Fall meant Apple Hill where I grew up. Like clockwork, the air would turn crisper, and seemingly everyone would trek to the Hill for apple everything—donuts, cider, apples in caramel, and apple-picking. Applesauce and apple pies everywhere.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

"Are you an only child?"

That question always gives me pause. Yes, but also, no. I am not alone in being the child of a blended family. Nor am I the only one who’s a bit confused by the whole situation—parents included.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

The back-to-school season is a mammoth shift for kids and their families alike. Even more notorious are back-to-school illnesses at all ages, which spread far beyond the home and classroom. Every company with an employee who needs to pick up a sick kid at a moment's notice is familiar with the disruption.

If you aren’t already using essential oils, time to start! They're a fantastic way to jumpstart the immune system and reinforce your children's healthy—and yours!

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

“I was a little excited but mostly blorft. 'Blorft' is an adjective I just made up that means 'Completely overwhelmed but proceeding as if everything is fine and reacting to the stress with the torpor of a possum.' I have been blorft every day for the past seven years.”    ~Tina Fey, Bossypants

Stress has become the new status quo for many people and even entire populations.

Handling daily fatigue is naturally a huge concern. The skyrocketing number of prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications like Xanax is a strong indicator; so is the massive spike in cases of anti-anxiety prescription abuse [...]

Are your shoulders and necks getting tense? This stress is especially true for those who spend a lot of time on the computer. Many of us get tense in the shoulders, neck, and jaw—nine-to-fivers and mom entrepreneurs alike. Whether you are in an office at a desk or running errands, everyday activities like texting, driving, or even sleeping can contribute to a stiff neck. When was the last time you really stretched your fingers and forearms?

Related reading time: 4 minutes

Evaluating employees is a workplace standard that has been used for decades. At this point, it’s routine; unfortunately, it's a practice that has become rote. Business is drastically changing, and the old way of doing employee evaluations is outdated! Just look at the prevalence of startups, unconventional office spaces, and even workplace yoga.

Mindfulness is one of the fastest-growing interests in the business sphere. Now it is changing employee evaluations and feedback, too. When that inevitable, and admittedly often awkward, time of year comes around for discussing employees' [...]

Emotional Intelligence is like a theory on the brink of stardom. Over the past two and a half decades, the social theory has become one of the biggest buzzwords in fields like psychology, children’s education and business. From McDonald’s to the Dalai Lama and Harvard Business Review, organizations across the political and economic spectrum are diving into Emotional Intelligence (aka Emotional Intelligence Quotient; EQ for short). The history of emotional intelligence is less known but nonetheless fascinating.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Not every couple will struggle with glitchy Skype connections during months apart, the U.S. Government interrupting dinner, or the strain Top Secret secrets place on two people in love. Military relationships are subject to a laundry list of struggles—and joys—that others don’t have. But at the heart of military relationship challenges are the same human issues that every couple navigates.

These seven tips for strengthening a military relationship are based on the principles of Emotional Intelligence (EQ). Hopefully they will help with deployment, reunion and the everyday challenges of [...]

"Whether or not parents should try to be friends with their children—especially in the early developmental and teen years—is a hot-button issue in a lot of parenting circles. On one side of the debate are the hard-line parenting advocates, who believe befriending your child is detrimental to their development. But is it?Estimated reading time: 4 minutes