Health & wellbeing
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Small steps vs big leaps
“The smaller the steps we take, the more likely we are to achieve our goals.” ~Martha Beck Starting anything new can be overwhelming, whether you’re launching a new business, cleaning up your diet, trying to lose weight, or writing the story of your life. It’s hard to maintain the discipline and optimism that are required to make changes. As Martha Beck reminds us, small steps are better than big leaps toward progress. If you’re cleaning up your eating habits, for instance, start with just a few healthy changes you can stick with. If you’re learning a new language, master a few words or phrases at a time. If you’re writing…
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New year, old baggage to unpack
“If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness and fears.” ~Cesare Pavese Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your holidays. A slightly different version of this column ran previously in The Oakland Press.… Traveling Light in the New Year By the time we reach our wisdom years, most of us have accumulated way too much stuff. We need to weed out or pare down — whether we’re inclined to overpack our suitcases when we travel or stuff our bedroom closets with outdated clothing. It also occurs to me that I’ve been dragging around a trunk-load of pet…
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A quiet winter walk
“If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk.” ~Raymond Inmon Hippocrates believed that walking is the “best medicine,” and those of us who make it a daily habit know there’s some truth in his prescription. After adopting Coco, Doug and I started walking nearly every day, even in wintery weather. Coco loves nothing more than a long stroll outdoors, and for the past several years we’ve been motivated by her enthusiasm. Now in recovery after she was hit by a car, Coco is banned from her walks for another five weeks — so Doug and I have to…
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The gift of quiet time
“There’s no such thing in anyone’s life as an unimportant day.” ~Alexander Woollcott The month of December includes several family birthdays and holiday events, so most days on our calendar are typically marked with things to do. But our dog Coco was hit by a car before Thanksgiving, so this season has been different. To ensure Coco’s recovery, we’ve had to cancel a few plans, stick close to home, and keep our outings short. It might seem anti-social (or boring) to some, but I love seeing blank spaces on my calendar. It’s not that I don’t look forward to gathering with family and friends. But I have to admit that…
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Reasons to love winter
“What’s the secret to beating back the metaphorical darkness? Accept the inevitable, tend to your physical and mental health, and stack the deck with feel-good activities. Focusing on all that makes you feel great will make the time fly by – and let you win at winter.” ~Frank Lipman, MD There’s a light dusting of snow outside my window this morning. While I hate driving on snowy roads, I try to adapt when Mother Nature gives us the cold shoulder. There’s science to prove that spending time in cold weather slows the aging process and benefits our health in several ways. Being outdoors in cold temperatures “is showing promise as…
