As a senior in college, I was involved in a traffic accident that eventually left me with neck issues and chronic pain. A couple of years later, I became severely ill with mononucleosis, which I never fully recovered from. Within half a decade, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, a thyroid condition which is hard to treat. […]

Envisioned work-from-home scenario: While soft music plays, the employee types on her ergonomic keyboard, glancing up at the full-size monitor in her designer-decorated office. As aromatic soup simmers in the crockpot on the kitchen counter, she enjoys several productive, uninterrupted hours. Real-life work-from-home scenario: The employee sits at her mini laptop at the kitchen table, […]

[Note: This essay first appeared on Mom Mentor.] Sobbing, I sat on the floor against 4-year-old Jordan’s closed bedroom door. “Let me out!” he screamed, hitting and kicking the door so hard it shook my body. “You’re a bad mommy!” How did I get here? I asked myself. Other desperate thoughts darted through my mind: […]

If marriage is a font, then ours is a Wingding. My husband Carey and I have tried being something more respectable, like Times New Roman or Courier, but alas, some couples are destined for weirdness. Before you picture us as The Addams Family, let me assure you that we have a happy, loving marriage. Carey […]

What are your dreams? Have you given them up because you think you’re too old to accomplish anything of worth? Well, here’s a little reality check for you: Sarah Bernhardt was 78 when she acted in her last stage performance Sophocles was 89 when he wrote Oedipus at Colonus, one of his dramatic masterpieces. On […]

The 30-odd journals on my bookshelf prove that I’ve had a passion for writing since I was a little girl. And after my first son was born, I began prayerfully crafting and submitting book proposals. Up until that point, I had been a prolific freelance writer, but it took me five years and about fifty […]

Daily life can be extremely stressful, especially the last year or two, and the unhealthy ways we often deal with that stress can lead to health problems, relationship conflicts, and even a feeling of hopelessness. While studies have shown that optimistic people live longer and enjoy better health than pessimists, it’s important to note that […]