I’ve been spending quite a bit of time lately thinking about how important it is to maintain a positive mindset – and how challenging it can be in a world that constantly bombards us with messages that are anything but positive.Continue Reading

One of the many things I admire about cats is their ability to focus. If you’ve ever watched a cat stalk her prey, you know that even though the cat is very much aware of what is going on around her, she will not break her concentration on waiting for just the right moment to pounce. What seems to be so easy for cats can be an overwhelming challenge for humans.Continue Reading

We’re still in this just past New Year’s stretch of time when many of us take stock of where we are in our lives. We think about what may or may not be working, what we want to let go of, and where we want to go. The one question that probably gets to the heart of all of this pondering is “do you love your life?” How many of you can answer this with a whole-hearted yes?

I bet most of our cats would. They seem to have the lock on the purrfect recipeContinue Reading

How many of you make New Year’s Resolutions? And how many of you actually keep them? I stopped making New Year’s resolutions several years ago. I wrote about my New Year’s ritual of listing everything that no longer serves me and letting go of it, and setting intentions for the New Year in “The Space Between the Years” last Sunday. Today, I’d like to suggest three habits that are guaranteed to not only help you stick to your resolutions if you make them, but that will make this year your best year yet.

Why am I so sure that these three habits will change your life? Continue Reading

Technology is awesome. I use it every day, all day long, and I wouldn’t want to imagine my life without it. From connecting with friends near and far via email and social media to shopping (Amazon and I are BFF’s these days – is there anything you can’t buy from Amazon?), technology has become as much a part of my every day life as breathing and eating.  But unfortunately, technology comes with a dark side. As with so many things in life, there’s such a thing as too much of a good thing.Continue Reading

How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then rest afterwards. – Spanish Proverb

We live in a world where everyone is constantly busy. The standard answer to “how are you?” no longer seems to be “I’m fine,” but rather “I’m so busy!” Many people seem to consider being busy a badge of honor. But have you ever stopped and asked yourself what would happen if you could just stop being so busy?Continue Reading

Conscious choices make a difference. Last month, I wrote about how informed and conscious choices about the cosmetics you use benefit not just you, but also your cats. Today, I’d like to encourage you to use the same diligence when you decide what charities you support with your donations.

It’s difficult to say no to all the requests that all of us see almost every day to donate to charities that are seeking a cure for a disease. Often these requests come from friends who are supporting the charity through walks, bike races, and other activities. And how many of us really take the time to find out how our donation will be used? We want to think that our money goes toward reducing suffering, but if the charity supports animal testing, that may not be the case.Continue Reading

If I had a dollar for every time somebody said to me “can you believe how fast time goes by?” I’d be rich. And if I had another dollar for every time I think the same thing, I’d be a millionaire. How is it that we are so aware of how fast time passes, and yet we waste so much of it? Why is it that we don’t live every moment as if it were our last – because it quite possibly could be? Life can and does change in an instant.

I’ve recently been reminded of this over and over again.Continue Reading

There is a maple tree in front of my bedroom window. We planted it when we first moved into this house, almost thirty years ago. I’ve watched it grow into a beautiful, mature tree. This tree has been with me through a lot of life – through both joyful and challenging times. Each fall, it’s one of the last trees to turn, and when it does, it turns the most incredibly bright, vibrant red. When the light is just right, my entire bedroom is infused with a red glow from the tree.

Since there’s a window perch right in front of the tree, I have pictures of all my cats in front of the maple tree. Continue Reading

What is the first thing you think of when you first get out of bed? What is the last thought before you go to sleep? How you start and end your day sets the tone for how you get through each day, and for the quality of your sleep at night. Research has shown that gratitude is a powerful force. Dr. Robert Emmons of the University of California at Davis found that  people who practice gratitude are 25% happier. They are more optimistic about the future and feel better about their lives. Combine gratitude with awe, and you’ve got an even more powerful combination to shift your energy.Continue Reading