Encouragement

Sitting outside, dining in Houston, TX, I was recently reminded of the fragility of time. It began with a young couple being photographed near a fountain in the middle of a busy intersection. Beautiful green dress blowing perfectly in the wind, a picturesque waterfall in the background, and a handsome man adorned in his Sunday's finest. They Will Never Know You see, what this couple will never know is how closely they came to a tragedy that day. If those pictures were taken only minutes later, they may not be alive to see them. My husband and I were sitting on the patio of a restaurant across the street from where the couple was being photographed. Less than ten minutes...

Every day I see posts about encouraging and supporting single moms. And we absolutely should encourage single moms. But somehow and somewhere along the way a false narrative was set out to say that married moms have it all together. Somewhere the misconception began that married moms do not deserve or desire support and encouragement. Well, I’m a married mom and I need these things too. Parenting is hard. Single parenting is hard. Married parenting is hard. Co-parenting is hard. Being a mom is hard! By no means is this post to make light of the plight single moms are experiencing. It is simply to say, please stop mom-shaming married moms when we say we need help. Prior to having...

Disclosure :: This post was sponsored by Ochsner Health and written by Dr. Melissa Love.  How To Keep New Year’s Resolutions January is all about New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, most people struggle with maintaining their commitments for more than a few months. But there’s a way to be successful! It’s possible to keep your New Year's resolutions throughout the year, especially with the proper motivation and planning. Here are some tips and resources to help you along the way. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself to transform your habits and routines at once. Goal setting only works if it is realistic. Changing your habits isn’t easy, and it can take a few months to rewrite ingrained habits. Often, it’s...

I don't think that any woman realizes how or all the ways her life is going to change when she becomes a mother. Your brain becomes this storage space for everyone else's needs and wants. You are the one that makes mental lists and physical lists of the things that need to be done. You grow the capability to somehow know where all the "missing" items are in your house. Items you never use or touch. Your brain goes into overdrive and you'll lay in bed at night listing off the things you will do or finish in the morning. You'll tell yourself that you need a break and you'll sometimes get those breaks. But guess what happens? You still think...

This time of year can be completely magical. Whether it be the beautiful lights on display,  Christmas tunes playing on the radio, or the excitement in your children's eyes. All around us are constant reminders of it being the most wonderful time of the year (queue the music). For some, however, this time of year may not feel so wonderful. How do you make it through the holidays when feeling less than merry and bright? Tradition Goes a Long Way Christmas can be a time when material things come front and center. Children make lists for Santa, relatives often inquire about what to buy for the children, and we are inundated with magazines, ads and promotional offers. Some children receive many...