In today’s fast-paced society, it seems like we’re all trying to find a way to slow down and enjoy each moment. It can be challenging at times to carve out time for ourselves.

Plus, it’s hard to take a minute or two to notice what’s going on around us and enjoy our surroundings. Many people find that meditation is the key to being present in their daily lives.

By Kassie Soni, MA

In the past decade, the Internet has completely revolutionized dating. While some people still find their relationships through chance encounters or blind dates, dating apps such as Tinder have made it easy (and fun!) to meet potential new partners. However, these dates don’t always go as planned. Sometimes, you may find that the intriguing person you met online is a bit lackluster in real life. Or, they might not even look like their profile picture in the slightest!

When life gets stressful, your first inclination may be to turn to family and friends for support and encouragement. When the tables are turned, you are usually available to support them as well.

Even so, pinning all your stress and worries on your friends and family may become exhausting over time, for them and for you.

Pleasing people fosters happiness and contentment; people-pleasing promotes stress.

But wait… aren’t those the same things?

Far from it. One is a healthy behavior, the other an unhealthy one. One comes from a place of abundance, the other from a place of deficiency.

It’s all about purpose. How so?

We’re all familiar with the most common New Year’s resolutions. Losing weight, getting in shape, and earning or saving more money all top the list.

And these are reasonable goals to have. After all, it’s essential to maintain and improve our health and be financially responsible.

The holiday season is a season of giving. You likely pour out your time, energy, money, and support to a host of loved ones and activities meant to fulfill the annual promise of goodwill and merriment. Yet, you, like so many others, may feel challenged to achieve and maintain a healthy mental balance through all of the feasting and fun.

How well do you draw healthy boundaries with family, especially around the holidays?

Tradition and the marketing blitz from Halloween through the first of January are very clear: gathering, giving, and goodwill are the reasons for the season… whether you like it or not!

Giving from the heart brings happiness. That’s a universal truth.

One of the underlying qualities that motivates us to give is kindness—a quality that takes an active interest in the welfare of others.

Are you trying online dating for the first time? Chances are you’re curious about what to expect.

Maybe you’ve run out of dating options in your local social circles. Or maybe your friends have tried to set you up with too many of their weird roommates or odd cousins, and now you’re ready to expand your dating options.

By Sylvia Beligotti, MA

Life transitions can be daunting, no matter what point of life you’re in.

Whether you’re preparing for a big move, going off to college, getting married, changing jobs, or becoming an empty nester—these transitions are certainly a big life adjustment. However, it is possible to approach them, along with the accompanying emotions, with grace and creativity.