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The Case for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving exists because the early settlers survived in spite of horrific circumstances. Famine, unknown disease, and fear of the natives were only a few of the obstacles they f
How Can Work Improve Your Relationship?
I have a confession. After dreaming and scheming over what to do with a 10-acre property we purchased last year, we gave up hope of figuring out a decent plan. I even wondered if I
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What Community Events Can do For You
Sunday afternoons are usually the time for winding down before the upcoming sprint through another week. But a couple of Sundays ago I broke my routine to stroll around the Aviatio
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A Rekindled Love Affair with Tennis
After a yearlong season of inactivity and extra stress, I needed to return to a regular exercise routine. Weight gain and sluggishness tied me down and frustration only added to my
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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
What Does Community Mean to You?
When my pastor, Reverend Adam Shourds, asked me to briefly share with our church what community meant to me, I had to give it some serious thought. Although I attend church regular
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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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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
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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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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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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
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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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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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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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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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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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?
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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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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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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.
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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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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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.
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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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?
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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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.
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
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