holidays

Best. Gift. Ever. (In Three Words)

Best. Gift. Ever. (In Three Words)

My kind and patient husband and I continue to learn each other’s love languages, the constant care and feeding of one another, how we each deal with stress, etc.  This was a busy week for us both. We were gone last weekend and leaving town again this weekend. Between clients, I’m running errands for my business as well as my personal life.  Scheduling appointments, painting a bedroom, planning travel, managing my staff, running to meetings, and so on, is exasperating. Stressed, exhausted and under pressure, I catch myself straying from the advice I give clients on how to manage stress-related conflict.  I used to think love alone was the key to successful relationships, but I’ve changed my mind. It starts with three little words.

3 Tips for Happier Holidays from a Mediator's Playbook

3 Tips for Happier Holidays from a Mediator's Playbook

Jingles may wish us happy holidays, but commercials and social media, by design, influence how we bedeck our homes, spend our money, measure happiness and practice traditions around holidays.  It can be overwhelming.

If we succumb to all the pressures buzzing around us, the reality is this: the main focus of the holidays is wiped out by stress, misunderstanding and conflict.  Here are a few personal stories as well as tips from my 20+ years as a mediator on how to avoid common pitfalls.