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I spend a lot of time online every day, whether it’s doing research for an article, moderating comments on this site, interacting with friends and fans on our various social media sites, or responding to the never-ending flow of email. I also have an iPhone and iPad to keep me connected to this site, social media and email when I’m not at my computer. And I know I’m not alone. Technology has become a part of our everyday lives, for better or for worse.Continue Reading

Do you have a tradition of spring cleaning? To me, there is something very satisfying about the process, especially since cleaning on a physical level can also help clear mental and psychic energy drained by a cluttered environment. Just think about the last time you organized your desk or cleaned out a closet – remember how you not only felt a sense of accomplishment, but how you also felt somehow lighter?Continue Reading

We live in a world where we’re bombarded with news 24/7, and most of it is bad news. It’s everywhere: at airports, in line at the supermarket, even in some doctor’s offices (and don’t even get me started on how insane that is!) It’s becoming increasingly difficult to balance the desire for information with taking care of our mental health. It’s enough to make you wish you where a cat!Continue Reading

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.

There’s an awful lot of drama everywhere you look these days. It’s probably disproportionately represented in online communities – for some, interacting with others online seems to remove a “courtesy filter” that sometimes stops drama from happening in “real life.” Continue Reading

We live in a culture of fear. There has never been a time when people have been afraid of so much. Three out of four Americans say they feel more fearful today than they did twenty years ago. The media would have us believe that we need to be afraid of everything: the weather, the economy, terrorism, threats to our health. We get warnings via e-mail, text and social media. Surely, Armageddon is just around the corner.Continue Reading

Have you ever been the recipient of a random act of kindness? Maybe someone let you go ahead in the grocery store line because you only had one item. The driver in the car ahead of you at the toll booth paid your toll. A friend you haven’t talked to in a while called for no reason at all. If you’ve been on the receiving end of such an act of kindness, you know how wonderful it feels.Continue Reading

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.

Look to your cats for clues on how to do this.Continue Reading

There’s no question that we live in challenging times. Between our daily to do lists, the stress and anxiety that has become the norm rather than the exception for many of us, and the state of the world in general, we all need to take even better care of ourselves than ever. And one thing that can help you navigate life better is a buffer.Continue Reading

I love this time of year – for me, there’s something magical about the holiday season, despite everything that is happening in the world at large. Maybe it’s because this time of year takes me back to childhood memories – especially to that moment when I got my first glimpse of the Christmas tree my parents always decorated on Christmas Eve. In a child’s eyes, that was pure magic – an ordinary tree that had been sitting in a bucket on our balcony, transformed into a miracle of lights.Continue Reading

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Winter can be a difficult time for many. Even people who are not prone to SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) may feel the impact of the shorter days and lack of light of this time of year. Some experience a serious mood change when the seasons change. They may sleep too much, have little energy, and crave sweets and starchy foods. They may also feel depressed. Add to that that these are arguably turbulent and dark cultural times, and you have a recipe for mental gloom and doom that can be hard to shake.

However, the dark season also brings opportunities to add light into your life 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.

For me, animals, and of course, especially cats, have always been an easy way to help me find that spiritual connection.Continue Reading