An animal can be a good source of comfort and a much-needed physical presence during distressing times. They promote emotional stability by providing companionship and helping remove the focus from everyday challenges.  An emotional support animal can be a dog, cat, or even, as shown on Eyewitness News, a pig if it comforts its owner….

What good parent doesn’t want their kids to be happy and successful? But how do we do that, exactly? We compliment and affirm, support them, tell them to chase their dreams, and teach them to live for something bigger than themselves. What else can we do? According to experts, we should teach them how to be…

Divorce is the end of a relationship and the dreams that go along with it.  In a divorce, someone leaves, and someone is left.  The finality of it all can throw a person into grieving and mourning, even if they want out of the marriage. Knowing the end has come – that it is all…

Conflict happens. Period. There’s no escaping it, no matter how hard you try. Even silly, trivial things can flare up into full-blown arguments. It’s crazy.  Since we can’t eliminate conflict, we should at least know effective ways to deal with it, starting with creating healthy boundaries and balancing our emotions to reduce unnecessary stress and…

People often bring out the worst in each other – just look at our world and how we treat each other. When the truth is everyone has something that makes them special and unique. It’s easy to assume we’re not as good as others or inadequate or unable to be loved. It’s hard to bring…

Some places on earth are known for their long, cold winters. Denmark is one of those places with cool summers and notoriously long, dark winters.  Hygge-Living After a while, living in icy darkness wears on a person. Maybe that’s why the Danish people are known for a concept called Hygge living (pronounced Hue-gah). Hygge is…

John Bunyan wrote, “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.”  The holiday season is here, and along with it, gift-giving. As lovely as it is to receive a gift, most people say they gain more pleasure from giving gifts than getting them. What better time…

“A person is called selfish, not for pursuing his or her own good, but for neglecting his or her neighbor’s.” — Richard Whately. It might seem silly to talk about “social responsibility” in an era of narcissism, blame, and irresponsibility. But the Golden Rule still matters: “Treat others how you want to be treated.”   How…

You’re alive and have breath in your lungs because of two other human beings who, either intentionally or not so intentionally, made it possible for you to have the gift of life. Now, I’m not sure how you feel about your roots and how you got here. Maybe your story is cheery and optimistic because…

Is it really such a bad thing to be shy? Shyness used to be seen negatively as an unpleasant emotional state related to loneliness or social anxiety, a perspective that is being questioned. If you consider yourself shy, you’re not alone because about 40 to 60 percent of all adults consider themselves shy, according to…

Sympathy. Pity. Concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. Mercy. Grace. Forgiveness. These are things that seem in short supply these days. In a word, we’re talking about compassion. Have you ever met someone who was all heart, whose very presence brightened the world? And thought, wow, we could use a lot more of…

Don’t underestimate the power and strength of being compassionate. Just because a person is compassionate doesn’t mean they’re soft or weak. Compassionate people are confident, resilient, and even fearless.   Here are a few habits and qualities of genuinely compassionate people.  They Don’t Take Things Personally Compassionate people know that life happens, and people make mistakes;…