by Nancy | Jul 8, 2020
If you think the topic of communication is boring, redundant, or overrated, I’d like you to immediately find a bathroom and drop your device into the toilet. Seriously. I mean it. Now that I’ve weeded out the riffraff, permit me to state the obvious....
by Nancy | Jul 1, 2020
Raise your hand if you understand the difference between sympathy, empathy, and compassion. Congratulations! It’s not the easiest distinction to make, and it will likely come in handy the next time someone close to you is in pain. According to Dictionary.com,...
by Nancy | Jun 24, 2020
A couple of years ago, I posted a blog about having a positive attitude, and I think it’s appropriate to revisit this today. I previously shared an epiphany I had as a teenager when I realized that my dad was an optimist and my mom was a pessimist. I thought,...
by Nancy | Jun 17, 2020
As an expert on child rearing (joke — I don’t have kids), I understand that the time-out, the grounding, and the taking away of privileges are all ways to teach children about consequences. Hopefully, when you’re practicing consequence-teaching in...
by Nancy | Jun 10, 2020
Last week, I wrote about emotional support. I shared my opinions about the importance of providing it even when you’re not asked. If, on the other hand, you’re able to articulate your own need for emotional support, especially in times of despair, now...
by Nancy | Jun 3, 2020
Take a scroll through your contact list or, if you still have one, flip through your roll-o-dex. Is there somebody you know who lives alone? Do you have a friend whose mom is in an assisted living facility? Does your cousin’s step-daughter have an addiction? ...
by Nancy | May 27, 2020
Right now, there’s a monumental mess in our world and I don’t think anyone is embracing it. At least, I hope not. The mess started out with a conversation about a virus heading our way, and now it’s impacting us in all directions. I envision a...
by Nancy | May 20, 2020
I recently watched a documentary on Netflix called “Minimalism.” It’s essentially about two life-long friends who gave up their six-figure corporate positions to explore a lifestyle of “less is more.” They wrote a book, got rid of most...
by Nancy | May 13, 2020
After Week #1 of sheltering in place, I started looking for the good things about this awful situation. Channeling my dad once again, because he was the most positive person I’ve ever known, I began to appreciate things I’ve overlooked in the past, as...
by Nancy | May 6, 2020
Confession: I am not a perfectionist. “Good enough” and “okay for now” are sometimes the highest my bar gets set. On the other hand, I’m absolutely mortified if I find a typo on something I’ve already sent out. Go figure. I think...
by Nancy | Apr 29, 2020
Do you think the black cat is jealous of the grey cat in the box? Or do you think the black cat is envious? I’m not an expert in feline feelings, but I will tell you that in humans, both jealousy and envy can be intense emotions. We tend to confuse the two...
by Nancy | Apr 22, 2020
It’s so interesting to me to observe the entire spectrum of my friends’ attitudes toward this pandemic. From the virus-deniers (“it’s a hoax”), to the panic shoppers (“I’m gonna use it eventually”), to the hazmat suit...