Diets garner immense popularity at the start of the new year and make a resurgence in the months prior to swimsuit season. Some fads encourage us to eliminate food groups or restrict calories. Other experts insist we can indulge in a specific type of food while avoiding everything else. The stricter…
January has three weeks bulging under her belt. Many of this month's early-date fans now resent her as much as their own waistlines. Unlike the fickle masses, statistics maintain a consistent view of January. She reflects human nature's tendency to launch with the boldest of aspirations only to crash into…
Our last discussion offered the overview of our whole-person makeover series to launch your new year with habits you can sustain forever. We noted the importance of taking small, maintainable steps toward the lifestyle which blesses the rest of your days. The significance of addressing all areas of our well being…
I struggled with motivation at the onset of the New Year. My attempts to launch the year by setting goals or resolutions sputtered. No word for the year came to me, despite regular prayer and meditation. Instead, the questions of "Why?" and "Will my efforts even matter?" needled my thoughts. I…
Halfway through printing my last book proposal, the ink faded. Soon the pages blanched to wordless sheets. In all the baskets lining the shelves of my office closet, only one cartridge could be found--and it didn't fit my printer. How could I have purchased the wrong type of ink? No! My…
Labels cover the shopping malls, websites, roadways. They tell us how to care for items and what they're made of. Some labels imply status or value because of the brand they represent. Whether or not we realize it, each of us wears a number of soul-labels. Others read our behavior…
Our relocation to a new place stank. No, literally. Sour odors and musty smells haunted me from every corner of the house. I scrubbed until my eyes nearly swelled shut. After hiring someone to help clean, I found more layers of dirt lingering. The dust kept showing up. Baseboards, French doors,…
As the world packs away holiday trimmings, mankind shares a collective sigh. Though this sound resonates with similar depth across the globe, the hearts behind it express a multitude of emotions. Fond memories join the breath with a smile. Sorrow and heartache offer the opposite sentiments. Some of us hate…
Summer's bloom wilts on the branch-like weeks of our calendar. In the next breath, the season of respite will drift away and wither in the breeze of time. With heavy sighs, we face the next pages of our year. School and work routines loom before us. The angry, red eyes of…
Given up on goals? Did you set resolutions or goals at the dawn of the year? If you forgot those New Year's ideals months ago, you're not alone. In fact, you share this experience with an overwhelming majority of the world, according to statistics. Tried the gimmicks? Many folks try all…