and is what I truly believe in. Kindness touches the soul, or at least my soul, and connects… Read full post »

Three years ago today I was stopped at a red light near Harvard Square on a sunny afternoon when it hit me. A Chrysler minivan, to be precise. A traveling salesman from Cleveland, oblivious to the stopped cars in front of him, was talking on his cell phone as he plowed… Read full post »

I love children. I just never felt the desire to have any of my own. Well, maybe for a fleeting moment. There is, after all, a certain sweetness in thinking about creating another person with someone you love and seeing the two of you reflected in that little child. But I… Read full post »