Self-care plays a significant role in maintaining good mental health. It’s important to have a well-stocked ‘toolbox’ of different things you can do for self-care when you’re experiencing a difficult situation or having a bad day Music can be part of that ‘toolbox’ because it’s easily accessible to everyone, almost anywhere. With streaming music services […]
Over on my Facebook business page, I frequently share local music events and encourage folks to attend. Recently one of my page followers asked why I did that since it’s not music therapy. And she’s right– a live music concert is *not* music therapy. But that doesn’t mean it’s not good for you! And it […]
Recently I happened to be standing outside a large room where a group of teenagers were singing and making music together. They were singing the kind of song where some of them were singing one line of song lyrics while the rest were singing another line of lyrics simultaneously, and then they’d sing the chorus […]
For several years now, I’ve been canning homemade jams– strawberry, blueberry, and peach mostly. There are nearby farms that produce those crops, and I like supporting the local small farm community here. Plus, I like knowing that the only ingredients in my jam are fruit and sugar. There’s just something simple and uncomplicated and nostalgic […]
Recently I was watching a talent show on tv. This particular evening a young woman sang, and the audience was thrilled. The judges gushed over her performance, and one judge was so excited about her that she rushed onto the stage to give her a hug. She said several times, “You’re so special, so very […]
One of the biggest challenges my clients face (and frankly, probably most of us for that matter) is treating themselves nicely. It’s easy to fall into the pattern of holding ourselves to impossibly high expectations and then bad mouthing ourselves when we fail to meet them. This is especially true of those who already struggle […]
Recently we had 2 large trees removed from our backyard in preparation for some major renovation in that area. After they were cut down, it was obvious that our backyard looked… well, pretty awful. The lawn had more weeds than grass. The concrete patio appeared old and outdated. Also, our swingset had seen better days, […]
We recently had a snowstorm that essentially snowed in the city for a couple of days until the sun came out and melted everything. I ran into a friend of mine afterwards, and she told me how thrilled she had been to be “forced to stay home and do nothing” because of the snowstorm. I […]
There are only a few days left before Christmas. It can be so easy this time of year to feel overwhelmed, overbooked, overworked, overscheduled, and overdone! When my to-do list has more items on it than I could ever hope to accomplish (at least until I magically turn into Super Mom or find Harry Potter’s […]
As the song says, “it’s the most wonderful time of the year…” In some ways, that can be true. Houses and stores look festive with holiday decorations. Seasonal music is piped everywhere. People throw parties and get-togethers for friends and family. There is an abundance of well-wishes and gifts. It can all contribute to a […]
