Battling Self-Esteem Issues

Getting divorced can take a real toll on your self-esteem. When the person you’ve devoted your entire life to decides they don’t want to be with you anymore it hurts. At times the rejection can be almost unbearable. Low self-esteem haunts most of us from time to time, but it tends to be significantly worse after such a huge life-changing event. After my divorce I felt like I was a teenager again. I was insecure about every aspect of my entire being. I felt like everyone was judging me for what I was going through, like somehow it was my … Continue reading

Are Your Trust Issues Holding You Back?

After a divorce it is natural to have a few trust issues. The person you put all of your trust in betrayed you and hurt you deeply. It is difficult to open yourself up to the possibility of that kind of pain again. You don’t want to feel vulnerable, and understandably so. Nobody expects you to rush into anything, so give yourself some time to deal with these trust issues now, so that they don’t continue to hold you back in the future. I’ve had a fair number of bad men in my life, as a result it has been … Continue reading

Insurance Blog Week in Review – June 3-9, 2012

Every week, the Insurance Blog Week in Review gives you a quick and easy way to “ketchup” on all the blogs that appeared here in the past week. There can be anywhere between twelve and fourteen blogs that go up. What did you miss? What You Could Lose if the Supreme Court Overturns ACA The Supreme Court is going to reveal its ruling regarding the court case about the Affordable Care Act. Here is a quick list of some of the things you will lose if the Supreme Court overturns the ACA. The Insurance Podcast Roundup went up on June … Continue reading

Planning a Graduation Party – Part 2

In my last blog I shared how I had procrastinated on planning my son’s graduation party. I will be having it in July but it’s really not a big deal because now I’m not in competition with all of the parties being held in June. Since I have no experience with planning a graduation party, it worked out great this past week when my husband’s entire softball team and their families went out to dinner. I was able to talk with one mom who had hosted a graduation party a couple of years ago and another mom who has gone … Continue reading

Planning a Graduation Party – Part 1

I’m not normally a procrastinator. In fact, I am a planner and organizer at heart. But as of last week I had already received three graduation party invites, yet hadn’t even started planning one for my son. This just wasn’t like me. But I eventually realized there were a couple of things going on. The first is that the idea of planning a large party was stressful. And the second is that a part of me was trying to deny the reality of what is ahead. It is one thing to plan and prepare for your child’s high school graduation. … Continue reading

Friendship: the Foundation of Marriage

Last week my husband and I made cookies for breakfast. It is supposed to be healthier to eat a batch of cookies, or really any dessert, early in the morning rather than later at night. This way we have more time to burn off those extra calories. That’s not why we made them, though. We made them because the night before I’d experimented with making Pasta Puttanesca (not bad, though I think in the future I’d just swap the anchovies for tuna), and its smell still hung around the kitchen. I figured the best way to get rid of it … Continue reading

Getting the Idea of Exercising from Your Mind to Your Heart

So you have probably polished off the last of the pumpkin pie and have hopefully awoken from your turkey coma. The mashed potatoes and gravy may still feel like they are sitting around your middle but you are determined to get a head start on a fitness routine. Why wait until the New Year? Why not get started now? There is nothing wrong with looking at certain opportunities as the perfect time to start a fitness routine. The fresh start of a new year, the day after your big Thanksgiving feast, or the day you celebrate a birthday…no matter what … Continue reading

Credit Card Skimmers

I don’t understand crime. I know that people can reach a desperation point and take things that aren’t theirs because they can’t fill their needs legitimately. I cannot and will not condone it at all. I don’t think I’d be like Javert, but Jean Valjean still should not have stolen that loaf of bread. I read a piece in the paper where the writer said she understood how a woman could steal a baby. The tone of the article was almost forgiving. I couldn’t believe it. I will not carry a successful pregnancy. I miscarried twice and went through years … Continue reading

Baby Shower Alternatives

Are you wondering what to expect for your very first baby shower? Or maybe no one has offered to throw you one yet? I have never been a huge fan, but if you are pregnant, you will most likely be thrown a shower. Don’t get me wrong, I love getting gifts, but being the center of attention, when you already feel like a giant pregnant lady, can sometimes be intimidating. For me, when I was pregnant with my first, I was living out of state from any family, and did not know many people. Luckily, a girl from church threw … Continue reading

Should You Do Business with Your Friends?

We all know a guy who can get us a good deal on something. And if we don’t, Johnny at work has a cousin whose friend can get us a good deal. In today’s world, sometimes it’s all about who you know. You can get a better job if you do a little name-dropping, call in a few favors. You might get a discount if you play your cards right. And come on – who doesn’t want a good deal? Who would turn down an opportunity to save some cash? But there are times when it’s not wise to enter … Continue reading