Are you the kind of person who is easily affected by the weather or other parts of your physical environment? Does a negative...
Imagine trying to cut down a tree with a saw that has rounded teeth, or dicing a dozen tomatoes with a dull blade. You might be...
It’s perhaps never been easier to have fun, but how often do we pause to consider what kind of fun we gravitate to and how it...
My adult Easters have taken on a pretty predictable rhythm. My husband and I drive three hours to his parents’ house. We go to...
In the journey of life, we encounter an intricate maze of duties, aspirations, and ambitions. Situated within this array of...
Prayer is difficult to grasp for anyone. It’s a spiritual practice that can and will look different for each person....
Words are hard. I might have a master’s degree in communication, but I can fully embody with this sentiment. We all struggle...
While introverts are often typecast as people who are quiet, shy, and prefer to spend their nights sitting at home, those...
A few years ago, I moved to a new city to begin a new job. While I welcomed the change of pace, I also found myself a bit...
A few times every year, I go through my social media platforms, removing various accounts and people I follow if I decide they...
Do you have parents? Are they human beings? If you answered “yes” to either of these questions, chances are you would benefit...
Ever found yourself trapped in the cycle of waiting for that perennially tardy friend, organizing celebratory events for...
The new year comes with excitement of a fresh start! “New year, new you!” — right? Most people make resolutions for the new...
One afternoon not long after our wedding, my wife Genevieve and I went to buy our first shared Christmas tree. This felt...
Unlike feelings of happiness or contentment, which can fluctuate depending on our circumstances, joy is something that we can...
Retail therapy. Ah, two words that caress like a silk Hermès scarf. If you’ve ever heard the siren call of the Target home...
Each year, the holiday season stirs up a myriad of emotions. For some, it is an exciting time of buying presents, seeing...
I’m ashamed to admit that the most wonderful time of the year can bring out the worst in me. The endless parties and other...
Does going home for the holidays just … throw you off your game somehow? You’re making efforts toward self-improvement and you...
Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year… until you take a look at your bank statement a few weeks later. It’s not...
What if we could finish the year strong, instead of stumbling across the finish line? Whether you’re feeling like Buddy the Elf...
Each year brings with it an earlier roll out date of peppermint lattes, Christmas radio music, towers of toys and artificial...
When everyone from Starbucks to your niece is reveling in holiday spirit, it’s a tough time to be lonely. You might be dreading...
Born with cardiac abnormalities, Janelle’s been in and out of hospitals since she was born. While she’s been blessed with...
When faced with approaching death, where can we find comfort? In preparing for her mother-in-law’s passing, Nicole finds the...
What comes to mind when you hear the term “addiction”? For me, I think of substance abuse, alcohol, and opioids, but I was...
We are taught to impress at such a young age. As a child, did your parents nudge you to share how you got good grades on your...
As I approached my mid-twenties, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next with my career. I enjoyed my work as a high school...
For the past few years, I’ve been seeing a wonderful counselor. I sought therapy because I felt like I was being pulled apart...
We’ve all heard about how important prayer is to growing in your relationship with God, but there’s something about talking to...
When I was a kid, I used to get rosary anxiety. Picture 10-year-old me in a 15-passenger homeschooler van with all my friends...
Do you feel like your spiritual life could use a little more….well…life? Let’s face it, in the midst of our busy lives, it’s...
I’m fortunate to have been mentored in many settings. I simply wouldn’t be where I am without those experiences. Not every...
There are few things I love more than stepping through the heavy front doors of my local bookstore carrying a stack of new...
We know that reading is good for us — so why aren’t we reading more? According to the Pew Research Center, more people are not...
I am a big believer in starting my day with something inwardly uplifting before I join the raucous call of the outer world that...
This past November, the American Psychology Association released their annual “Stress in America” report. The results are...
Historically, I have never had much of a prayer practice. I was accustomed to reciting prayers at mealtimes and seeking God’s...
According to the most recent surveys of religion in America, somewhere between a fourth and a third of Americans describe...
There is nothing more satisfying than putting a checkmark next to an item on my to-do list. As nerdy as it sounds, it’s a...
In fifth or sixth grade, my school took us to see a dead saint. The body of St. John Neumann lies beneath a church that rises,...
Forgiveness is good for you. According to the Mayo Clinic, it can lead to improved self-esteem, a stronger immune system, lower...
Whenever I get into a particularly busy season of life — like exam week, interview season, or when I’m tackling a huge project...
We were both standing in our kitchen. I made a gesture as if I was about to speak. My husband waited, but the words felt stuck...
Forgiveness is good for you. According to the Mayo Clinic, it can lead to improved self-esteem, a stronger immune system,...
“Have you ever read The Brothers Karamazov?” I asked my husband. “No, I don’t think so.” “Let’s go buy a couple of paperback...
Dating someone can be so exciting — your weekends are full of plans, adventures, and outings as you hit up movies, wine...
Where do we turn for wisdom about our sexuality? On the one hand, applying any sort of guardrails to our sex drive calls to...
Terry recently became a new father. He also works as a teacher and tries to make an impact in his community through his social...
One year into marriage, one piece of marital advice from my bridal shower has stuck with me above all others: always try to...
I never thought I’d have a spiritual director. Now that I’ve benefited from conversations with one, here’s why I think everyone...
I was recently sharing with a group of friends how frustrated I am that I cannot sustain new habits. It seems that no matter...
It’s hard when work is hard. As a career coach for people looking to be happier and more fulfilled at work, I see how career...
We pay a lot of attention to the big points in our married life such as our wedding day and anniversaries — but what about the...
Have you ever found yourself wondering if God exists? More precisely, wondering if there’s a way to know God exists without...
I’ve never had a very consistent prayer practice, but I challenged myself last year to use a daily journal. As it turns out, it...
When was the last time you really felt close to God? If you’d asked me that question a year or so ago, I would have struggled...
I’ve come a long way in building a regular fitness routine that is keeping my body healthy and strong. Seeing the benefits of...
Practices that increase our awareness, mindfulness, and resilience are incredibly useful tools when it comes to managing stress...
In my high school history classroom, one wall was adorned with striking yet peculiar wooden plaques. During Mr. Medeiros’s...
I once heard stand-up comedian/author Jennifer Fulwiler say, “What if you are the answer to someone’s prayer?” In other words:...
I received a text a while back with some terrible news: an acquaintance of mine had died in his sleep at the age of 26. It’s...
Back in 2016, memes started flying about how this was the worst year in recent memory. (I’ll wait for you to stop laughing.)...
Maybe you’re in a bit of a dry dating spell. Maybe your heart is breaking. Or, maybe you just want to see eye-to-eye with your...
“I would not be here if I was not loved so much,” said Dr. Gianna Emanuela Molla at a 2017 luncheon. It’s true of all of us,...
This pandemic has been an experience of love and resilience amid turmoil and uncertainty, which has prompted me to think often...
Research shows that nearly 20 percent of couples get a divorce within the first five years of marriage — and that was before we...
Routines and habits ought to be a part of everyone’s lifestyle. How often have you thought ‘if only I could stop time’ or ‘if...
There comes a point when the course of our lives falls into our own hands. For the large majority, this shift begins taking...
I was on a retreat as an undergraduate when I first prayed with Scripture using my imagination. The experience opened up a...
Whether you’re a college junior or well into your career, most of us will get to the point in our lives where we ask ourselves,...
We inhabit a world that prizes getting what we want as quickly as possible. Who isn’t in awe of Amazon Prime’s magical powers...
Our family vacation fell through this year. Our hotel booking had to be rescheduled due to COVID-19 restrictions, but the...
When he was elected pope in the fall of 1978, Pope St. John Paul II came out on the balcony over St. Peter’s square and the...
We’ve all heard about how important prayer is to growing in your relationship with God, but there’s something about talking to...
Racing thoughts. Muscle tension. Fatigue. Restlessness. Worry. These are all common signs of anxiety and to some degree,...