“In the end, the real wisdom of menopause may be in questioning how fun or even sane this chore wheel called modern life actually is.”—Sandra Tsing Lo The sun shone gently through the half-closed shutters. Outside, a bird was singing cheerfully. It was a beautiful morning indeed. Yet somehow, this morning seemed different for the woman still lying in bed. She lay staring up at the ceiling with a sad look. For some unexplainable reason, she felt that she wanted to cry. She heard her husband’s footsteps as he came whistling down the hall. But even that seems to grate on her nerves. “Time to get up,” he called cheerfully.…

“The greatest happiness is to know the source of unhappiness.”—Fyodor Dostoevsky Meet Sarah: “I hate my life. I’m not suicidal; I just hate my life. Before, it was just the kids who kept me busy by flying around the house during the day and crashing into one thing or another. Now that my husband is disabled and bedridden, I feel even worse.” Yes, Sarah admits she is unhappy—miserable with her present circumstances. Unfortunately, Sarah can do little about her situation as her husband’s illness and needs require 24/7 care and are outside her control. So, what can Sarah do to feel less sad and miserable? Working through unhappiness can be…

“Don’t let toxic people sabotage your happiness, ruin your positive attitude, contaminate your mind or destroy your self-confidence. Instead, surround yourself with generous, positive, and nurturing people who will lift you up.”—Farshad Asl Habits are not active choices you make. “A settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.”—Oxford Languages Dictionary “A usual way of behaving; something that a person does often in a regular and repeated way.”—Encyclopedia Britannica Dictionary  Thus, habits are automatic responses without thinking about them. Some habits are labeled “good” because they benefit us somehow. We view other practices as “bad” or “toxic” because they harm oneself or others and…

“Do not regret growing old. It’s a privilege denied to many.”—Unknown Wow! Where did the time go?? NO ONE wants to get old. If we had our choice, we would likely combine the wisdom of age with the vitality of youth. Ponce de Leon had that in mind when seeking the “Fountain of Youth” in Florida centuries ago. Yet, here we are. If you are a woman aged 55+ reading this article, you understand precisely what I mean about getting older. The aging process affects everyone. It is inescapable. It begins almost imperceptibly—a little ache here, a little wrinkle there, and a few gray hairs—but eventually, it engulfs a person…

“Happiness depends upon ourselves.”—Aristotle What is “mood”? “A temporary state of mind or feeling.”—Oxford English Dictionary Many scientists have linked food and mood. For instance, according to PubMed MD: “A number of nutrients and other active substances in foods are thought to have a direct impact on mood.” Further: “It is well known that unhealthy eating patterns can cause mood swings. Blood sugar fluctuates and nutritional imbalances are often to blame. Without a steady source of fuel from foods we eat, our mind and bodies don’t function well.” (Source: MentalHealthFirstaid.org) If you are a mature woman, you may not have noticed that you sometimes have low energy and irritability. Suppose…

“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.”—Willie Nelson What Are Thoughts? A thought is “an idea or opinion produced by thinking or occurs suddenly in the mind.”—Oxford English Dictionary Brain function produces thoughts, but beyond this fact, neuroscientists do not know where they come from. How the brain works as it relates to the creation of thoughts is still a fascinating topic of scientific discussion. But we all have thoughts. Every day and throughout the day, we constantly think, whether it be a thought, an idea, a memory, an event, an opinion, or a belief about ourselves and the world around us. These thoughts…

“The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful.”—Dalai Lama You are in no way a slave to your negative emotions. You can change them. You can create a positive emotional state. Tina’s Story: Tina, a teacher, was raised by an alcoholic mother. For years Tina suffered from feelings of guilt and insecurity. Then she decided to come to grips with the problem. What did she do? “First, I worked to identify the thoughts that caused negative emotions. Whenever these thoughts would surface, I would rethink them rationally and objectively. “Then, I would work on making positive thoughts…

“Meditation can wipe away the day’s stress, bringing with it inner peace.”—Mayo Clinic Staff Pick out your most comfortable chair. Sit down, loosen your skirt or trousers, slip out of your shoes, and close your eyes. Now imagine your feet dangling in a mountain lake’s cold, clear, blue water. Smell the aroma of nearby flowers. Can you hear the happy songs of carefree birds? You feel stimulated by the fresh mountain air. For a few minutes, eliminate, as far as possible, all other thoughts. With this peaceful scene in mind, meditate; focus your mind in silence. Feel better? More relaxed? What Is Meditation? Meditation is an ancient practice that has…

“If you don’t think your anxiety, depression, sadness, and stress impact your physical health, think again. All these emotions trigger chemical reactions in your body which can lead to inflammation and a weakened immune system. Learn how to cope, sweet friend. There will always be dark days.”—Kris Carr Meet Tammy, a stressed-out family caregiver: “My husband had three strokes within three months. I had to drive him from the hospital to a nursing home for rehab each time it happened. “I wanted to cry because the nursing homes were awful. “I felt such rage because I had spent eighteen years dealing with my husband, and not one relative offered to…

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”—Martin Luther King, Jr. Did you know that forgiveness is much like the money? You can choose to spend forgiveness freely and mercifully on others, or stow away forgiveness and only use it for yourself. We should work to foster generous spending habits when it comes to forgiveness. Why? A vengeful or unforgiving spirit may only worsen matters and can harm your health. Take the example of Betty. Betty refused to talk to her sister-in-law for over eight years because, as Betty says, “she did me an unbelievable and unforgivable hurt…