Should I really make this the topic for my first blog post? Should I organize my desk before I begin? Should I make that Doctor appointment I’ve been putting off first? Should I stop procrastinating and get ON with it?

Well, should I?

That was my self-talk as I began writing this. You see, my mind operates like a compromised computer screen overrun with annoying personal “pop-ups” that scream SHOULD I?

Just as I’m about to be seduced by a tantalizing tale or a sublime sip of chardonnay at the end of a very long day, it happens: “SHOULD I…

Have you ever wondered what you could do to increase your happiness?

My answer is to follow your M.A.P. which is an acronym for:

M=Meaning A=and P=Pleasure. Since meaning is meaningful and pleasure is pleasurable, people are often confused about balancing these two extremes.

They wonder how to incorporate both meaning AND pleasure into their daily lives.

Too much pleasure is called hedonism, and even though there’s a certain amount of short-term enjoyment, there’s usually a lot of pain involved. This enjoyment provides no lasting fulfillment because pleasure is about the present moment; and is often narcissistic.

On the other…

Have you ever wondered why so many marriages fail? After all, it’s so rosy at the beginning — all rainbows and unicorns. You know, hot sex for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (if we’re lucky ;) Every. Single. Day.

Plus, as newlyweds, we’re on our best behavior and blissfully blind to any annoying character traits. We LOVE being in love along with everything about our “perfect” partner, even the quirky way he cuts the crust off his sandwiches or the cute way she paints her toes in bed.

Over time, something happens. Familiarity seeps in, and we stop being our best…

Chronic sadness is more than an occasional bout of “the blues.” It’s an invisible disability as it’s internal and immobilizes us from moving forward in our lives. Many people who suffer from this common affliction have a family history of what I call “blue genes,” -or depression that’s weaved into our DNA.

The good news?

I’ve discovered some handy “mental floss” techniques that work to dislodge the knot of sadness that sometimes gets stuck in the center of my psyche; afterward, I’m motivated, happy, and on the path to living my best life.

These simple methods work wonders for me…

Let’s start with sex! The good news and the bad.

We’ll get to the bad news first: (and the reason for the subtitle disclaimer)

The 1920’s dust bowl was nothing compared to the dry nether-regions and depression-prone zone of post-menopausal women. (i.e., mature)

Now for the good — -no, GREAT news:

It’s 2021, and there are countless, even obnoxious amounts of over-the-counter, moisturizing miracles. The hard part? (pun intended;) If you’re single, it’s finding someone worthy of your glorious goddess-ness.

Are you coupled up?

Get busy!

But first, keep reading.

Most of us know someone who, despite having excellent health, a great job/successful career, a loving, supportive family, and more, are miserable. Blind to the blessings of abundance all around them.

We know they’re miserable because — they tell us.

Continuously.

— — —

It goes something like this:

“It’s too hot, too cold, too loud, too quiet, too…”

“I’d be happy if I could lose twenty pounds/ move to a bigger house/ get married/ get a divorce/ get the kids out of the house/ retire from this stressful job/ have grandkids/ have time for a hobby/ didn’t have kids/…

Hi, my name is Alice, and I’m a recovering people-pleaser.

This is my story.

Years ago, I had a fabulous fun friend — she was my best friend — we traveled together, shared many meals, milestones, and loads of memories. Over time she developed a problem with alcohol that progressively grew worse. Her family staged an intervention and invited me to participate. I declined.

The reason?

I knew she would be furious, and I couldn’t stand the thought of her being angry at me! …