Are you a mountain person or a beach one?That is one of the questions that appears on those personality quizzes often found in magazines. If you prefer to head to the mountains, apparently you are an introspective person who prefers a quiet night-in versus a night out clubbing. You are self sufficient, independent, introspective and likely enjoy quiet activities such as painting and writing. Those of us who are beach-lovers are said to be extroverts who are energetic, active, and upbeat. We enjoy meeting new people and turning small talk into lengthy conversations. You won’t find us laying on a blanket on the sand because apparently we will be too busy hosting a beach party, swimming in the water and playing beach volleyball.    You may have figured out by now, that given a choice, I will always pick the ocean over a mountain.Whether you are a land-lover or a fan of the deep blue sea, we can probably all agree that we can learn a great deal about life from the ocean.   Read More

We recently marked the one-year countdown to the 2020 Summer Olympics which will take place in Tokyo, Japan. This time next year, the world’s greatest and most elite athletes will be gathered together…more than 11,000 athletes representing 206 nations will compete for over 300 gold medals. A year may seem like a long time, but in the world of the Olympic Games, you cannot start planning, training and working soon enough. The Olympic motto is Citius, Altius, Fortius, which is Latin for "Faster, Higher, Stronger”. It dates back to 1894 when it was proposed by the French educator and historian Pierre de Coubertin who became known as the ‘Father of the Olympics’ and was responsible for the creation of the International Olympic Committee. The three words “faster, higher, stronger” encourage the athlete to give his or her best during competition and to view their hard work and efforts as a victory. The motto means that winning is not necessarily the biggest and only priority, but that giving one's best, pushing yourself to the next level and striving for personal excellence are exemplary goals to strive towards. This message is a powerful one and it can apply equally to the Olympic athletes and to those of us watching the games from afar. Read More

This joke has been around for a very long time. A tourist gets out of cab on 57th Street in New York City and asks a passerby “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” The person replies “Practice, Practice, practice!” The joke is so old and has been repeated so often, that it even has a place on Carnegie Hall’s website. If you have ever had the opportunity to see a performance at the famed and historic concert venue, then you undoubtedly agree that the musicians have spent an entire lifetime ‘practicing, practicing, practicing’ to perform on that hallowed stage. When you wait and work your whole life for such a prestigious honor, then you do not let anything stand in your way. That tenacity, dedication and commitment were on full display this past weekend when the lights went out in NYC and the Millennial Choir and Orchestra’s performance at Carnegie Hall was cancelled due to the complete blackout that took place in the city. Read More

Seven years ago, my husband and I decided to put a swimming pool in our backyard. It was something that we (actually I) had contemplated for many years. I wanted a pool so badly that I went out and bought myself a kiddie pool! If you were ever looking for me on a hot day, I could be found sitting in 12 inches of cool water in a plastic structure shaped like a zoo animal. I must tell you, it was quite a sad sight! After nearly 18 years of repeatedly bringing up the idea of having our own pool, my husband finally agreed that we could “explore” the topic. His resistance was based on very real concerns: “the weather isn’t great in the northeast”, “it’s a very short season”, “our kids are too small”, “we are so busy, we won’t have enough time to use it.” I did what any good researcher would do and I started interviewing every single person I knew who owned a backyard pool. I asked them every question I could think of, from the type of liner they used, salt vs fresh water, maintenance costs, concrete or vinyl, and the most important question of all - “Do you feel as if you use it enough?” Not only did I get the answers to my many pool-related questions, I also learned a valuable life lesson. Read More

By now, you have probably seen the television advertisements for Snickers candy bars that feature their marketing catch-phrase “you’re not you when you’re hungry.” I believe they first made their debut during the 2010 Super Bowl. They are all quite memorable but I am particularly fond of the one that features Betty White as an extremely cranky, whiny and weak member of a pick-up football team who is clearly not “himself” because he is trying to play the game on an empty stomach.The commercials end with the Snickers bar being featured as the hero by satiating the weak, irritable, hungry person and sparking a transformation back into someone resembling their former self. According to the ads, there is no problem that cannot be cured by eating the calorie and sugar laden bar. The marketing ad was extremely successful, appearing across all platforms - television, retail, print and social media - and became a global sensation that lasted for over 6 years. The campaign garnered so much attention and appeal because it capitalized on a universal assumption, namely that when you’re hungry, your abilities, as well as your mood, are negatively impacted. You know it’s a great commercial when you not only remember the ad, but you actually recall what they were selling.   Now I like a Snickers Bar just as much as the next gal, but I don’t agree that it’s the cure-all. I am not going to get into the ultimate crash that results after a sugar-high....you already know that. I do agree, however, that when hunger and dehydration set it, it is a safe bet to say that you are not going to be feeling or operating at your best.While raiding the vending machine may be the closest, easiest and most affordable options, it is not the most viable from a health perspective. Feeling hungry is quite normal and something that most people experience at some point during the day.Hunger is like the “low fuel” light that comes on in your car when your gas tank is getting dangerously low and is a signal for you to provide more energy to your body. Your hunger is impacted by more than just calories in/calories out...various circumstances may contribute to you feeling more hunger, for instance if you are under stress, following a weight loss diet or if you are not eating the right combinations of foods. My advice to you today pertains to the ways in which you can keep your energy balanced, your hunger at bay, and your metabolic fire stoked. Read More

This past week, ABC aired an exclusive television news event featuring 30 hours in the life of our President. It was advertised as “unprecedented access - where cameras never go - no question off limits.” ABC’s Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos was given the opportunity over the course of two days to spend 30 hours with the President, doing everything from traveling in his armored limousine, hitching a ride on Air Force One, sitting in on a day of meetings in the Oval Office, greeting him in his West Wing residence, and conducting a sit down interview in the Rose Garden of the White House. When you spend so many hours with someone “behind the scenes”, you are bound to get answers to many questions, including the large ones of national importance as well as the small ones covering the personal details of one’s life. We learned from the 1,800 minutes of unprecedented access that the President only sleeps four hours per night and that he starts each day without participating in what many consider “the most important meal of the day.”   What would we find out about each other if cameras were allowed to follow us around for a day and a half? Are you getting enough sleep? Is breakfast part of your routine? Are you snacking on M&M’s all day? Is your energy buoyed by caffeinated drinks or protein smoothies? Would the cameras show you spending any time exercising or would they reveal that you have an extra strong relationship with your phone? If you shudder at the thought of what the cameras would reveal, then perhaps now is a great time to turn the spotlight on your daily routine. Read More

Recently, I brought a contractor into my home to redo the “under the cabinet” lighting in my kitchen. While he was rewiring and reinstalling, it was the perfect opportunity to switch out the old halogen light bulbs for LED replacements. Well over a decade ago, halogen lighting was the big thing and was considered a much better option than traditional incandescent bulbs. Now, almost 20 years later, LED is definitely the way to go. I wasn’t surprised by the higher cost of the bulbs...we have heard a lot about that in the news over the past several years. What did come as a revelation was the many options that LED lighting affords you. I never imagined that I could have color-changing lights in my kitchen! My contractor’s enthusiasm was contagious as he demonstrated how I could bathe my kitchen in green light for St. Patrick’s Day, red for Valentine’s and Christmas, and blue when I want to create a spa-like atmosphere in my home! As if the kaleidoscope of colors wasn’t enough, the light from the LED bulbs appeared brighter, warmer and crisper. We were also told that our new bulbs come with many benefits - they are low heat which makes them safer, they last way longer (50,000 hours!) and consume far less energy than halogen or incandescents, they produce little to no UV radiation, contain no fragile filaments and have no gases or toxic elements! Are you as surprised as I am that I now know so much about LED light bulbs? The big take-away for me is that it takes 80% less energy to produce the same level of light from my new bulbs! I finally feel like I am doing my part to save the planet.   My recent immersion into the world of lighting got me thinking about my own personal energy and that of my students and clients. As a Health Coach and Qi Gong Instructor, I spend a lot of time talking about ways to increase energy, have more power and strength, working smarter not harder, and finding something that you are passionate about that will light you up. Read More