It's been an exciting month or two as I've been running to be on the board of my condo association. As election day gets closer it's escalated into a mild form of cyber-bullying. While the threats are indirect and more passive-aggressive, they can still sting. Here are a few tips on navigating cyberbullying should this happen to you.

Memorial Day is more than just a three-day weekend that marks the unofficial start of summer. It's a time-honored tradition in the United States, dedicated to honoring and remembering the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the U.S. military.

A few weeks ago, a terrific opportunity came up. Friends of mine asked if I knew anyone who might be interested in purchasing their "vacation club membership." The perks included membership to a club along with thousands of vacation points. It was perfect for what Doug and I wanted and had been looking for, but was it a good deal? We began asking around. Other friends we knew had a similar deal and paid a lot more. We researched online and discovered we were indeed getting a good deal.

From Traci:  

Since it's April Fool's Day, I asked "AI" "What are some bad pieces of advice that people already give themselves?" Here's what AI had to say...

From AI:

Oh, the human brain is a treasure trove of bad advice that we generously give ourselves, often without even asking for it! Here's a roundup of some classic self-sabotage pearls of "wisdom" that we should probably chuck into the abyss of no return:

Last week was a tough week. It started with a trip to Quest Diagnostics to get my annual bloodwork to see how my Hashimoto's hypothyroid is doing. I'm a notoriously tricky stick. I think about having my blood drawn, and my veins shrivel up into nothing. I have learned over the years that I do pretty well with a butterfly needle, so I always make it a point to politely ask the phlebotomist to use one. This day was different. I got the phlebotomist, who did not like me telling her how to do her job. She told me she would see for herself and determine which needle to use.

This week, I'll be honoring the 7th anniversary of my mother's passing. Whenever I come up on her birth date or death date, I can't help but think about what she (and my father, also gone) would think about my life now.

As I approach my two mark on being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, I think of all the changes I made in my life.  I had already given up gluten, dairy, and soy, as they cause severe pain in my entire body.  I had given up nightshades (tomatoes, eggplant, and ALL peppers), which caused severe indigestion.  

I hate when I....

I'm so bad at...

I'm too skinny/too fat...

These are some of the language patterns I hear daily from my clients. They are telling me the words they've repeated to themselves for much of their lives. And they wonder why they're not happy! The problem is that they are only aware of how they talk to themselves once I point it out. In most cases, my clients have grown up in a toxic environment, with those words being repeated over and over. Then those words eventually became a reality!  

I'm in a Master Mind group that meets on Wednesday evenings. I may not actually "master" anything. Still, we discuss many unusual topics in this group that go well beyond hypnosis, hypnotherapy, and language patterns. Currently, we are studying an ancient Chinese system of self-protection that involves a series of hand positions and mudras.

Halloween is tomorrow, so let's take a few moments between parties and trick-or-treating to clear some of those "cobwebs" in your mind. Cobwebs are those memories that hide in the corners of our minds, collecting dust. Memories we don't let go of yet don't seem to do anything positive for us. Negative memories can often linger in our minds, causing distress and affecting our mental health. Every now and then, it's time to do a deep clean, so let's take a few minutes to clear these mental cobwebs and create space for clarity, creativity, and peace. While it's not possible to completely erase these memories, there are strategies you can use to manage them effectively.

In elementary school, my father would head out on Tuesday evenings to attend "Rotary." All I knew was that it was a businessman's organization, and they did businessman's organization things.

I screwed up. I admit it. I fell off the wagon.

Since I discovered I had Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, I have had to drastically change my diet. For over a year, I’ve mostly followed an AIP (Auto-Immune Protocol) Paleo diet, which means I avoid Gluten, Dairy, Soy, Nightshades, Refined Sugars, Caffeine, and most liquor. This was not an easy adjustment. As a comedian, I loved having my Crown Royal shot before a show and visiting the Waffle House at 2 a.m. I loved going out to eat every night. That had to stop. I ate AIP Paleo for over a year, and my joint pain disappeared. My digestion got better. My sinuses improved. It’s been a hard-fought year.