For anyone considering breastfeeding, chances are you’ve heard some variation of, “for something so natural, breastfeeding is not easy.” I’m here to report that this statement is true. But if I’m honest, the same could be said of parenthood in general. Being a mom is simultaneously the most amazing and amazingly difficult experience I’ve ever had. In fact, I think there are several lessons I’ve learned from breastfeeding that translate to parenthood as a whole.

At various times in the past month, I’ve described my new status as retired…..or semi-retired.  The one thing that I’ve been very sure of is that I am taking the summer and fall off.  I need time to regroup and decide how I’m going to spend the next 30 years of my life. 

There is more than one way to be depressed. What comes to mind for many is a lifeless form, wrapped in blankets, curled up on the couch of a darkened living room, blocking out the daytime world. Others conjure up the image of someone drifting zombie-like through their work or school day, as if half asleep. Still for some, it is the memory of a friend or family member, crying uncontrollably over the phone, scared and anxious and lost. For more than a decade, I’ve embodied each of these ideas of what depression looks like and many more. 

Last August, I and the importance of having a more deliberate approach to creating community as I get older. In the blog and others, I’ve worried about how I’ll get the support I need as I grow older and recognized my need to learn, even at my present age, to when I need help.

Over 10 years ago, I heard about the concept of co-housing and found it intriguing. I want to avoid the kind of isolation that so many of the elderly experience.

I’m a communications specialist. I give media interviews, work with advertisers and from time-to-time, I represent my agency. You’d never guess it when I step in front of a camera or turn into a bulldog if a reporter or writer tries to hassle one of my coworkers for information we can’t legally share, but I am an introvert. I’m a little bit shy. I spend a lot more time conversing in my own head than I do with the world. 

At our house, everyone contributes. It’s not a big house, so even with just three of us we’re able to get a lot done if everyone does their part.

Imagine what could be possible if we approached our community the same way.

Like so many other things, “making a difference” in a community sounds kind of overwhelming if you think too big. Most of us won’t have impacts that make the headlines. But just like in our little house, we can get so much done if everyone does their part.  

“What are you going to do after you graduate?”

For those of you half way through your college careers with an ever growing anxiety about the future, I am here to tell you, you aren’t alone. I think you already knew that, but it’s a good reminder.

Moms everywhere tend to put themselves on the bottom of the priority list. Well, it’s time that mom puts herself on the top rung of that ladder. What we won’t do for ourselves we will do for our children. Do you want them to know how to embrace health and wellness? Well, then you need to be the role model mom.  Let's talk about how we can fit fitness, healthy eating and stress management in so we can practice OptiMOM health!

This morning I saw a post on Facebook about the four habits of happy couples:

1. They don’t leave without saying goodbye to each other,

2. They talk face to face every day,

3. They say “I love you,”

4. They surprise each other (in a good way) now and then.

Is a great relationship really that simple? Definitely not. But all four habits send the same important message – “I value you and our relationship.” That part is simple, and it’s a message that shouldn’t be reserved for romantic relationships. 

Imagine you’ve just been to your doctor for your annual physical and he or she tells you that you have prediabetes.  Don’t let the “pre” in prediabetes fool you into thinking it’s not really a problem now.  Eighty-six million Americans have prediabetes—that’s 1 out of 3 adults! Of those 86 million, 9 out of 10 of them don’t even know they have it.  Without intervention, 15% to 30% of people with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within 5 years.  With numbers like that, it’s important to learn about prediabetes and take action.  

Every one of us wants to be loved. And very few of us think that should be hard! Most of us experience loving acceptance from the day we are born, so what is the hard work about relationships and marriage? Aren’t human beings hardwired to seek and maintain relationships? Yes, but just as we need to have skills to gain employment, we also need certain skills to maintain committed relationships.

I think it’s safe to say most of us have preconceived notions of how our lives will turn out. Some people grow up dreaming of becoming star athletes, others of successful careers, many of making families to call their own. If you’re part of the minority and are unfathomably lucky, you can have all three. The rest of us have to learn to adapt and readjust our expectations and our dreams, which is sometimes easier said than done.

Kids Aid, The Backpack Program is more than feeding hungry children and youth on the weekends.   

It is tough working out in the cold. Period. Whether it’s the thought of frostbitten toes or the chance of unforeseen snow, it’s tempting to tell yourself, skip the workout, and stay in bed. Here are a few ways that keep me sane and on track with my fitness routine during this bleak season.

Throughout history, from Shakespeare’s pen to modern screenwriters, the ink has flowed freely when it comes to adolescence.