By Stacie Prada
Lately, I’ve been pausing periodically throughout each day to ask myself, “How do I want to show up today?”
It only takes a moment, just enough time for a brief inhale and exhale. It allows me to shake loose whatever thoughts are running through my mind and start fresh. I like to imagine I’m shaking a marked-up Etch-A-Sketch toy to create a clean surface ready for whatever I want to draw.
Continue readingBy Angel Blair
When we hear the word relationships we often think about the connections we have to others. Bonds with our family, friends, significant others, etc. So we tend to forget one of the most important but commonly overlooked relationships we have, and that’s the one we hold with ourselves. We work hard to maintain and foster the relationships that we have with other people in our lives, but the relationship we have with ourselves deserves the same attention and compassion. This is a concept that can get lost in the shuffle of juggling life’s demands, but it has earned the right to be found.
Continue readingBy: Dr. Eva Jackson
For the past 15 years, members of my community have routinely organized vision board parties toward the end of the year or at the start of the new year, with an emphasis on goal setting. Personally, I have often felt uncomfortable during this period, as traditional goal setting has never resonated with me. I tend to set ambitious goals but frequently find myself unable to achieve them, despite starting with clear intentions. This recurring pattern leads me to believe that perhaps my goals are often unrealistic.
Continue readingBy Stacie Prada
I created a vision board years ago that included images of women doing yoga poses I couldn’t do. I attended yoga classes weekly, and I loved how it combined calming breathwork with some of the gymnastics, athleticism, and flexibility that my multiple sclerosis issues had curtailed.
I placed the collage vision board near my makeup vanity, and I didn’t put a lot of effort into tracking it. About a year later, I looked up, and I was startled to realize I could do all the poses on my vision board! Without realizing it, I slowly worked my way toward poses that seemed completely out of reach a year prior. Dancer, feathered peacock, and crane pose had become regular movements in my yoga practice without any periodic notice or celebration. With this realization, my glee absolutely overflowed.
Looking back, I think about how dreaming and acknowledging my aspirations, combined with regularly showing up to yoga class, were the key. They helped me achieve things I hadn’t been convinced I would ever do.
Continue readingBy Angel Blair
I always considered myself a planner. I constantly made lists; I carefully thought out decisions, big or small, to get to the most optimal outcome. I loved comparing the pros and cons of possibilities for things to come. Though I have to say since having kids, the planner in me has changed a bit. I still try to plan and prepare the best that I can, but I’ve had to come to the very real fact that plans change – no matter how much you prepare otherwise.
Continue readingBy Stacie Prada
December is the perfect time to reflect on how the past year measured up to hopes and goals. In January, I created a 2025 Bingo card that reflected various priorities I have. It proved useful and motivating as I checked in throughout the year. In November, I created a second Bingo card for the holidays that featured more self-care items, and it added a lot of value to my life. I didn’t complete every item on either of the Bingo cards, but I did a lot more of them than I think I would have without them.
Things I accomplished this year:
1. Dry January – 30 days with no alcohol.
2. Read three books – this one I exceeded greatly with the help of my local library.
3. Virtual painting party & complete a paint-by-numbers: This was a really fun project. I had a paint-by-numbers created from a photograph of my sisters and me. I gifted it to each of them for Christmas last year, and the plan was to have a virtual painting party, complete with berets and a photo op. It was a lot of fun, and now I have a really cool painting of us!
Continue readingBy Angel Blair
Time flies. You can say that again, and again, and again. It’s hard to believe that the end of 2025 is upon us and a new year is right around the corner. The year brought many changes, as the years usually do in one way or another, and either for better or worse. With it also came the same reliable sentiment that life is unpredictable, and to expect the unexpected. How time is precious and fleeting, and to take advantage of life’s special moments as much as possible.
Continue readingBy Samuel Fitch
As I write this on December 1, 2025, my mind turns to the year behind me. The first thought that rises is the people we lost. My mother passed away extremely unexpectedly on June 9. Her absence has sent a wave of grief through me, my wife, my four siblings, and her ten grandchildren. Yet as painful as it has been, I am grateful for what grew out of that difficult season. My brothers and sisters are now closer than we have ever been, and that closeness has carried us forward.
Continue readingBy: Dr. Eva Jackson
As the crisp air settles in and leaves turn golden, the fall season welcomes a tapestry of festivals, holidays, and cherished family gatherings. The sights of autumn begin with vibrant wreaths and pumpkins adorning front porches, while neighbors string lights and hang colorful garlands, transforming the block into a friendly showcase of creativity. Laughter mingles with the rustle of leaves as families stroll outside, exchanging playful banter over whose scarecrow stands tallest or whose porch glows brightest.
In my family, friendly competitions spark joy and laughter—from the men vying for the juiciest smoked turkey, the smoky scent curling around the house, to the annual debate over whose caramel cake melts best on the tongue. These contests—whether grill-side or oven-warm—ignite more than taste buds; they fill our home with cheerful noise, good-natured teasing, and bursts of shared laughter. Each tradition, from decorating to baking, is more than a ritual; it is a thread that binds us, wrapping us in a tapestry of delicious scents, glowing sights, and treasured sounds.
Ultimately, it’s the joy found in these simple moments—hands joined in dough, stories exchanged over dessert, and the echo of laughter in every room—that lingers long after the last slice of pie is gone. Our fall traditions not only color our home with beauty and flavor, but also strengthen the bonds that hold our family together, creating memories we savor year after year.
Continue readingBy Stacie Prada
Each year, the holiday season is a time of increased tasks, deadlines, and obligations. It can be stressful doing everything I need and want to do. Add managing my health issues with multiple sclerosis, and it can get overwhelming. I’d love it if the satisfaction of nurturing my health and sanity was enough to maintain healthy habits as its own reward, but it hasn’t been. Temptation abounds, and denying myself can feel punishing at times. I strive to enjoy both in healthy doses.
Over the years, I’ve trimmed down and streamlined seasonal tasks to reduce effort and stress. This year, I want to infuse fun with a Bingo card. By choosing items that support my personal goals and having a deadline to complete them, I’ll be more likely to do them.
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