I typically use this forum to encourage you to be the biggest cheerleader for yourself, the President of your own Fan Club, and to put yourself first and foremost. I want to make sure that you always put your own oxygen mask on first. In the spirit of the holidays, now is the perfect time of year to talk about concentrating on giving to others.   This past weekend was the 69th Miss World Competition held in London. You would think by the photos and videos (which have gone viral) of Miss Nigeria's reaction that she was the clear and present winner. What we are actually looking at is photographic evidence of what it looks like to be a true and supportive friend. The winner of the Miss World pageant was Miss Jamaica and even though she was probably very happy to hear the news, the memorable reaction that everyone is talking about this week is that of her friend and competitor, Miss Nigeria. On Saturday, there were three contestants remaining on stage (Miss Nigeria, Nyekachi Douglas, Miss Jamaica, Toni-Ann Singh, and Miss Brazil, Elis Coelho) during the beauty pageant’s final round. The three contestants were waiting to find out who would be crowned Miss World 2019. When Toni-Ann Singh from Jamaica was announced as the winner, her reaction was one of complete shock and amazement. Miss Nigeria, Nyekachi Douglas, was so excited for her friend's win that she began dancing, stomping her feet and shouting her congratulations! She then embraced the two other finalists into an enormous group hug.   There was an immediate reaction on social media as many people began praising Miss Nigeria as the ultimate example of being a graceful and perfect loser as well as a beautiful and touching display of what it means to be a true friend. Read More

There is something about snowfalls that make me pull out the puzzle boxes. They sit on the shelf of our board games closet all year collecting dust until the darker and colder days arrive. Several years ago I cleared the framed photos off of a table in my living room and declared it the family game table. I love displaying on it the Scrabble Board that I made for my family during one of my crafting phases or the gorgeous chess board that my husband's grandfather made over 30 years ago which has recently been handed down to my sons. The Scrabble and Chess Boards have been replaced by a 1,000 piece puzzle of my family's favorite ball park - Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. At the moment, my son and I have been working together on it and little by little, piece by piece, we have been putting that puzzle together. It is finally starting to look like something recognizable.   Even if it's been a while since you dusted off your own puzzle boxes, you can probably easily recall the important steps of the puzzle- making process. First, you need to start with a flat surface which will not be disturbed where you can lay out all of the pieces. Next, you will want to turn all of the pieces face up, separate them by shape and color, pull out the ones with straight edges, and keep the box cover handy for future reference. Most people follow the age-old rule of "putting the corners together first." It makes sense when you think about it...you need to start somewhere and why not create a "frame" for your masterpiece. The corners serve as the anchors within which every other piece will fall into place.   Read More

"Gimme a break, gimme a break, break me off a piece of that Kit Kat Bar." Remember that catchy jingle for the popular chocolate bar? I was impressed by this marketing marvel, not only because once you hear the words, they are stuck in your head all day; but also, because of the double entendre - of taking a break by breaking off the pre-perforated candy treat. Kit Kats have long been a favorite of mine, but sadly, my breaks no longer include this calorie-rich, high sugar snack.   Recently, a friend of mine gave me a gift card to a lovely local tea shop. She told me when she gave me the thoughtful gift that her intention was for me to "build in a break." She said, "you are always busy going from appointment to appointment, class to class, at various locations around the community. You need a make a point to build into your schedule some time to take a break." What a fabulous gift as well as much needed words of wisdom from my very sage and thoughtful friend.   Perhaps you have a job that mandates a break time. If you do, then you know the power of even just having 10-15 minutes to yourself. After several hours of working, you have the time to finally go to the bathroom, get some fresh air, return a phone call, refill your drink and/or grab a bite to eat. If break times are not built into your daily work life, then you are like me and you have to make a point to create your own. Read More

True confession time: I really enjoy shopping at Whole Foods. The staff is friendly and helpful, the products are organic and high quality, and now that they are part of the Amazon family, the shopping experience is even better. Until recently, I had never seen a Whole Foods television commercial. The one that has been running the past few weeks is about Thanksgiving. It is hilarious, relatable, and it's only 15 seconds long. Take a look. Read More

The first time I ever tried “eggs over easy” was when my father made them for me when I was very young. I was always amazed at the whole egg-making process which included fancy flipping and just the right temperature and cooking time. I remember that the eggs were perfectly done each and every time. When I asked what the secret was, the answer was the same every time - “you have to go easy.” You probably know what happens when you turn up the heat on your eggs in an attempt to cook them faster...the result is something that is overcooked, dry, tasteless and difficult to get out of the pan.   Taking it easy does not only apply to serving up the perfectly cooked egg. It is a way of life that we would each be smart to embrace. Everyone I know, myself included, is so busy. Our calendars are booked solid with commitments, both work and personal. We schedule everything, but for some reason, we feel guilty penciling in some rest and relaxation onto the calendar.   I tried very hard when my kids were younger to not over commit them. You often hear that over-scheduling your children is the #1 thing NOT TO DO when you are a parent. So we had choices to make - Tae Kwon Do or baseball? Piano or art classes? We could not do everything, certainly not without inducing a lot of "agita" (the Italian word for STRESS)! But then your kids grow up and there are AP classes, weekly exams in every subject, part- time jobs, daily sports practices...you know what I am talking about - the things you cannot say NO to, even if you wanted to do so.   Read More

here is something about the first snow of the season and watching Hallmark Christmas movies that get me feeling quite wistful. So on this Throwback Thursday, I am asking you to join me for a walk down 'Memory Lane'.   Remember when the only phone you had was the one on the wall of the family kitchen? My sisters and I considered it a very significant upgrade when the cord that came with it was switched out for one that was long enough to reach into the family room. We were living large! Even though that cord was always twisted beyond belief and took a team of us to unravel it and restore it to its original glory, I really miss that phone! Back then, if someone wanted to speak with me, they had to get through my parents (and/or a busy signal) to get to me. Remember when the phone never rang while we were driving in our cars, shopping in stores, or when we were at school? There most certainly were never phones ringing while we were enjoying a much cherished meal out at our favorite restaurant! Times have really changed and today I am left thinking that they are not all for the better.   More than ever, I am seeing people driving and talking, working out while talking, and walking the streets and talking. It is even a common occurrence to see people answering their phones while they are shopping and checking out at a store. Each time I have observed this, the person chatting on the phone is completely unaware of the frustration on their sales clerk's face. When I am out to dinner, I see people all around me who are on their phones the entire time and not even looking at the person sitting across the table from them. Have you ever dined with someone who took calls, wrote texts and surfed the web right in front of you? I have. It is not a good feeling. Do you remember when we all actually made eye contact and spoke to one another? There are so many phones ringing and pinging during the classes that I teach that I have had no choice but to announce that all phones be silenced before I begin a class. I may have to resort to collecting the phones at the door! Remember when going shopping or going to fitness class meant it was an hour or two away from the ringing phone? Shopping and working out were considered "me" time. Read More

You have heard it said many times over the years - "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." Perhaps your parents said it to you when your elementary school classmate showed up at school with the same lunchbox as you. It may be what you said to your own daughter to settle the "she's got the same prom dress as me" battle. I even heard the NHL discussing the concept this week as it pertains to hockey teams in the league trying to create as powerful and unstoppable a forward line as the Boston Bruins (their three forwards, known as "the Perfection Line", have a record of 31 goals in their last 14 games). It is not uncommon for copycats to appear when something or someone is successful. Just google "copycat recipes" and you will be inundated with a plethora of ways to attempt to replicate Red Lobster's very popular Cheddar Biscuits, Olive Garden's Alfredo sauce, Chipotle's Cilantro-Lime Rice, Panera's Mac and Cheese, and Cinnabon's rolls. While I am often encouraging you to "do your own thing" and be a health and well-being trailblazer, today I am writing to encourage you to be a copycat. I want you to start cooking and eating the PF Chang's way. Don't worry, they won't mind...imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! Read More

Reading the title of today’s blog may have you humming Nancy Sinatra’s #1 song from 1966, or perhaps you are more familiar with Jessica Simpson’s version from the 2005 Dukes of Hazzard movie. Either way, that song came to my mind as soon as I heard the news this week about Queen Elizabeth’s shoes. The Queen’s longtime stylist/dresser is about to release her memoir and in it she details many aspects of her job, including her responsibility to break in her boss’s shoes. If you have ever been excited to wear a new pair of shoes, only to be derailed hours later by pain, blisters and swollen feet, you know the importance of the “breaking in” process. My guess is that most of us are not “outsourcing” that job like the longest reigning monarch.   Over the years, you have probably heard the various ways that you can successfully break in a pair of new shoes. It brings back memories of my baseball-playing son who painstakingly took many steps to break in his brand new baseball gloves. There were a lot of things involved...oil, rubber bands, newspapers, a blow dryer and time...lots of time and patience were required for a successful breaking-in process. I think the leather-breaking approach may be applied to other aspects of our lives. The very same 5-steps used to break in your shoes can help you to break in a new habit - like beginning a workout, adding in a few new healthy foods or getting your life organized. Read More