Not long after I published Six Simple Rules for a Better Life, I read a book called Willpower, by Roy Baumeister & John Tierney, which had come out the same month. In my book’s introduction, I talk about how to make changes that stick. I knew my method worked, but…
I’ve worked in the insurance business for over 25 years, and one of the best developments during my time in the business has been wellness programs connected to corporate health insurance programs. For me, as a writer and speaker on topics along the wellness spectrum, the marriage of my vocation…
I’ve been working on a new habit. I’ve been trying to resist getting a second scoop of ice cream when I go into ice cream shops. I don’t go into ice cream shops often, but when I do I nearly always get two scoops, or some other “large” option. It…
I don’t believe in jinxes, but for some reason I still say, “I don’t want to jinx myself, but…,” and you might find me wearing a "lucky" shirt to help my favorite professional sports team win. I also “knock on wood”when I say something in front of someone else, so…
Last week, new healthy eating guidelines were released by the US departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services. The big message was to consume less sugar. Specifically, the recommendation is to limit to 10% the maximum daily calories from added sugars. In addition, less than 10% of calories should…
I was taking a continuing education class recently and the instructor told us a great story. A child was with one of his parents in the kitchen and the parent decided it was time to teach the child how to cook a roast. Early in the process, the child asked,…
One of my daughters was telling me about a position she was considering running for at her sorority. She had already taken on a lot (and accomplished a great deal) during her college years—at her sorority and in general—and had, at times, been overextended. I wrote to her: "If you…
Being disorganized adds stress to my life, and I would argue to most people's lives. Though while "Be Organized" is the fourth of my Six Simple Rules for a Better Life, I've also been trying to avoid placing too much importance on being organized of late; otherwise being disorganized becomes…
The following is a guest post by Stacey Marshall. As a child, I was always active. I was into competitive gymnastics for 10 years. I was into track and field, cheerleading, and basketball. I never watched what I ate. Weight loss or weight gain or anything of that nature were…
A bunch of years ago, when my company moved into the office building where we still reside, a number of people began using the stairs to get to our offices on the fifth floor. I had not been a part of that group until returning from a vacation in Positano,…
I almost never have a problem falling asleep. But, when I wake up in the middle of the night (which happens more, the older I get), I often have had a hard time falling back to sleep. I know the reason—too much on my mind. As soon as I start…
I received quite a few notes after a recent newsletter article about feeling overwhelmed by the many “rules” about staying healthy, especially healthy eating rules. There are many rules, and there seem to be more each day. It can certainly feel daunting. If you review the “rules” carefully, they don’t…