Updated February 2017: Since the new year is turning out to be just as intense as 2016, I updated this article and added one extra tip. OK, 2016 is proving itself to be a pretty intense year… and it isn’t even over yet. News from around the world has been bleak. With multiple mass shootings […]
“I’m Not Your Mama, Daddy” – Clear Roles for Better Sex :: Tuesday Tip
You’ll hear us say it over and over – being a new parent can be all-encompasing. From personal hygiene to personal identity, a new baby rules most aspects of brand new moms’ and dads’ lives. This crash course in nurturing helps us quickly hone the skills necessary to keep our helpless little ones alive and […]
Laugh and Laugh Often :: Tuesday Tip
When my newborn son and I were still figuring out breastfeeding, I realized that I was going to be spending a lot of time awake… in the middle of the night… by myself… in the dark. At first, I tried to fight through my sleepiness while I made sure that my new baby’s latch was […]
The Five Friends You Need to Drop :: Monday Musing
I recently did a workshop on healthy friendships for a mom’s support/networking group. We began with ways to identify unhealthy friendships, and the room lit up with recognition. Every woman nodded along with at least one example, and their expressions were a mix of insight and frustration. The best observation/question: “Why do we do this?” […]
A Workout for Busy Moms :: Wednesday Wisdom
Meet Allison Lambert. She is an ACE certified personal trainer, former psychology teacher and college athlete. Her desire to help women get healthy lead her to create The Fit Tutor, an online fitness service for women. Some personal trainers wear camo pants, yell a lot, or show off their six-packs to motivate their clients. Not Allison. She […]
Mommy Posture and Other Signs of Martyrdom :: Monday Musing
“Did you know that bass means butt, Mom?” (insert Beavis-and-Butthead-style snickers) And that is how the latest “out of the mouths of babes” conversation began with my 6-year-old son a few weeks ago. He was referring to Meghan Trainor’s song, “All About That Bass”, the women’s empowerment anthem that is currently playing every hour, on […]
No Take Backs – 15 Ways To Keep Your “No” In Place :: Tuesday Tip
Can you identify with this scenario? You need to say no. After agonizing, practicing a speech beforehand, and finally saying no, you immediately feel crappily guilt-ridden and take it back, then wind up agreeing to do even more than you were initially asked to. The reasons for our difficulty in setting limits are complicated, often […]
My Children Come First :: Monday Musing
My memory holds a snapshot, rock-bottom moment from my daughter’s bout with colic. I was emotionally, mentally and physically exhausted. I’d isolated myself, even pushing her father, J away. I felt I was the only one who could comfort her, even though I often couldn’t, because, well, she had colic. I stood there holding her, […]
The Acupuncturist :: Wednesday Wisdom
Meet Jean Busch. Jean is the owner of Kingwood Acupuncture in Kingwood, Texas. Her acupuncture practice has been thriving for 16 years, because she’s so passionate about health and balance, and it shows. Jean worked as a nurse in the hospital setting (ICU/CCU, Medical/Surgery, OB/GYN and Neonatal ICU) for over 20 years before being introduced […]
Shooing Away Anxiety :: Tuesday Tip
The Internet is packed with articles teaching readers how to “tame the anxiety monster” or “slay the anxiety dragon”. I personally think of anxiety as an annoying honey bee that won’t leave you alone. It buzzes in your ear, it follows you around and just when you have something really sweet going on in your […]
3 Ways to Get Your Post-Natal Snap Back :: Tuesday Tip
About 6 months into my daughter’s life, I still felt tired, fried and puffy-eyed, while she thrived, rosy-cheeked, done with colic and ready to explore. She was sleeping through the night, and most nights I was too. We had breast feeding down, most of my anxiety had subsided and I had returned to work part-time. […]
Losing The Weight of Toxic Secrets :: Monday Musing
We’ve all got secrets, and the varieties are endless: Things we carry for others. Things we’ve done that we wish we could undo. Things we’re doing we wish we could stop. Things others have done to us. Our motivations for keeping secrets vary too: Risk to ourselves: career loss, relationship loss, reputation damage. More risk […]
On Prenatal Pregnancy Massage :: Wednesday Wisdom
Meet Luna Wood. Luna is a Nationally Licensed Massage Therapist and Birth Journey Facilitator with over 20 years of experience. She trained through DONA (Doulas of North America) and ALACE (Association of Labor Assistants & Childbirth Educators), and is currently a Certified Massage Doula graduating from the advanced six month Massage Doula program at […]
Take A Breather :: Tuesday Tip
Cheryl and I perfected the art of “leaning in” long before Sheryl Sanberg coined the phrase. With newborns on our laps, we would lean in real close and pick the brain of any experienced parent we could find, in order to get pointers and advice on how to raise these crying little creatures. Our friend, […]
Anger Is A Gift :: Monday Musing
Are you mad? My beautiful friend, Jean, is an incredibly grounded acupuncturist. She believes that most women are not given a template for dealing with anger, if they’re able to consciously acknowledge they’re experiencing it in the first place. Our training, at times by our parents, and constantly by society is to be nurturing and […]