The terms introvert and extrovert are often misunderstood. Just because someone is bubbly and outgoing doesn’t necessarily mean they’re an extrovert, and just because someone is shy and quiet doesn’t automatically make them an introvert. The difference between introverts and extroverts has to do with how both types gain or loose energy. Introverts are drained by being around people for extended periods of time and need alone time to recharge. Extroverts thrive on interaction with others and tend to get drained if they have too much time to themselves. I believe that to some extent, these purrsonality types (I know. I just couldn’t resist!) apply to cats as well.Continue Reading

I’ve always liked the Thoreau quote “Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.” But I love this version by an unknown author even more:

Happiness does not light softly on my shoulder like a butterfly.
She pounces on my lap, demanding that I scratch behind her ears.

There isn’t much in life that makes me as happy as Allegra or Ruby. Continue Reading

I admit it: I’m a recovering worrier. I have a long history of worrying, and I learned from the master. My dad had elevated worrying to an art form. It wasn’t until the final months of his life when he truly learned to live in the moment. During my last visit with him, when he was already very ill, he told me how he’d learned to “appreciate every flower, and every butterfly.” It sounds trite, but it resonated deeply with me, coming from a man who had spent so much of his life doing the exact opposite.

I was also fortunate that I had a feline master teacher who showed me Continue Reading

No one can get inner peace by pouncing on it. – Harry Emerson Fosdick

When you run your own business and work from home, the way I do, you don’t have a set work day or work week. It’s easy to forget to take breaks, especially when you’re doing what you love. Thankfully, I have Allegra and Ruby to remind me to take frequent breaks throughout the day, but sometimes, I feel like I need a whole day off – and that’s what I’m going to try to do today.

Taking a break can help you gain perspective, recharge and refocus. Continue Reading

When you are not honoring the present moment by allowing it to be,
you are creating drama. – Eckhart Tolle

I like a good drama as much as the next person. Intrigue, passion, mystery – what’s not to like? But when I say I like drama, I’m talking about fiction, not real life. When it comes to real life drama, I don’t want any part of it.

Drama is toxic. Even if you’re not a drama queen, you’ll still be affected by drama around you. Maybe you have a friend who always seems to be in one crisis or another. Maybe you’re the person everyone comes to with their problems. Or maybe you have a tendency to turn small problems into much larger ones.Continue Reading

It’s funny how sometimes the things you’d least expect to bring back childhood memories are exactly the kinds of things that do. I’m not a big soccer fan these days, but you’d have to live under a rock to not be aware that the World Cup is happening in Brazil right now. And as the US team is getting ready for its second game of the tournament today, I found myself traveling down my own personal soccer memory lane.Continue Reading

We live in a crazy busy world, and without finding ways to counteract the stress caused by the fast pace of life and constant stimulation coming at us from everywhere, we end up stressed, depressed and anxious. For me, one of the best ways to decompress is seeking and enjoying solitude.

Solitude is not the same as loneliness. Even though they look alike from the outside, there’s a big difference between solitude, which is a positive state of being alone with yourself. Loneliness, on the other hand, is defined by a sense of isolation and a feeling that something is missing. Loneliness is about lack, solitude about feeling whole.Continue Reading

Connecting with our spiritual core is an important part of conscious living. We all have different ways of doing this, and there isn’t any one single method that is more valuable than another. For some, it may be through structured religious observations, often shared in the community of a church or other spiritual gathering. For others, this connection may happen during meditation. Others still may connect with spirit in nature. Watching a beautiful sunset or sunrise, walking in a deep green forest, or hiking in a striking desert landscape – all of these can help open a portal for a connection to something greater than ourselves.Continue Reading