4 Reasons to Appreciate Hard Times and How to Cultivate Gratitude

“Thank you for all the challenges that built my character. Thank you for all the hard times that made me appreciate the good times.” ~Unknown Gratitude is often associated with joy, blessings, and moments that bring us happiness. But what about the times when life feels hard? Can we still find gratitude in the pain […]

Choosing Reflection in Times of Change

Time moves slowly in the desert. Since relocating here in September, I wake with the light, like it or not. My closest local friend lives an hour and a half away. My husband and I have each other—thrilling in a second marriage in which we’ve never before lived alone without kids. Still, it’d been 30-plus […]

Harnessing the ‘Love Hormone’ for Resilience in Tough Times

By Jana Wu, LCSW, LADC Coping with the stress of our daily lives isn’t easy, particularly in the context of our collective upheaval from COVID-19, the changing climate, dramatic increases in the cost of living, and global unrest. The stress we are experiencing is real and affects our whole society. It’s therefore crucial to our […]

Eight Ways You Can Feel More Hopeful—Even in Dark Times

Should we maintain hope in uncertain times? These days, this question is at the forefront of my mind—and probably many other people’s. Especially when we face political polarization, humanitarian crises at our borders, and the prospect of a warming planet, it’s easy to despair rather than hope. But, according to William Miller, professor emeritus at […]