If you want to change jobs or change a habit, first take time for precontemplation and contemplation. That’s the lesson I learned recently during a presentation about James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente’s Trans-theoretical Theory of Behavior Change. Prochaska and DiClemente outline five steps to making changes. Precontemplation—which involves becoming aware that you need to make […]
Archive | Joy RSS feed for this section
Another year, another birthday
by resolutewoman on August 2, 2012 in advice, aging, Joy
My birthday is approaching. “I can’t believe I’m this old,” I told my husband the other day. However, every time I start to feel a bit depressed about the inevitable, I remember my wise friend Jane, who was my roommate the summer I worked in Boston. It seems amusing now, but back then I was […]
Why do people love you?
by resolutewoman on July 28, 2012 in book, friends, Joy
When Eleanor Roosevelt died, the United Nations held a memorial service, and representatives from 110 countries stood for a minute of silent tribute. The New York Times pronounced this remarkable woman “one of the great ladies in the history of the country.” However, Roosevelt, the only daughter of an alcoholic father and a beautiful, aloof […]
What would Batman eat?
by resolutewoman on July 24, 2012 in food, Joy
Ask a group of children. That’s what the researchers at the Cornell Food and Brand Lab did. Before they took a group of children to a fast-food restaurant, they asked half of them, “What would Batman eat?” Then, when they arrived at the restaurant, they let the children choose between a snack of French fries […]
Tired and stressed?
by resolutewoman on July 12, 2012 in children, Joy, work
By now the fact that an article in The Atlantic titled “Why Women Still Can’t Have it All,” brought more online response than any other article in the magazine’s history is, well, history—or herstory. But the response is solid evidence that the topic still is important and relevant to many women. My children are both […]
A successful weight-loss program
by resolutewoman on July 7, 2012 in food, Joy
Dr. David Grossman, a member of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, lists five factors in a successful weight-loss program in an article in the Dallas Morning News, June 26, 2012. This doctor’s approach sounds sensible to us: * Make realistic weight-loss goals. Losing just 5 percent of your initial weight can significantly improve your […]
What kind of supporting actress are you?
by resolutewoman on June 30, 2012 in advice, book, change, Joy
I couldn’t resist buying the little book with a bright yellow cover—The Power of Nice—How to Conquer the Business World with Kindness by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval. It wasn’t a very nice reaction, but I immediately thought of a number of people who might learn something from reading The Power of Nice. I […]
The joy of aging
by resolutewoman on June 21, 2012 in aging, Joy
I just finished reading a fascinating book by Dr. George Vaillant, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development. It’s titled Aging Well—Surprising Guideposts to a Happier Life from the Landmark Harvard Study of Adult Development. Of course, even though I now have two children who are college graduates and I was well past my […]
Tarantulas for dinner?
by resolutewoman on June 16, 2012 in food, Joy
I learned this on a trip to Tulsa while reading Spirit, the Southwest Airline magazine. More than 2.5 billion people around the world eat insects every day. In Cambodia, tarantulas are fried whole, with a little sugar, salt and garlic. And, a tarantula has 18 more grams of protein than a strip steak. Yes, I […]
The bad news and the good news
by resolutewoman on June 14, 2012 in advice, children, Joy
My son Jay just got a new car. That’s the good news. And the bad news? The third day Jay was driving the car, he called his father. “The car is okay,” he said, “but….” My husband panicked immediately. His mind leaping ahead after Jay’s first words, he feared a terrible accident. Jay had turned […]
What’s this site about?
We wrote our book and we’re writing our blog because we were frustrated. We were frustrated with experts who try to tell people how to lose weight, raise their children and improve their marriages—and be a success—in 10 easy steps. In three weeks. In one book.
Our self-help book and blog are for grownups—for women who know that there are no easy answers to life’s complex problems—that finding solutions requires some self-knowledge and self-searching and hard work.
We want to help women discover their own answers and live with them as their guide. We want to help you and other women Help Yourself!
We write about making changes and also about many other issues important to women, including families, friends, work and food.
