In a recent Guideposts article, I compared the year of 2018 to the worst English paper I ever turned in, on the life of Mary Todd Lincoln. Totally uninspired, I began each sentence with “Mary Todd Lincoln” and earned a D. The great thing about a new year, though, is that you begin fresh with...

I’ve noticed a pattern to my attitude about starting a new year. The harder the year prior, the more I look forward to January 1. It’s like turning in a really bad English paper and getting to start over on a new assignment. A blank page and a new year give us the one ingredient...

Every December, I send poinsettias to a number of business acquaintances whom I respect. It’s a networking gesture I learned from my dad. Last night I compiled my list of colleagues for this year’s batch. However, this morning I had a change of heart. I decided instead to send flowers to a handful of people...

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom” wrote Anais Nin. For me that day happened last July. I was vacationing with my family in Corolla, South Carolina, when all the pain I had been feeling for the last year bubbled to...

Most people think finding the right combination of medicine is the most important requirement to recover from depression. But it’s not. Nor is working with a therapist and employing cognitive behavioral strategies, although they both can be very helpful. Using mindfulness techniques, eating the right diet, getting regular sleep, and reaching out to a support network?...