We got to Macy’s with hopes of touring their magical holiday windows when we were approached by a homeless man asking for money.  Vivienne was surprised to have someone talk to us that we didn’t know. When we declined to contribute, she stood still. The crowd was thick and pushing to see the enchanting story land thru the State Street Macy’s windows. She just stood still and looked up at us.

Holidays come with high expectations for ourselves and others.  Good stress. Bad stress. No matter what the brain may say, the heart longs for happily sitting around a large table with lots of food, family, and friends this time of the year. If this is your life today on Thanksgiving, enjoy it. 

Do you ever just feel like you visited too much, ate too much, spent too much money on a vacation and didn’t have a chance to truly recharge yourself?

This is the year of my mother’s passing.

I ask myself, from my training as a psychotherapist and coach and from my humble and flawed background as a daughter and sister, having made all possible mistakes, what I can share that might make life less difficult for you? Here are my lessons learned, so far: