Aches, Pains, and Love has officially been published in eBook and paperback. This week I finalized the audiobook version and it will be for sale very soon. My marketing team is working hard. My coaching and counselling practice is humming along. I've been blogging, guest bloging, I've been interviewed about the book and I've set up a few workshops and talks. I've also got an idea in mind for my next book project. Time for a holiday! While I am away, I'm going to unplug and ta

Travelling with chronic pain and illness is a topic that's at the front of my mind right now because I’m just about to leave for a vacation. I'm really excited because only a few years ago I was doing so poorly I figured I would never be able to travel again. Yet here I am, heading to a fairly distant exotic destination. Eleven hours of flying is distant for me, in any case. The other day my friend was over and laughed at what I had packed in my carry-on: 24 plain oatmeal pac

Balance. That's the word I chose for 2016. I want my life to be balanced. This is especially important for me as I live with chronic pain and illness. My plan was to get enough rest and not overdo things with work, especially around my book launch in February. I also wanted to have fun, not just once in a while, but daily. This included plenty of time for with friends, and taking my dog, Molly, out for adventures. If I were to get a report card, I’d give myself an F for bala

Hey, guess what? I took my own dating advice and it worked! I've been dating a new man for over a month now. I really like him, he's kind, funny and interesting, AND, he doesn’t fit the mould of the type of guy I've always envisioned myself with. As a result, a few weeks into knowing him, I found myself having doubts about our suitability. Let me rewind a bit. I used to work in law. I dressed up for work, wore suits and mingled with other young professionals. I saw myself as

“He upset me”. “She should be nicer.” “I made him cry.” “She makes me so angry.” “I don’t want to say no because she’ll be upset.” “He makes me feel really insecure.” How often do we blame others for how we feel, or take the blame for how others feel? Frequently, a lot, all the time, too often. So many of us walk around blaming others for what is going on in our own lives, thinking that all sorts of negative things are happening “to us” and that there is an external force cre