Columns

Even though I continue to practice daily voice skills to help me prepare for in-person conversations, I’m still challenged by the pronunciation of certain words. Often, I avoid the word altogether and use a simpler version. Or I simply plow ahead, slurring and bumbling my way and relying on lots…

In the Jan. 23 episode of “The Happiness Lab” podcast, Simone Stolzoff, author of the book “The Good Enough Job: Reclaiming Life from Work,” argues that we should stop hunting for the perfect job. Stolzoff and podcast host Laurie Santos, a psychology professor, discuss how society’s view of work…

I’ve read dozens, if not more, of the kind of column I’m about to write: first-person narratives that offer advice to one’s younger self, full of lessons learned from difficult life experiences. Before my late husband, Jeff, was diagnosed with ALS, I devoured these columns, always looking for some…

Now that my husband, Todd, is paralyzed and uses a noninvasive ventilator, leaving the house is too hard on him. So when we have a date night, we watch a movie at home. Last weekend, we watched “Good Night Oppy,” a documentary about twin rovers that NASA…

I always love having a good “aha!” moment, especially when it helps improve how I manage my ALS symptoms. Better yet is when I learn that what I thought was a symptom of ALS was actually an impostor, the result of something called “learned nonuse.” Here’s what happened.

What are your plans for this year? What are they for next month? Will you do something you have always wanted to do? Will you do anything different from your usual way of life? After all, it is yet another new year and we want to have a happy…

My husband, Todd, is increasingly dependent on a noninvasive ventilator as ALS continues to weaken his lungs. Over the past decade as the disease progressed, I’ve had periods of high stress before we adapted to a new normal, such as when Todd continued to drive even though he…

During the years I taught yoga, I always enjoyed explaining the concept of effort and ease. It’s the feeling of holding a yoga pose with the right amount of force. Not too much, not too little — just right. Little did I know how, years later, an expanded version of…

A few weeks ago, I had a long conversation with a stranger I met while traveling. She was a bold and smart young woman who shared tales of her solo trips as we flew. She insightfully concluded that travel had made her more resilient, aware, and resourceful. I agreed. Growing…

I followed the directions on my phone to the Lily Creek Nature Sanctuary in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The 40-acre forest preserve with maple, paper birch, and balsam fir is only five minutes from my home, but I’d never been there. I’d seen an advertisement for a hike and…