per·spec·tive /pərˈspektiv/ noun a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something. Last week I was pulling into the underground parking lot where I live, and as I got to the second gate, I pulled up behind a red Mustang. The car was spotless and sparkling and the motor made that low rumbling sound characteristic of muscle cars. The male driver was sitting in the car in front of the gate, which was still closed. I waited for what felt like an eternity (but was probab

Last week I wrote about the concept of mudita, also known as finding joy in the joy of others. This week I’d like to continue with the theme of joy and happiness, because who doesn’t want more of that? The following is my three-ingredient recipe for happiness: 1. Accept your life as it is right now. 2. Shift the perspectives and attitudes that are holding you back. 3. Change your experience of life. Step One: Accept Your Life as it is Right Now How often do you say the follow

How often to you compare yourself to others, find yourself lacking and then beat yourself up about it or become envious? How often do you see happy couples holding hands or kissing and think about what you don’t have? It’s normal to feel despair, envy, sadness, jealousy, defeat and depression when we compare ourselves with others and their lives. There is no joy in comparisons. Right after I became chronically ill, the feelings generated by comparing myself to others intensif

And now for something completely different: a movie review! I’ve recently become aware of several documentaries that have been made about chronic pain and illness, so I figured a viewing was in order. Since I live with and write about myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) regularly, why not review a movie about ME? Forgotten Plague is a film about: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) aka Systemic Exertional Intolerance Disorder (SEID) aka Chronic Fatigue Immune Deficiency Syndrome (CFIDS