What a Group Chat Taught Me about the Importance of Friendship on Our Health and Happiness

Are you ready for some really great news? Getting together with a friend is not only fun, but it’s also great for your health and happiness.

We all know how important our Dear Family is but our friends might prove to be even more important, especially as we age. Research published in the journal Personal Relationships studied more than 270,000 people in nearly 100 countries and found both family and friend relationships were associated with better health and happiness. The benefits remained over a lifetime for people who reported strong friendships. …

Only During a Worldwide Pandemic

Seventeen years ago, I was 33 and the year was 2004. A highlight of my day was watching the Oprah Winfrey Show. I set it to the number one position to record on Tivo, insuring nothing superseded it so I didn’t miss one. I’d look forward to the time I could put my baby down for a mid-day nap to watch the day’s previous episode. Or I’d watch that day’s episode in the evening after putting my baby down for the night. Sitting cross-legged on my couch, I’d give my full attention to my hero…

Thirty-two students from a charter school in Los Angeles would watch me present from their home computers, unable to have let off steam during recess, unable to socialize and run around with their friends beforehand. I was excited and a little nervous to give my first Zoom lesson to middle schoolers. I’d presented to high schoolers, parents, teachers, and staff virtually since the pandemic started, but this was different. My new audience was made up of a classroom of impressionable 8th graders joining me during their health class period.

I dressed professionally in a nice black blouse with gold buttons…

Last year, as we celebrated not just a new year but a new decade, we never could have predicted just how tumultuous and life-changing 2020 would be- not just for ourselves, our family, our community, or our country- but for the entire world. It’s true there were a few in-the-know people, like infectious disease specialists and Bill Gates, who predicted a worldwide health pandemic was not just a possibility but an eventual probability. And yes, once it became apparent the virus was not contained in China, people like Dr. Fauci and Dr. Sanjay Gupta did warn us from day one…

The most important election of our lifetime is happening during a once in a century worldwide public health crisis. Scarlett red, electric blue, or a shade of purple in between, one thing we can all agree on is the infinite value of HOPE, ACTION, and GRATITUDE in moving us forward in the right direction.

I don’t know about you but I have PTSD from the last election. What I thought was going to happen didn’t. The political world as I knew it turned upside down with a shocking news cycle that has not let up. The comorbidity from the anxiety and stress due to the Coronavirus adds a whole other complicated layer. Record wildfires and hurricanes are in the news cycle. Reports of Election Day fears of outbreaks of violence are resulting in people stocking up on canned goods, toilet paper, and other basic supplies. Fears of a Civil War breaking out in our…

You’ve all heard the airplane metaphor about parents putting their oxygen masks on first before helping their child. It’s a cliche for a reason because parenting can in fact suck the oxygen from you and you absolutely do need to take care of yourself first.

Parents, especially moms, aren’t always the best at taking this advice, but I’m here today to tell you if you are happy and fulfilled, your family is much more likely to follow suit. This list of 24 ways to make you a happy and great parent- parenting advice may feel a bit counterintuitive, but eventually…

The moment our babies are born our hearts expand in ways we never thought possible. Love swells to infinite spaces we didn’t know existed. When our newborn wails after inhaling its first breath, we exhale with relief. We instantly begin to consider their safety with the underlying desire for them to inherit and to have a bright future. Instinctually we become Mama Bears who will do anything in our power to protect our beloved cubs.

We make sure they are being properly nourished as we breast or bottle-feed. We wonder if they are sleeping soundly and safely, warned against rolling…

And the Power of Storytelling to Heal

A masterful book can transport you into a different world, open your eyes to new possibilities, and get you thinking outside your normal thought patterns. So can a podcast that drops you into an intimate conversation as if you’re eavesdropping on dear family and friends. Imagine being a book lover and a mental health advocate and having the opportunity to get at the heart and in the mind of a skillful, well-known author. …