Perhaps it starts with you losing your sense of engagement with your work, your children or your vital relationships. Perhaps it is because you have too many distractions—increasingly electronic postings, emails, texts or phone calls. Perhaps it is because you have too many demands and responsibilities, and not enough time to do everything you need […]
A month ago, I invited readers to write about the lessons life has taught them. Of the many email replies I received—lots of which were from people in their 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s—I will reprint as many as I can. Today, I will record the readers talking about overcoming obstacles. In a future column, […]
Note: This is the second of a two-part series. Click here for part one Here are some of the lessons that life has taught me: Have something to look forward to. Always have some goal, challenge or adventure in front of you that interests or excites. Sometimes we need to be reminded that our lives […]
If you were given the opportunity to return to your 15-year old self, would you? Note: This is the first of a two-part series. Click here for part two Most of us wouldn’t, even if we would love to replay certain choices or experiences with what we now know. Because growing older teaches us about […]
It is easy to lose perspective of the big picture of our lives, because we tend to get caught up in the day to day roller coaster of events, emotions, challenges and problems that have to be dealt with. Therefore, every so often, it’s useful to stand back and evaluate how your life is going […]
I feel alive gazing at a full moon, listening to crickets on a late summer evening, watching hummingbirds, tasting my first cup of coffee in the morning. I like the challenge of nurturing a plant until it flowers, of talking to a newborn child, of taking my ever-enthusiastic dogs for a hike, of the romantic […]
Note: This is the second of a two-part series. Click here for part one You know what’s wrong with you. You know most of your flaws, what you do poorly, where you are particularly vulnerable and when you don’t measure up. Likewise, you know when you’re only half-hearted, and you know when you don’t try […]
Note: This is the first of a two-part series. Click here for part two Dear Neil: I am going to be 45, and I can’t seem to move past my issues. I basically feel I am not good enough. I was a baby when my parents divorced. My initial issues with not being good enough […]
How do you respond when someone says: “My Mother passed away yesterday,” or “I just got laid off of my job?” How about when you hear: “My breast cancer has come back,” or “My husband dumped me for a younger woman?” What do you say when someone shares information that leaves many of us tongue […]
Dear Neil: I need help. I’m in a 9 year relationship with my boyfriend, and we have a 5 year old child. We have broken up a bunch of times. Every time things are OK and we are not yelling or fighting with each other, I do something to rock the boat. We both have […]