Sunday Purrs: Cats Create Human Connections

cat-connection

We all long for genuine connection with other human beings. Connecting with others not only makes life richer, it appears that we are actually wired to form relationships with others. In Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect, psychologist Matthew Lieberman explores groundbreaking research in social neuroscience, revealing that our need to connect with other people is even more fundamental than our need for food or shelter.Continue Reading

Sunday Purrs: Accepting What Is

accept-what-is-Allegra

Happiness can only exist in acceptance. – George Orwell

Every single moment in life offers us a choice: we can either be in the moment and accept what is happening, or we can resist it. This is a lesson that life tends to present to us over and over. Whether it’s weather throwing a wrench into our plans, or a friend or co-worker not cooperating with our wishes, gracefully accepting what is can be challenging. Continue Reading

Sunday Purrs: Embrace JOMO

Embrace-JOMO

I recently came across an article on 12 Weekend Habits of Highly Successful People, and I found it fascinating that many were not what I expected after reading the headline. Yes, there was the predictable advice of “get up early,” “get ready for the rest of the week,” and “keep up the momentum,” but a surprising number advocated making time for meditation, unplugging, and making time for fun. But what struck me as most useful was Randi Zuckerberg’s advice. Randi is the founder and CEO of Zuckerberg Media (and, yes, she is the sister of Facebook’s creator), so her advice to “forget FOMO and embrace JOMO” was rather unexpected.Continue Reading

Allegra’s World: 5th Adoption Anniversary

Allegra-Conscious-Cat

Hi everyone, it’s Allegra! Guess what! Today is my 5th adoption anniversary! Can you believe it? Five years ago today, Mom brought me home to live with her and Amber. Sadly, I never got to know Amber really well, because she passed away six weeks after I arrived. After Amber’s passing, it was just Mom and me for almost a year before Ruby joined our family. The jury is still out whether that was a good idea…Continue Reading

Sunday Purrs: Tea for the Soul

cat-tea

I love coffee and couldn’t imagine facing the day without that first cup. I also wouldn’t want to give up my daily afternoon latte, but with the exception of those two daily cups, I really am a tea drinker at heart. There’s just something soothing and therapeutic about a good cup of tea.Continue Reading

Nutra-Thrive-Cat

Sunday Purrs: Why Crossing Your Challenge Line is Good for You

challenge-line

Cats are creatures of habit. This may be one of the thousands of reasons why I love these gorgeous creatures so much: I love my routines, and change doesn’t always come easily for me, despite the fact that most, if not all, change in my life has always been for the better. And there’s nothing wrong with positive routines. When the Dalai Lama was asked “if you only had one word to describe the secret of happiness, and of living a fulfilling and meaningful life, what would that word be,” he replied without hesitating: “routines.”

But there is a lot to be said for moving outside of your comfort zone.Continue Reading

Sunday Purrs: Weather Anxiety

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The extremely cold and snowy weather in many parts of the United States has caused a lot of anxiety for many. Our friends to the north have been buried under up to 100 inches of snow in some places, and others have been experiencing temperatures as much as 40 degrees below normal values for this time of the year. Even Floridians have experienced record breaking low temperatures. As if all of this wasn’t enough, the media contributes to this anxiety with its warnings about dangerous cold, named winter storms, and all sorts of other weather hype.Continue Reading