Tag: relationships

Becoming Resilient in the Face of Grief

Two months earlier, Mita’s partner had died suddenly. “I hate this. I hate it so much. When will it get better?” she asked. Her plea carried the familiar chest-crushing tune of grief. As a widow of three years, I knew too well that the truth would seem incongruous if not insulting. So all I said…


Sincerity Matters: How to Make a Meaningful Apology

A heartfelt apology soothes both sides and undoes the awkwardness or damage of whatever you’re apologizing for. A genuine “I’m sorry,” however, has several components. Acknowledge Use the word “I.” Own up to your mistake from the get-go: “I’m so sorry for …” Avoid dumbing down the apology with passive euphemisms such as “mistakes were…


A Primer on Understanding & Compassion

A reader wrote to me that he is frustrated with himself — he hasn’t been as compassionate to people as he’d like recently. Lots of us experience this: we’re judgmental, quick to snap at people, getting frustrated with how other people act, judging people who have different beliefs than us. The reader who wrote to…


New Friends: How a 67-year-old Struck Up Lasting New Friendships During her First Triathlon

Jeanne Mitchell, mother and grandmother, had just moved away from the friends she knew. She retired and moved upstate with her husband to a quiet area on the New Jersey coast in 2013. “It’s a beautiful neck of the woods,” she admits, but “it’s not an area where you get to know your neighbors super…


6 Tips On How To Handle Gossip In Your Life

Do your friends like to gossip on a regular basis? It can be challenging to deal with gossip from the people that you like to hang out with. As a result, here are six suggestions on how to handle gossip from the people that you know. 1. Remain neutral: When hanging out with your friends, it…


Is Manifesting a Physical Skill, a Mental Skill, or a Spiritual Skill?

People often frame their manifesting skills as something spiritual, mental, or a combination of the two. Manifesting is often treated as something akin to prayer. Ask the universe for what you desire, and hopefully you’ll receive it. But what if manifesting is actually a physical skill in disguise? Other mental skills, including reading, writing, speaking,…


Office Politics: Dealing With Problem Co-workers

We seem to have rules for just about everything these days—except for civility in the workplace. Most employers think it comes down to common decency. However, since you can’t count on that, here are some tips. The Noisemaker Loud, disruptive office mates not only make life unpleasant, but they can also affect your productivity. Unfortunately,…


Manage Emotions Through Savoring Life

Allyson Pimentel in a recent meditation podcast reminds us to savour life and the opportunities it presents to experience positive emotions such as joy, appreciation and love. Allyson describes “savoring” as a form of mindfulness with a specific focus and purpose—in savoring we pay attention to the things that we enjoy and relish, lingering on the positive…


Good Neighbors Found to Be Important for Good Mental Health

Researchers from Australia have discovered through a nationally-representative survey that living in community-minded neighbourhoods can have a major impact on a person’s mental health. A survey undertaken by Australian National University (ANU) which monitored over 3000 people during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, showed that the social relationships provided within good neighbourhoods protect residents against anxiety,…


1 Simple Strategy to Beat Decision Fatigue

Over a decade ago, while we were in college, Mike and I studied abroad in a quaint town in England. While our time here has brought some of the most enjoyable experiences, lifelong friends, and awakened a sense of adventure within us, there’s one moment that still resonates freshly in my mind. Let me tell…