[HAPPY NEW YEAR! I allow myself one re-post each year, around now. I offer it as a reminder to us all – myself included – of the need to become/stay comfortable with saying no when people or obligations tip the scale and become toxic. Please consider. Also, while I have you, we’ve just switched to the domain savvylife.net, and doing so meant we lost social media data on the posts. Please know how much we appreciate the tweets, “likes” and “shares”. – Thanks, Alicia.] Could you organize the group gift? Could you babysit this weekend? Could you lend me some… [Read More]
What makes a life happy or successful?
Over the weekend, I delivered a talk on success in different cultures. What constitutes a happy or successful life? We all use a different yardstick, of course. Maybe a combination of family time, career accomplishment and financial security? A Mercedes in the driveway? Designer clothes? An Oscar? Let me tell you about one of the most successful people I’ve met. I’m not talking about a world leader, nor a famous athlete … in fact, no-one who would headline a Vegas show, walk the red carpet or stand on a dais. She was a six year old girl, and I met… [Read More]
Words to live by: our favorite quotes.
They’re scrawled on restroom walls, brimming with gritty wisdom. Etched on rings, on lockets, in hearts. Scrawled in diaries that reflect our journeys. Favorite words, phrases and other sayings find their way into our days. I once read that actress Sarah Jessica Parker used the word “grace” as a password, to remind her of this essential element. Here’s some of mine: “People come into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime.” – Author unknown. Not every player in our lives will be a permanent cast member. Sometimes they cross paths, play their role, and bow out. “I don’t trust anyone who… [Read More]
A few of my favorite things…?
Maybe I’ve caught bits of The Sound of Music a little too often (she says, loving it every time). Maybe it’s the frequent fire sirens lately. Or maybe I was inspired by a writer friend, who wrote eloquently about possessions and the hold they can have on us, as well as the delicious release when we let them go. So I’m wondering: what are your three most treasured possessions? And here’s a challenge: you can’t say family photos, diaries or books! Here goes: I have a parasol which I love. I use it every day for sun protection and it… [Read More]
Mistaken Identity: I am *not* the Boob Blogger.
Some people share their name with rock stars, world leaders or Nobel Laureates. Not me. I call it The Case of the Curious Stats (as in statistics). Like most sites, this website allows us to monitor general data—which countries are represented, which pages are most viewed etc. I was curious to see a recent spike in hits from Spain. Lovely, I thought…someone had picked up my blog in Barcelona or Madrid? The numbers continued to grow. Within a few days I was tossing my hair in that slightly-self-satisfied way, worthy of a shampoo commercial (I drew the line at winking). Then… [Read More]