Don't you wish 'magic pills' existed to relieve you of stress, disappointments, pain, guilt, health ailments, and the list goes on and on? I sure do, but I know 'magic pills' don't exist. Whether you're dealing with an adverse health diagnosis, loss of a job or things just may not be where you want them – don't fret, because you are not alone.  

Sadness, if unchecked, can spiral out of control and can lead to depression, robbing you of joy, happiness, peace of mind, and your self- esteem. It is a relationship destroyer and causes havoc on your health that can ultimately kill you!  

My most recent encounter with depression came as a result of my work, as I am a Live-in Advisor to a community of individuals who've run from their abusers. Some of our clients have suffered from sexual abuse to domestic violence or have been victims of sex trafficking.  

One day, after hearing so much trauma from within my workspace, I decided to self-medicate by eating a lot of chocolate. I tho...

My weight loss journey began after returning home from visiting many friends that my husband and I had not seen for many years. For the past five years, I spent all my time and physical and mental energy taking care of him. In our marriage, Alvin’s illness priority #1; therefore, I had no time to think about my own needs.  After Alvin passed away in August 2017, I had nothing but time to think! So, just as I had put my heart and soul into his every need, I decided to do the same for myself.

I started when I visited with my sister in Colorado for three weeks during Thanksgiving.  I immediately joined a gym through the Silver Sneakers program, which allowed me to save money on a membership. I also hired a fitness trainer, and that taught me a lot about how out shape I was and what I needed to do to get better. 

I left Colorado to visit with friends in Arizona. The first two days, I exercised with my friend, who was also trying to lose weight.  I could feel myself becoming ill. On...

I was wondering to myself, one day recently, why I had so much difficulty doing it all in one week-by all, I mean spending time with my child, cooking, keeping my house as tidy as I would like, and running my practice. I seemed to recall childhood memories of my working mother accomplishing tasks more efficiently.  It dawned on me that neither my mother nor elder female relatives lived as I currently do. They lived in a community of people that could help. I recall cleaning my aunt’s home when her children were younger. She too was a solo entrepreneur, and my mother or grandmother would encourage (translation: make) us to help her out because she did not have time to mop her floors or do her laundry. I also recall being much younger and eating at different relative's homes during the week. Sometimes relatives would eat at our house. In recalling these memories, what I realized is that the same person wasn’t cooking or preparing a large meal daily. These bits and pieces of memory remind...