Stop Working and Take the Day Off!

Although it’s Labor Day many people are tempting to get a little work done and catch up. Whether it’s paid work or work in the home it’s easy to think of a day off as a day to catch up. But this Labor Day consider really taking the day off. And if that feels impossible […]

Choosing Joy in the Midst of Despair

“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” Henri Nouwen It may seem odd to consider this on the day that Michael Brown’s family must bury their son. The murder, injustice, and despair can make joy seem impossible or certainly unattainable. And sadly Michael Brown no […]

Want New Opportunities? Close Some Doors!

Why is it so hard for us to say no to one thing so that we can say yes to another? Are we stuck on this concept that we can have everything that we want all of the time? Do we really believe that we can have absolutely everything without making sacrifices? When my husband […]

Working Hard doesn’t Make Self-Care Impossible

Recently someone questioned if I was being hypocritical talking about self-care because I work hard and have high standards for myself and others. I realized a fundamental misunderstanding (or perhaps just difference of opinion) in her statement. Self-care isn’t about total relaxation all of the time. In fact it’s the opposite. Self-care is about re-energizing […]

Silence Prevents Us from Healing – Lessons from Maya Angelou

When I first heard Maya Angelou speak I was captivated by her strength and openness to talk about her life as a Black woman. Yet she spent six years of her life in silence. How many of us within the Black community are living in silence? Keeping secrets that don’t need to be kept, worries […]