Brigitte's Blog

Cancer can be a teacher
Each of us have an epiphany moment that changed your perspective. It changed your life. Breast Cancer diagnosis (twice) and a rare primary brain tumor diagnosis did that for me. Getting outside in nature reminds me to be in the moment. I’m still here and can still do it. Consistent movement, like

Life Unfolds in Chapters
Life is like choose-your-own-adventure book, with many different chapters that make up the story of our lives. Some chapters are like “The Boring Village”, where nothing much happens. Some chapters are like “The Haunted House” where things can get spooky and thrilling. Some are like “The Time Travel” where you

Find Your Bliss
“I am always making plans, but I don’t take any of them too seriously.”- Oscar Wilde Bliss is defined as a state of happiness and contentment. It’s hard to describe what bliss feels like but it’s something that we all want to experience. Bliss is when you are in the

Why Hiking is a Great Way to Stay Healthy
Hiking (aka trail walking) is a great way to get exercise, enjoy nature and spend time with friends and family. It can also be an excellent form of meditation, as you are focusing on your steps rather than your thoughts. Hiking can be done on any path or trail that

Get Up and Live
Stop the presses. Being a couch potato isn’t good for you. We all know that regular exercise is good for us. It reduces your blood pressure, helps improve lung function, which in turn helps the heart. There is a lot of info out there on what the best exercises are.

The Fifth Element
One of the traditional things we do for Thanksgiving weekend is watch some good throwback movies. By throwback I mean “classical” that resonates with the audience. The Fifth Element was one of those movies we watched again. It’s a fun sci-fi action movie that is set 250 years in the

Creating a Workout Habit
We all know that physical activity on a regular basis is important for our health. Many people set goals with the intent to exercise more. But sometimes there is a gap between intentions and actions. People set exercise goals but then get “too busy” and push it off or because

It’s Cross Country Season
Fall makes many people happy and that alone can benefit your attitude for movement. My favorite time of year to run outside is the Fall. Runners can train better, move faster and experience the richness of Autumn colors. Fall running is also welcome because of the high temperatures and humidity

Reframing a Situation
I’m glad to re-discover this article, Life-Enhancing Strategy, on my blog from 10 years ago. It’s basically about being grateful (or thankful) for what you have and using a strategy around it. My takeaway is that reflection and/or prayer is a great mental exercise to engage in everyday. Other than family and

Career Fulfillment Isn’t Just About Success
A white-collar job with at least a five-figure monthly salary is the representation of a fulfilling career for many people. However, now that people are starting to rethink their priorities, it seems this standard is about to change for many. To illustrate, Moneypenny revealed that 93% of professionals are pausing from

How to Start a Stay-At-Home Business
This post was inspired by Marjorie Jones of Working Class Wow. If you have small children, you know it’s important to be at home and take care of them, but you also want to bring in some money to help your family make ends meet. You can do both by

Effective Methods to Help Overcome Despair
This guest blog post was written and inspired by Lucille Rosetti of TheBereaved.org Family tension, financial difficulties, or the loss of a loved one can trigger unbearable grief and feelings of hopelessness. By setting healthy goals, you can rise out of despair and regain contentment. Here are some recommended Methods

Be Yourself
One of my favorite things to do is listen to music, particularly while cooking or driving. This helps with inspiration and to spark creativity. I heard the song “Be Yourself” again recently and it brought up the importance of to not compare yourself to others. We are each unique. And

Simple Ways to Work Toward Self-Improvement
This blog post was inspired by Ian Garza of Big On Balance. Do you feel like you’re not quite where you want to be in life? Perhaps you feel like you’re stuck and not sure how to build the life you want. Taking initiative to start on the path to

5 Ways Seniors Can Live a Happier, More Fulfilled Life
This blog post was inspired by Jason Lewis of Strongwell – an organization with a focus on fitness for Seniors. The average person now lives to be approximately 77.8 years old. Unfortunately, quality of life tends to decline as age increases for some people. No one can avoid the aging process;

Elevating your at-home yoga practice for overall wellness (and oral health)
Yoga is part of my daily routine. When I wake up and before I go to bed. Yoga is mostly known for increasing flexibility, improving bone health, and strengthening your muscles. But few people know that yoga has several unexpected benefits — such as improved oral health. Here’s a great

Age gracefully
“The trick to aging gracefully is to enjoy it.” ~Unknown Aging gracefully is a term used a lot that gets my attention. A recent article I read about aging was, How to Age Gracefully; the author is an 80-year-old woman. This provided some inspiration. Now I’m reflecting on the

Self-Care can Help Reduce the Stress of Running Your Business
You are likely organized and goal oriented if you are a business owner or freelancer. You probably enjoy being a leader, calling the shots and value the knowledge that you’ve earned for your own success. But constant go-getting (aka hustling) can take a toll. Freelancers and small business owners may

Five practical ways to reduce tension in your household
Guest post by Derek Goodman Many families across the country are dealing with extra tension and stress as they self-isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Know that you’re not alone. It’s essential to address any issues that are causing tension so that you can promote healthy relationships with one another and thrive

The Confident Reality
The definition of the word “confidence” is a belief in yourself, the conviction that you have the ability to meet life’s challenges, to succeed and to act properly. Being confident requires a realistic sense of your capabilities and feeling secure in that. Confidence is not all encompassing in every aspect

Embrace the Gray
The worst thing I ever did with my hair was getting a perm in the 80’s. The best thing I have ever done with my hair is to just let it be. Back in the day I saw older women (like our mothers) dye their hair because gray hair was

Simple ways to spark inspiration
At the beginning of the year, people like to set resolutions for changes and to reach certain goals. We need to spark inspiration along the way to help us reach them, right? Inspiration is about enthusiasm. It’s the excitement of your mind or emotion to a high level of feeling

The year of resilience
Sometimes it takes something unexpected to challenge us to change. There’s no denying that the challenges of 2020 tested our resilience and made an impact on our routines. This was also an opportunity to pause, look inward, and make important changes to the way we work and live. It’s those

Times Like These
If you’re like me, you enjoy listening to music when cooking, driving, exercising, or just listening in general. Music can uplift you, it can change your mood. Music is an expression of emotion. The way vocals and/or instruments are combined produces a form of beauty. Listening to music has always