WellnessWithHolli

"Something was missing. I felt off."  A few months ago, I had the opportunity to present a virtual parenting class in the state of Michigan. Nothing really new to me.  Except this time, I was excited to reach a broader audience -- nineteen library communities would be connecting through one centralized district office.   At 2:00 pm Pacific Standard Time, I closed my blinds in my bright office and carefully arranged my desk, white light, microphone, camera, materials, and double-checked my power-point slides.   Yep.   Everything was ready.   At 2:40 pm, tech guru Phillip welcomed me into StreamYard, the platform we would be utilizing. We chatted for a few minutes. Then, as instructed, I uploaded my power-point. I struggled for moment as this format was new to me. With Phillip’s help, we got everything working.  We began promptly at 3:00 pm. For the next 90 minutes, I stared at my screen delivering the workshop.   I could not see any participa...

We are having a discussion about Healthy Families. If you are new to this series, please return to  Part One Healthy Families: Is Mine Free of Entanglements? , and  Part Two Healthy Families: Is Mine Flexible? Then join us here. We are examining families as a “system.” In other words,   families are like complex moving machines   where each individual is an integral   and interdependent part to its overall level of functioning and wellbeing. Today, we move to Part Three Healthy Families: Is Mine For-Giving? Any system functions well when there is a shared mindset of For-Giving. We are not talking about the   traditional definitions of forgiveness when one party pardons, excuses, or absolves another.   We are talking about an intentional interplay between family members in which each person is responsible for the wellbeing of the system by implementing three behaviors. Families are healthy when they share a mindset of For-Giving: To Se...

What I am about to share is based solely on anecdotal experience and observation.  Nothing more. My husband Dan and I recently returned from a vacation to parts of Western Europe and the Mediterranean. Thrilled to have an opportunity to share places I had visited as a college student and then as an adult, I couldn't wait to explore the wonders of other cultures with the love of my life! And, he was just as excited to experience it for the first time. Arriving first in Paris, we set out to visit as many of the tourist attractions as we could fit in during our stay there. In spite of the untimely heat wave, we did just that.  But because Dan and I are "foodies", we reserved our meal times for sleuthing out specialty restaurants and boutique cafe's nestled between quaint shops and greeted by cobblestone streets.  One afternoon, we stumbled across La Saotico - a gem of a restaurant. After being warmly welcomed by the owner, we made ourselves comfortable while s...

Valentine's Day is almost here!  Are you ready?  More importantly, do you feel that your relationship is stronger now that we are constantly 'connected' through technology? Many couples that I have talked with, especially females, are experiencing a loss of connection with their partners even though they are interacting electronically throughout the day! Why might this be?  We'll take a look at why in just a moment, but for now,  I'd like you to Tech-Proof Your Relationship by taking a little quiz! Answer Yes or No. Remember, Yes means true most of the time . Be honest and don't over-think your responses! Also, when answering the questions on your technology habits and usage, we are talking about time spent on  any electronic device.  Also, any work time spent on technology is not included. However, this should not exceed 8 hours per day, 5 days a week. Not weekends!  OK, here we go! 1.  I spend more face to face time with tech...