Adding options increases expectations people have about how good they will be and, Schwartz says, that produces less satisfaction with the results, even when they are good. I recently needed a new stapler because my old one broke. I thought it would be a fairly simple thing and went to my local stationery store. There…
The other day, I began typing the word “coping” into a Google search and before I could even finish, Google began to populate search results which included coping with Hurricane Harvey, coping with the mass shooting in Las Vegas, with sexual harassment, with grief, with panic, with the death of Tom Petty and coping with…
How do you decide what to pay attention to in a world where an onslaught of images and messages is constantly delivered by way of a myriad of devices along with an ongoing scan of in-person threats, opportunities and attractions our brains must prioritize every second? How do you maneuver around the minutiae of everyday life…
As children, we learn every day how to do life, from the basics of how to eat, get dressed, tie our shoes to more complex educational and societal lessons. Children need the release of play, at intervals, as a break from all that learning. Play is generally recognized as an essential part of growing up…
“In order to practice, you must be present in your mind,” said the yoga teacher at the beginning of a recent class. So it goes with any practice whether it be law, medicine, or running a business. In order to be fully present, however, you must find a way to be calm. That’s the tricky…
In a recent episode of the television show “Better Call Saul,” the titular lawyer who has scrambled and struggled to earn a living decides to call it quits with the law right after being offered the best opportunity of his life with a prestigious firm. He thought that was his dream, until it came true.…
I have a confession to make. The “before” picture you see above (left) is not a stock image found on the internet by searching “clutter.” It is a room in my own house that my husband and I dubbed “the Overbrook room.” We named it after we moved and dumped everything that we weren’t using…
As Joseph Campbell said, “The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” It is never too early or late to discern preferences, natural talent and hone in on areas of innate ability. Whether you are a student, young professional or someone who mentors, teaches or coaches, pay attention to essential inclinations. They tell…
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the one who’ll decide where to go.” Dr. Seuss, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” A client announced recently that “2015 is the…
When you look back on last year, are there things you did or did not do that you wish you could change for the new year? Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Ten Days of Awe, during which we Jews reflect upon our actions over the past year, seek forgiveness for transgressions and plan…