With the upcoming election, I've discovered that my friends post more political messages and memes on social media than ever. I think about the quote, "Your vibe attracts your tribe," so perhaps they're searching for people who resonate with their thinking. But then there's the other side, "Your opinions might scare the minions."

Like many Americans, I watched in horror at the attempted assassination attempt of Donald J. Trump. All politics aside, I would have been equally horrified had this been Joe Biden or any other world leader or politician. The fact that someone wanted to alter the fate of our political process by manipulating the results through attempted murder is unconscionable.

I recently had to run for election to the board of my condo association. I campaigned on the following: Vision, Proven Leadership, Experience, Honesty, Integrity, Transparency, and Fun. After giving this some thought, these are the values I put into everything I do, whether it be hypnosis, Airbnb rentals, or managing the affairs of our condo association.

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.