Right after the proposal, everyone wants to see the ring, know the date, ask about the venue. As a newlywed couple, it’s easy to feel like you’re suddenly sliding down a steep slope to “I Do” without a moment to pause.

Swept up by the excitement, Emotional Intelligence tends to get pushed aside. (Related: What is Emotional Intelligence?)

You know when you’ve been staring at a screen too long and you suddenly wake up to your surroundings? Your eyes re-adjust. You realize you’re down some dark rabbit hole of Google or Instagram or whatever. You know that you’ve gone past the point of [...]

Brain fogginess is a terrible plague on productivity. Do you know that feeling when not all your circuits are firing? Your thoughts feel vague, the right words are elusive, reaction times slower, and your motivation levels slump into the doldrums.

What’s the solution for mental fatigue? More coffee...maybe. But there are more sustainable, natural substances that won’t leave you with that jittery buzz, caffeine withdrawal, or an energetic nosedive.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Pop Quiz: How Do You Cope?

What do you do when you have everything you want and need, but you still don’t feel happy? You have satisfying work; your finances support you; you have a strong home life... but it still feels like something is missing and true happiness remains just beyond reach. 

What are your coping strategies? Do you shut down? Do you avoid your feelings? Do you rev up? If you want to exit the conversation the second I ask you if you feel fulfilled, that’s probably a clue.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

There’s been a lot of truth-speaking filling the social discourse lately...and a lot of not-truth speaking. With the proliferation of sexual assault discussions as well as the more recent Black Lives Matter discourses arising nationwide, the idea of “speaking your truth” is front and center.

Have you ever wondered why you don't give voice to your truth? Before we discuss how to find your voice, let’s figure out where the phrase came from in the first place. If we’re honest, it’s been a buzzword for a while. This is not a straightforward walk down memory lane to one definitive point where [...]

You know that whirring-through-space feeling the holidays tend to bring? The crazy that comes with getting ready for a gathering or shopping til you drop!?

Everything tumbling around, moving overly fast, twisting out of the normal routine, and amplified by familial turbulence.

It’s enough to make you wish for some powerful, calming potion you serve your family (and yourself).

HINT: Not wine.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

“Look what you made me do.”

Even if you haven’t said those words, you probably know the feeling. Your friend startles you and you drop something fragile. Your co-worker procrastinates and you miss a deadline. Your spouse does something infuriating and you get frustrated or angry.

How do we escape the blame game?

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

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.

Between 1970 and 1990, the shift in family dynamics was staggering. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of children living with both parents declined by nearly 15 percent. The number of single-mother households or children living with grandparents saw similar, double-digit jumps. In the past decade, we’ve reached something of a plateau, as far as family statistics [...]

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