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Experiencing Life
This five-minute read gives an account of my experiences with the Citizens Police Academy in which I encourage you to explore opportunities in your community to stretch beyond your
Memories of Bethlehem This Christmas
My musings of the spirit of Christmas after a life altering journey in the steps of our savior.
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A Tornado Warning Sparks Memories of Israel
Memories of the first days of war in Israel return when a very different danger threatens Kentucky.
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Rejuvenate This Summer
Whether you have a lighter workload in the summer, or the pace is frantic, opportunities exist to shake things up this season. Research (and common sense) tells us that time outdoo
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Restore Your Brain Today
If you’ve ever driven a long distance for a long-awaited vacation, you easily recognize the stages of your journey. You start out fresh, exhilarated. Once you break free of your
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Autism Awareness Month
April is the month devoted to several important causes that are near and dear to my heart. As a school psychologist and former case worker for special needs children, I have found
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It’s a Miracle We Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
The St. Patrick’s Day we all know and love, once looked nothing like what we experience today. Hundreds of years ago it was only a humble celebration to commemorate the life and
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What I’ve Learned from an Ongoing Bout with Stress
Three out of five employees experience work related stress in recent years and many careers, especially health care and education, suffer from staffing shortages and high turnover.
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How I Made Peace With Goal Setting
For years I’ve made elaborate goals at every turn of the calendar year. Holing myself up with a hot drink, envisioning all the ways I could improve gave me enough spark to send m
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Is Optimism all it’s Cracked up to be?
A recent trend caught my attention in the headlines as it scrolled past last week. I rode along the transit options of New York City and learned that optimism is a state of mind
Book Review When You Are Mine by Michael Robothan
Is there a difference between pure evil and horrendous, yet justifiable crime? Officer Philomena McCarthy would say no. That honest to a fault lens of policework developed f
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Who Are You Deep Inside?
Several years have passed since I’ve been able to go home. Not the one I sleep in every night with my family. I’m talking about the one I came home from the hospital to,
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Is There Such a Thing as Smarter Breathing?
How can something as simple as inhaling and exhaling alter our state of mind and health? Breathing is one of those things we completely take for granted. We rely on our body
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BOOK REVIEW Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult
If you’ve read at least one of Picoult’s imaginative novels, you know how easily you can fall into the lives of her characters and their misadventures. As expected, Wish
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BOOK REVIEW The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This novel is still sizzling in my thoughts days after the last page. The spicy allure of movie star Evelyn Hugo is bound to be the character you’ll love to hate as you get a fro
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The Mood Boosting Benefits of Autumn
I have been in love with Fall for as long as I can remember, even though I’m not so excited about the fact that winter is chasing its heels. Fortunately, I’m not alone. Autumn
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Have You Ever Wanted to Leave the Past Behind?
There are moments or long stretches of time we’d all prefer to leave in the past. One of the toughest things to do is distance ourselves from painful memories. Our recollections
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What Can We Learn About Motivation From a Child?
The question we all face at junctures in life is – how do we keep the fires of motivation burning? Everything we ever do requires motivation. To break it down even further we
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BOOK REVIEW Survive the Night by Riley Sager
Riley Sager has proven that he can up the ante with each thriller. Survive the night is an expertly maneuvered set of spurts, spins, curves, and brakes that convinced me tha
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Try Adding a Habit That Is Easy and Healthy
Finding the good in people you come across daily is something most of us think little about. The unpleasant fact is that we all tend to judge and even criticize others acros
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BOOK REVIEW Kill All Your Darlings
David Bell’s newest thriller, Kill All Your Darlings, takes us through those mysterious college hallways where the inside politics behind classroom lecture halls are revealed. Th
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What Does Empathy Have to do With Success?
Simply put, empathy is being able to feel the experience of another person. If you’ve ever noticed a small child try to comfort a distressed playmate or even a baby closely watch
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BOOK REVIEW The Moonshiner’s Daughter by Donna Everhart
The Moonshiner’s Daughter is a coming of age story featuring Jessie Sasser, a teenager who lives up to her name. This young lady grows up in the 60s during the time of backwo
5 Steps You Can Take Today to Increase Your Peace And Fulfillment in Life
A few weeks ago, I was preparing for an important presentation required for work. It needed to be an hour long training video once I finished the research. On the afternoon of my d
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BOOK REVIEW Under The Magnolias by T.I. Lowe
This summer read unearthed a range of emotions for me that seldom happens in one novel. Not only do I love magnolias, I grew up on a tobacco farm much like Austin Foster and her fa
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What Can We Do When the Season of Grief Lasts?
Now that the grip of the pandemic is loosening, we are getting on with life the way we once did. As with any great interruption in life, we can experience lingering effects
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BOOK REVIEW Flynn Berry’s Northern Spy
Northern Spy is a story of Tessa, an intelligent, career-focused woman raising her infant son on her own. The Irish Republic Army has been active. Terrorist attacks have thr
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BOOK REVIEW Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library
Have you ever regretted the choices you’ve made in life? In The Midnight Library, Nora Seed regrets everything, believing she is insignificant and of no use to anyone. She
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Beat Burnout Today
When I was in my early twenties, I accepted a position at a group home for teenagers who were wards of the state. I enjoyed the work and saw promise and potential in the kid
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BOOK REVIEW William Kent Krueger’s Ordinary Grace
Ordinary Grace is one of those novels that wraps you up in a time period with vivid details as told from the perspective of Frank Drum, looking back on his thirteenth summer
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How Do We Keep Creating After Soul Crushing Rejection?
A few weeks after sending out another batch of query materials, I received a bit of feedback. The first of which was a three line form letter that quickly got the point acro
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The Parenting Trap
As we pass between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day it’s natural to reflect on your own experience as a child and at the same time ponder our own parenting approach. Many
Is Mindfulness Really Worth Your Time?
There has been a surge of promotion for mindfulness techniques, meditations, and lifestyle changes. That focus makes complete sense in light of the increasingly complex worl
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BOOK REVIEW The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
This book is a treasure for anyone who loves a story of two distinct timelines that relate in more ways than one. Author, Sarah Penner, leads her reader to a mysterious Lond
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When Was the Last Time You Explored Your Identity?
If you are an adult living in the midst of career and family obligations, you probably dismiss the notion of reviewing your own identity. Wasn’t that step over back in tho
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Is Materialism Getting in Our Way of True Happiness?
After the past year, we are pacing ourselves through a period of re-boot. Most people are cautiously optimistic that society will march forward and growth will take root. Th
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Celebrate Your Bond With Mother Earth Today!
Since 1970, Americans have been recognizing Earth Day along with a growing number of countries. Today, more than 200 countries around the globe celebrate our planet and cons
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BOOK REVIEW Her Every Move by Kelly Irvin
I’m guilty – I judged a book by its cover. But this time it paid off. Kelly Irvine, a bestselling author with 19 books penned in her name, gives her all to each page. He
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What Does Autism Awareness Month Mean For You?
Read this 3 minute description of what having an awareness of autism means for so many.
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Your Cozy of Encouragement has made #54 on Feedspot’s Top 100 Inspirational Blogs!
A big THANK YOU to FEEDSPOT for including this blog and website on their top 100 Inspirational Blogs! I am also now #4 on the Top 10 School Psychologist Blogs! I appreciate all of
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BOOK REVIEW The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult
Do you love learning through fiction and exploring the deepest moral questions in life? This best seller may be perfect for you.
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How Not to Raise a Narcissist
If this topic raises your eyebrows, I assure you I thought twice before writing this. No one wants to have children who grow up to have narcissism or an air of superiority.
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Is Perfection Your Goal?
Is the constant threat of competition surrounding you or is the success of others stressing you out?
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Is Spring Fever a Thing?
Does the seasonal shift of spring bring real changes that impact our health and well-being?
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Time to Check Our Emotional Fuel Gauge
What are some of the less obvious effects of this past year on our children's development and our own social well-being?
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It’s a Miracle We Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!
Read how tough times blended a nation and people who can now share their unique qualities.
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Why Are Teenagers So Sleepy?
What can we do to improve our children's mood, energy, cognitive functioning, and attention spans?
What’s the Big Deal About Sleep?
Is sleeping a full 8 or so hours each night really that important for resilient kids or ourselves? You may be surprised to discover what researchers have found.
Check out FEEDSPOT to see this blog on the Top 10 School Psychologist Websites
I appreciate FEEDSPOT for adding me to this list!
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How Do You Rate Your Self-Esteem?
Could your self-esteem use a boost lately? See if you can relate to these authentic ways of improving our sense of value.
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Is it Time to Clear Away Your Mental Fog?
Are you on top of your game every day? Read up on a few tips to help sharpen your focus and encourage creativity.
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BOOK REVIEW Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
I challenge you to open this thriller and lose interest. I am still thinking about it and marveling at the fabulous secrets revealed behind those locked doors!
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How Do We Skip Over Dread and Do What We Want?
Do you ever find a hurtle of dread in front of you when planning to do something you know you need to do, and deep down want to do? Why is it so hard to get going sometimes?
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BOOK REVIEW The Push by Ashley Audrain
The Push is a powerful and emotional journey of daughters, mothers, wives, and how sometimes our greatest fears come to life. This is an enlightening portrayal of life's greatest a
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What Will You Do for Random Acts of Kindness Day?
What can you do to spread a little kindness today?
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What is Love Anyway?
Do you feel confused at times about the nature of love in this crazy world? Take 3 minutes to read your Valentine's message from me to you in our cozy corner of encouragement.
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How Can Human Suffering Turn to Peace
Trauma. The word itself can tick up your heartrate and have us imagining war-torn countries, natural disasters, or horrendous assaults. It could also bring to mind personal memorie
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Celebrating the Gift of Love Begins Inside Your Own Heart
Are you ready to celebrate your closest relationships? Read on to prepare for the season of love.
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Excited About Groundhog Day?? Come Out of Your Hole & See What’s Ahead
Groundhog Day may not peek your interest, but read on for your encouraging message about the weeks ahead.
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Stress Relief May be as Close as a Good Belly Laugh
Few opportunities exist in our world to instantly improve our mood, lighten our stress, and deepen our attachment to our fellow humans. Could having a laugh be that powerful?
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Is There Such A Thing As Aging Gracefully?
What do you expect to achieve and accomplish as you grow older? Those perceptions can have a great impact on how healthy, happy, and productive you will be.
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BOOK REVIEW OF Louise Penny’s The Beautiful Mystery
Have you ever heard of the sacred chants of centuries ago, much less a murder in a tight-knit community of monks? This novel really is a beautiful and unique mystery.
What Can a Child Teach us About Happiness?
What can you boost about your daily life right now that can help you live happier and healthier? We look no further than the nearest child for an answer.
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Review of Darby Kane’s Pretty Little Wife
"Pretty Little Wife", Lila Ridgefield, could be a victim or possibly a vigilante hero, depending on who you ask. After reading this compelling thriller, only you can decide.
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The New Way to a New You
How are you navigating your health and wellbeing in these first days of the new year? Take some time to refocus on what matters in the scheme of things - you!
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Review of David Bell’s The Request
The Request will remind you of how fickle our trust can be in friends and family when our world turns upside down. You might not even trust yourself.
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What Does Family Mean to You?
Could you find more fulfillment in your life through deeper connections with family?
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Review of Ruth Ware’s The Turn of The Key
As suspenseful and twisted as Ruth Ware’s writing reputation would imply, "The Turn of The Key" is my favorite yet with all the elements needed to mark a thriller you won't forge
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Happy Fresh Start!
Just as 2020 has been one to remember or possibly better off left in the rearview mirror, renew your spirit and hit restart for a fresh season of what you hold close.
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How Can Nostalgia Brighten our Christmas?
Take a journey through your past with mementos and traditions - your Christmas spirit will be sure to take flight.
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Why Should You Take a Moment for Nostalgia?
Cuddling up for a cozy moment with the old photo album and a purposeful walk down memory lane can make for a brighter perspective and a welcome rekindling of holidays past.
Artist Stephanie Cobb’s Interview Clip
Listen in as Artist Stephanie Cobb tells us how to tap into our creative spirit!
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Inspiration from Artist Stephanie Cobb
Hit the highlights of my fabulous interview with artist, Stephanie Cobb. Her insight has rejuvenated my soul and will undoubtedly encourage you too.
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Review of Next Year in Havana
Fall into the stunning world of authentic food, culture, and magnificent landscapes of the Cuban experience spanning two generations torn between war and love of their homeland.
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Going Beyond Daily To-do Lists
Could you be doing more to heighten your productivity at work and strengthen your sense of balance in life?
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Does Multitasking Work for You?
Should we put our energy into multitasking or is there a better way to accomplish our best?
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How Good Are You at Forgiving Yourself?
Forgiving ourselves is one of the hardest feats to accomplish in this crazy world. Are you ready for a new year and a new you?
What is Forgiveness?
The mysterious notion of extending forgiveness to those who have deeply wounded you can seem impossible. Just when you think you've forgiven someone, the memory of it stings all ov
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A Moment of Gratitude
Zero in on what matters this season. Capturing each moment and soaking in the atmosphere of your smaller world can be every bit as special as your imagination can muster.
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Why Should We Celebrate Thanksgiving?
Slowing down to seek out the deeper meaning of thankfulness might be more important now than ever.
How Thankful Are You This Year?
Are you ready for this year to be over? How about approaching Thanksgiving a little different this year?
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4 Ways to Repair a Friendship
The election is behind us and the aftermath can be hazy as the dust settles. Things we've said to the dearest of friends or family are floating in our memories. Just when we need o
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Recovering From Political Upheaval
How can we move past this historical election during a worldwide pandemic? It sounds like a dark thriller book or movie. Our environment has brought out the best and worst for so m
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Are You an Impostor?
Feeling as if we don't quite measure up is more common than you may realize, especially in a competitive society. Read on for a reminder of the trap you can slip into without reali
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Are You a Victim of the Comparison Trap?
Do you find yourself comparing the life and possessions around you to those of others? It may be a blessing and a curse that we have that tendency. We just need to know the differe
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Advantages of Homesteading
If you have been a fan of homesteading or curious about the simple existence we can create in nature, read on for four advantages of homesteading.
A Case For Chickens
Do you have a favorite memory of a farm visit or love animals? You may be able to relate to these pastimes and find a way to create your own relationships with a cute creature.
Critical Connections
Times are hard and disappointment can overwhelm us. It's important to reach out to your family and friends and check in from time to time. You never know what a simple hello can do
Education Beyond the Pandemic…
What can we expect for the future of education with a variety of instructional models and the altered formats across our world? A trickle down effect over the coming years may be a
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Social Polarization
What began as a business model to gain engagement, growth, and advertisement through the dawn of social media has evolved into something with a life of its own.
Tis the Season of Political Polarization!
Political polarization is noted to be at the widest extreme ever recorded in our nation's history. What can we as individuals do to promote an atmosphere of peace?
What Value Can We Find In Our Mistakes and Failures?
A by-product of living on this earth includes the accumulation of a mental list of decisions you may wish came with access to a delete button or at the least, a reset feature.
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Are You Sick of the Pandemic?
What is a productive, creative person to do in this season of stagnation?
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Is Procrastination Holding You Back?
Have you ever had a future goal that stirred in your heart every single day? You thought about it from every angle and imagined your success, yet somehow, it never quite took fligh