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We tend to pay special attention to the bad things that happen in our lives, often overlooking the good things. It’s perfectly normal to do so, but it’s not always helpful. Fortunately, we can learn to be more optimistic and experience the many health benefits of a brighter outlook.

It's November and, as usual, the pressure is on. The holidays are around the corner, and quite a few items linger on the list of things I swore I would do in 2024. The daily health practices that support me throughout the year will soon be under siege. To help me cope, I've come up with some messages I plan to give myself at this always-busy time.

Working to improve our communication skills can go a long way toward deepening our relationships and helping us find solutions to our problems.

At times when we find ourselves seeking new friends, “birds of a feather” – those most like us – come easily to mind. But there is much to be given and gained in friendships with people who are different in one important way.

Out of sight and out of mind, our bones are often overlooked in our exercise routines. But they are more important than we may realize, and there are many ways to give them the attention they deserve.

Throughout the day, many things besides hunger may prompt us to eat. Gaining an understanding of our food cues can provide insights that will go a long way toward helping us manage our eating for better health.

When we think of storybooks for the youngest children, we expect they will be outgrown at a point, like a pair of too-small pajamas. Revisiting some of these stories has changed my mind about this, opening my eyes to the agelessness of their important life lessons.

When we think of improving our health habits, we usually start with outcomes, what we would like to be different: our weight, stress level, work-life balance, or something else. The path to those outcomes can feel arduous and joyless, and our results may be short-lived. Starting in a different place can make the journey less difficult and our results more enduring.

If you were asked to think of a particular US age group best described as active, creative, involved and inspired, the elderly might not first come to mind. As my birthday rolled around this year, I questioned how we could make getting old in this country a better experience.

As we take care of another person, we may reach a point at which our bodies or minds (or both!) tell us we’ve reached our limit. Here's what we can do when we see this happening so we can continue being the caregivers we want to be.

With reminders all around us of a problem-filled world, it can be hard to relate to the wishes we exchanged just weeks ago for a “happy new year.” It’s easy to despair or become submerged in anxiety at times like this. But a mindset shift can open the door to a year in which we not only survive but thrive.

When I moved to a new home, I had the rug pulled out from under me figuratively as well as literally. It took a new game plan and a new mindset to transplant the healthy habits I had worked hard to build.

When it comes to our health, we like things we can measure. Steps taken, weights lifted, healthy foods consumed, time spent in meditation – these are all ways we gauge our success or lack of it. But another metric, though less often used, may be the most important of all.

It’s easy to blame a lack of willpower when you fall short of a health goal. How else, you ask, can others accomplish what I cannot? But the answer usually lies someplace else: in what you have chosen to do and how. With the help of a health coach, you can shape personally meaningful goals and create a path to success that is uniquely yours.

Have angry words ever slipped out of your mouth (or food into your mouth) so quickly you can't remember how it happened? Luckily, we can learn how to bring our stress triggers under control so we avoid behaviors we would later regret.

It’s hard to believe, but our beliefs can influence our health outcomes. See what I’ve been learning about the role our minds can play in healing our bodies and keeping us healthy.

When we step out of our comfort zone to try something new and challenging, it’s normal to feel fear just as we did when we were young children beginning to explore the world. Even without a teddy bear, we can handle our challenges so fear doesn't keep us from missing out on the many benefits of personal growth.

Friendships are not just nice to have; they are essential to our health and wellbeing. But some friendships are more supportive than others, and some are until they are not. It can be helpful to take a close look at our friendships, both past and present, with curiosity and gratitude, to decide where to place our time and energy.

We often struggle to find the motivation that will lead to lasting changes in our health. But the source of such motivation is nearer at hand than we may think.

Are you confused about what to eat? Discouraged by diets that fail in the long run? If so, don't give up! By following a process to create your own healthy eating plan, you can experience success at last.

This article was first published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

A journal can be a powerful tool for personal growth, and that's what I hope to achieve with the little blue notebook I received for Christmas. Read about my plan for making that happen.

This article was first published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

Returning to a long-forgotten hobby, I discovered some health benefits I had never recognized before.

This article was first published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

With a few new approaches, the holiday season can be less stressful and can set you up for a strong start to the new year.

This article was first published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

Seeing what's new for an actor I like got me thinking about our roles, the ones we play in various areas of our lives. For some of us, it may be time to take a fresh look at whether these roles reflect who we are today and who we want to be.

This article was first published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

Call me a Grinch, but I really don't like the way stores start pushing holiday merchandise right after Labor Day. Read why I believe this holiday retail rush can be not only irritating but also harmful to our health.

This article was first published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

As hard as it is to believe, Labor Day is behind us. For many, Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer. And for some of us, that leads to a downturn in our mood. If you suffer from end-of-summer blues, having a plan can help turn your sad feelings around.

This article was first published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

Travel is all about making memories, and that's what I had in mind on a family trip to London. As it turned out, this trip triggered a memory about memory. Here is what we can learn from the amazing brains of London cab drivers.

This article was first published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

Food cravings can be powerful forces, driving the most well-meaning person to eat foods they would rather avoid. Understanding why these urges arise is a key to controlling them, as is practicing the technique of “Urge Surfing.” Incorporating simple dietary changes over time can provide a pathway to reducing the frequency of unhealthy cravings and to greater enjoyment of the food we eat.

This article was first published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

Creating new health habits and maintaining them at challenging times can seem like a lot of work. Making some simple but powerful changes in our environments can ease the struggle and make it easier to attain our goals.

This article was first published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

We all like feeling a sense of accomplishment. Sometimes, though, the very tools we create to help us end up hindering us instead. Read about the changes I'm making to help me feel I've done enough.

This article was first published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

We're constantly reminded that stress is harmful to our health. What these warnings usually overlook is the upside of stress. Looking for situations where stress may be helpful can go a long way toward mitigating its harmful effects and can even help us grow stronger.

This article was also published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

Taking a look at our motivations can help us take a more balanced – and even perhaps healthier – approach to exercise.

This article was also published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

We often hear of the worrisome, and worsening, state of mental health in our country. Looking at the difference between "mental health" and "mental wellness" can be both enlightening and empowering.

This article was also published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

Earlier this month, I wrote about Intermittent Fasting, an ancient practice that has garnered much interest in recent years. Here, my friend Mary Warmkessel shares her personal experience with IF and why she is so dedicated to it.

Lately there's been a lot of buzz about Intermittent Fasting, but is it just another diet that will disappoint in the long run? This January, a month when many of us consider changing in the new year, learn more about an approach to eating that traces its roots to ancient times.

This article was also published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

As I get older, I find myself paying more attention to intention, making sure I devote my time, energy and other resources to what matters most to me. Learn how healthy boundaries can help us live the lives we want.

What’s an all-natural, cost-free medicine that’s effective, widely available and fun to take? Here's what I’ve discovered about the many health benefits of humor and laughter.

A recent experience prompted me to imagine what it would be like to be really old. Read what I learned about how to thrive all the way to a ripe, old age.

I expect we have all, at one time or another, encountered a rough patch on the road to change. Here are 7 tips for what to do when life gets in the way.

This article was previously published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

I believe most of us would say we like to be in charge of our lives, deciding what’s important and doing things our own way. But we don’t always take this attitude with our health. See what I have written this month about engaging with our health and healthcare in a new and potentially very rewarding way.

This article was previously published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

As we have seen during the pandemic, health bulletins and recommendations can sometimes be more confusing than enlightening. In recent years, it's been hard to know what to make of the dialogue on sitting. Here's my take and what I'm doing about it.

This article was previously published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

Honing our communication skills can not only improve our relationships and our health but have a positive impact on the world around us.

This article was previously published on www.brendaaftersixty.com and www.thriveglobal.com

In a fast-paced world like ours, much can be learned from an old tale about doing things slowly and steadily.

Have you ever had the sense that other people believe you are more capable than you feel? Do you wish you had the courage to do the things they seem so sure you can do? Managing self-doubt can help us get out of our own way so we can do all we want to do and become everything we want to be.

At the one-year mark, the pandemic is still with us. As unwelcome as this is, it offers an opportunity to build skills that will not only help us through the coming months but also prepare us for future challenges.

This article was previously published onwww.brendaaftersixty.com and www.thriveglobal.com

To my surprise, I recently realized that my healthy eating was becoming problematic. to understand where I'd gone wrong, I took a close look at my motivations and, in the process, learned some important things about myself.

This article was previous published on www.thriveglobal.com and www.brendaaftersixty.com

Here we are in 2021! After last year, it’s hard to know what to expect next, but it’s clear there will be things we can’t anticipate, let alone control. Rather than use our time and energy worrying about these possibilities, we can choose to make this year memorable in a good way by achieving goals in areas of our lives over which we have control. In this month’s blog post, I offer a roadmap, based on principles of Integrative Health Coaching, to help you succeed.

This article was first published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

This year's holidays bring new challenges not only to our physical and mental health but also to our relationships. Careful planning and thoughtful communication can help us through this unique holiday season.

This article was first published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

Anxiety often involves worry over things we cannot control. Making lifestyle choices that ease anxiety puts us back in the driver's seat.

Changing how we relate to anxiety can help reduce its intensity and its negative impact on our lives.

This article was first published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

These days, even the calmest person is bound to experience tension and worry. A simple technique can help bring ease, clarity and composure into our bodies and minds.

This article was first published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

Setting goals and making plans used to be so much easier. We knew what to expect from the future, or at least we thought we did. With so many unknowns now, it seems downright daunting. In reality, there is much we can do along these lines, even now. In fact, not knowing everything may make some things clearer.

This article was previously published on www.brendaaftersixty.com

With all the wonderful vegetables and fruits available in summer, it's the perfect time to eat lots of healthy salad. In this post, I share recipes for some of the salads I have been enjoying this summer.

I always took this saying as a reference to how I feel physically, what my body can do and how I look. Thanks to Dr. Uma Naidoo and her book, I now know it means much more than that.

Whether working at the office or from home, we struggle with external distractions. Often overlooked are our internal distractions, the ones we carry with us everywhere. Here's how a professional skill caught me by surprise when it turned into something much more.

This article was previously published in Thrive Global and Ellevate Network's Medium.

July 4 was a reminder of how important independence is to Americans. And yet we hear about a "loneliness epidemic" in our country that is at the root of some serious health problems. Can it be that we haven't paid enough attention to our interdependence?

When we think of 2020 to date, the word "grateful" does not readily come to mind. And yet, counterintuitively, it may be at a time like this that gratitude matters most.

"Exercise is medicine." A catchphrase used by health professionals who want us to get up and move takes on new, urgent meaning in the time of COVID-19.

We want more than nourishment from our food these days; we also want comfort. Being intentional in our choices means we can enjoy comfort food and wine in a healthy way.

Following last week's article on starting out in the "Quarantine Kitchen," this week I write about lunch, the meal we may be least accustomed to eating at home.

At this time when most of us are confined to our homes because of the coronavirus, our kitchens feature more prominently in our lives than ever before. Chef Lizzy Briskin offers ways of meeting this challenge and turning it into an opportunity.

Continual worry about the coronavirus can make us sicker than if we caught the disease. Self-care practices can help us avoid stress contagion and even set us up for better health in the future.

Pondering the stages of change caused me to reflect recently on the most impactful health improvement I've ever made. Had I known then what I know now, I would have seen myself changing long before I'd taken a single step.

I feel a sense of awe as a year like this begins. Every year begins a decade, but years ending in zero somehow seem more momentous than others. Knowing I can scarcely imagine the next ten years makes me want to do exactly that. Here's what I've learned about visualization and its power to help us achieve what we imagine.

Holiday season can be a challenge when it comes to healthy eating. Read what I learned from nutritionist Beth Reardon.

Few things are as important as a good night's sleep yet many of us have trouble making it happen. While our challenges are as unique as we are, we can learn from one another's experiences. Here's my sleep story. What's yours?

My mind was more of a problem than my feet when I tried something new at the gym. Read what happened when I got in, then out of, my own way.

We often underestimate how our habits affect, and are affected by, those we live with. Looking at this aspect of our lives more closely can be rewarding regardless of our goals.

With so many choices, it's not easy to tell a wholesome bread from an unwholesome one. Here are some tips to help guide you.

Is a lack of willpower blocking your way toward your goals? See how one client shifted her perspective to get the results she wanted.

I’m not accusing you of lying about your age. But you may be mistaken when it comes to how old you are. Scientists are learning a lot about biological age, and what they have discovered should be of interest to everyone.

I'd never really thought about the definition of love. I knew love when I felt it, and I thought that was all that mattered. Just in time for Valentine's Day, I read a book that changed my mind.

It’s no secret that most New Year’s resolutions fail. The problem doesn’t lie in the concept itself. It’s in the execution. While the approach I recommend takes a bit of time, it will help you shape resolutions that increase your chances of lasting success.

This time of year can be challenging, taking a toll on our bodies and minds. A few simple self-care practices can help us deal with holiday stress.

Our relationships and interactions with others have an impact, for better or worse, on our health and wellbeing. The most positive relationships are sometimes those we least expect.

Better late than never is what I have to say about the delayed compliance deadlines for new packaged food labels. Here's what you need to know as these new labels begin to appear.

Meditation and mindfulness sound great, but you can't imagine squeezing one more thing into your busy days. Here are some tips for making it happen.

Is it possible that adopting a childlike attitude could help us reach our grownup goals?

It's hard to break old habits, but we can do it. An Uber driver was curious to know how.

The decision to downsize is usually a pragmatic one, but the results can go far beyond the practical. Read how downsizing had an outsize impact on my life. 

What to do when New Year's resolutions lapse. And a special offer to help you kickstart your health.

A joint New Year's message from Whelan Health & Wellness Coaching and Space to Breathe

Did you know that being grateful can have health benefits? Try putting your gratitude into action this holiday season and see what happens.

How can we deal with our anxiety over troubling current events? Here's how my anxiety got me in trouble and what I learned from the experience.

You’d think restaurants would want to be part of the solution to our national childhood obesity problem. Read this article from The Conversation to learn the impact - or lack of it - from voluntary initiatives undertaken by the restaurant industry.

Can people already in good health benefit from coaching? Learn how being a client as well as a coach has improved my health in ways I never expected.

“Remove Thy Shoes” is the Eleventh Commandment in our home. Most of the time, it’s easy to obey. But when we have guests beyond family and closest friends, more than just the floor gets sticky.

Don’t let social stress lead to serious health problems. Find what works best for you to help restore your balance.