DIANE GOTTLIEB

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Diane Gottlieb writes open-hearted stories about people in pain who choose to grow.

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WomanPause Blog

Welcome to the WomanPause blog, amplifying the voices of women over 50 rediscovering ourselves.

Interview With Michelle Redo

I first met Michelle Redo when she invited me and Nina Lichtenstein ...
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Interview With Carol Anderson

Imagine growing up having to hide who you are at your very ...
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LET’S RESOLVE TO REDISCOVER

It’s the middle of January. First month of a brand-spanking-new year. Resolutions ...
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Interview with Meg Tuite

Bold, Brilliant, Beautiful! Kind, Generous, Wise! I don't want to forget fun ...
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Wishing You Peace, Light, and Love

It’s December. Holiday season. Cheer, cheer, and more cheer.   I’m trying—hard—to ...
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Interview With Kathryn Silver-Hajo

I first met Kathryn Silver-Hajo in a Facebook writing class at the ...
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Awakenings: Stories of Body & Consciousness

The body! The Body! THE BODY!   Read those three short sentences ...
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Interview With Jill Talbot

I rarely post an interview to the blog that was previously published ...
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Interview With Sarah Freligh

Sarah Freligh! How I admire her writing! And what an honor and ...
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Interview with Debbie Russell

It always amazes me how much we grow in midlife. Debbie Russell ...
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Interview with Ruth Brayer

I was introduced to Ruth Brayer by the wonderful Jeanne M. Stafford (previously interviewed ...
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Grace Linn: An Example for Us All

Most of my readers know I live in Florida. I love so ...
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Interview With Christopher Stevenson

I began following Christopher Stevenson on Twitter a little over a year ...
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Interview with Laurie Marshall

Second acts. Invitations for rediscovery. So many of us find new passions, ...
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To All My Valentines

Valentine’s Day, like many holidays of cheer, can sometimes be fraught with ...
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Interview With Casey Mulligan Walsh

Casey Mulligan Walsh has not had it easy. She lost both parents ...
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Interview With Ellen Birkett Morris

What a great pleasure it was to speak with Ellen Birkett Morris! ...
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Interview With Priscilla Long

It was such a joy to meet Priscilla Long and I'm so ...
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When You Look Back, “Look Back with Love”

Anybody else thinking the holidays are coming too soon?   I can’t ...
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Interview with Lynne Golodner

Energy and resourcefulness! Those are the two words that immediately come to ...
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Interview With Kristina Saccone

I love when women see a need and take action to meet ...
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Interview With Melissa Hart

Melissa Hart! What a positive, joyful woman--and a wonderful writer and teacher ...
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Catching Up With Memories

Happy October, Everyone!! How’s everyone doing? That’s not a rhetorical question! I ...
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Interview With Marian Adams

“Medical gaslighting is real,” according to a recent New York Times article--and ...
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Take Back Your Focus – With Help From Johann Hari

Like everyone these days, I have a lot of things on my ...
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Interview With Laraine Herring

Laraine Herring is an amazing writer, visual artist, and champion of women--especially ...
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Your Voice Matters

I wasn't planning to write a post for today. Last thing I ...
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Interview With Deirdre Fagan

Have you ever met someone and after just a few minutes knew ...
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How Many More Will We Be Asked to Remember?

It’s Memorial Day, a day on which we honor those who died ...
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HOPE — It’s Not For The Faint Of Heart

I’ve never been a doom and gloom type. Never. I know things ...
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Interview With Robyn Strauss

Robyn Strauss is a fitness and health enthusiast who teaches fun, inclusive ...
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Interview With April Brucker

April Brucker! I can’t say that name without smiling—which is a good ...
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Say NO to Body Shame–Yours and Mine

Okay. I’ll admit it. I’ll confess. Sometimes, when I see plus-sized models, ...
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Interview With Rebecca Kuder

Rebecca Kuder is a courageous writer, a woman who looks at the ...
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What Can I Offer?

What Can I Offer? Hi everyone! I wanted to connect with you ...
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Interview With Gayle Brandeis

Gayle Brandeis is an award-winning author of fiction, poetry, memoir, and essay—and ...
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Interview With Meryl Koslow

Meryl Koslow is an amazing woman with tremendous confidence and positive energy. ...
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From Giving Thanks … To Giving

Happy December everyone! December!!! Can you believe it’s already December? Another year ...
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Interview With Melissa Ostrom

Melissa Ostrom. She’s an artist—on the page, in the pottery studio, in ...
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Uncover Your Voice

This year's Emmy’s recognized women of a certain age. Yay! Kate Winslet, ...
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Interview With Alison McGhee

Alison McGhee--author of fifteen picture books, ten children's novels and graphic books, ...
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Labors of Love

It’s Labor Day, and along with our national holiday, this evening marks ...
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Sex Over 50? Sign Me Up!

Here's a joke for you: An 80-year-old man walks into his doctor’s ...
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Interview With Cindy Rasicot

Cindy Rasicot led a pretty typical suburban life until her husband took ...
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Sheroes For The Ages

I’m continually inspired by women—and am always on the lookout for wonderful ...
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Interview With Dr. DeAnna Beachley

Dr. DeAnna Beachley is a very colorful woman! (Just look at her ...
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The “R” Word–I See You!

So … here’s something we haven’t talked much about in WomanPause—the “R” ...
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Interview with Cynthia Jones

Cynthia Jones I met Cynthia Jones in my very first writing workshop ...
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Curiosity Challenge — 2021

I’ve mentioned in a recent blog post  that I’d been experiencing some ...
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Interview With Judy Bogen

Judy Bogen is quite the amazing woman! Through her own experience with ...
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The Superpower of Writing

March 25 was my father’s birthday. He would have been 99! Schaje ...
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Interview With Karen Solomon

Karen Solomon has been a dear friend for many years. Usually uncomfortable ...
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Are Your Tarot Cards Judging You?

I pick a Tarot card every day for guidance and inspiration. One ...
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Touching Fear–Guest Post with Nicky Mendenhall

When I read my friend Nicky Mendenhall’s December 4th blog post, I ...
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Interview With Nancy Branka

It was my great pleasure to spend some time speaking with Nancy ...
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Transition–A Time to Own Our Responsibility–A Time for Peace and Healing

This week, I'm veering away from my scheduled blog post. Usually on ...
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New Year’s Revolutions

So … just 4 days ago, a difficult year for the world, ...
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Interview with Julie Gray

Julie Gray is a wonderfully dynamic, engaging woman with an amazing story ...
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Let Them Judge You–Guest Post by Sherry Danner

I rarely put up guest posts--in fact, since WomanPause's inception, there's only ...
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Interview With Jeanne M. Stafford

Jeanne M. Stafford! What a powerhouse! Facilitator, Improv lover, author—she wears many ...
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The Uncaring Side of Self Care–Looking to Recovery Instead

It will be November 2, 2020 when this blog posts. One day ...
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Interview With Jessica O’Dwyer

I met Jessica O’Dwyer when we were both MFA students at Antioch. ...
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Interview With Sherry Danner

Sherry Danner is an amazing woman, who has lived life. She has certainly ...
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TRAUMA, GROWTH, AND HOPE

We’ve all been having some difficult conversations lately. And between COVID, the ...
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Interview with Corinne Harmon

Corinne Harmon is one amazing and inspiring woman! Super accomplished in the ...
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Race and Responsibility: When You Hear Evil or See Evil, Speak Out Against It

Hate. Anger. Violence. I don’t know about you, but when I hear, ...
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Interview with Joy Overstreet

Now that we’re well into the summer season—my very favorite—I’d like to ...
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Freedom and the Fourth of July

This weekend, the United States celebrated the 244-year anniversary of its independence. ...
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Interview With Isidra Mencos

A little over a month ago, I received an email from I ...
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Lead Like A Woman

100,000 deaths. 100,000. 40,800,000 unemployed. Almost 41 million!   Numbers, number, numbers. ...
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Let’s Not Kill Granny

COVID-19 incites fear. The mixed messages, the uncertainty, and the tangible changes ...
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Do We Have Enough Toilet Paper Yet?

Toilet paper. Toilet paper. Toilet paper. It seemed for a while that ...
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No School is No Break—“Safer” is Not Always Home

When I first heard that schools were closing due to COVID 19—indefinitely—and ...
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Trust-Even in the Face of Uncertainty

“What a difference a day makes.” This statement is never more true ...
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Interview With Amy Champeau

I met Amy Champeau in Los Angeles. We both came to the ...
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What Was I Thinking? Prevent Cognitive Decline and Promote Brain Health

“Gum,” Steven said in the car, while we were at a stop ...
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Greta on Giving–Guest Blog Post by Greta Holt

Last week, I interviewed an amazing woman--Greta Holt. A deeply devoted Mennonite, ...
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Interview With Greta Holt

This month's interview is with an amazing woman in her 70's--Greta Holt. ...
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Woman-on-Woman Bullying: An Affront to Sisterhood

Childhood bullying can have lasting effects on our self-esteem and relationships. Bullying, ...
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Effects of Childhood Bullying–The “Gift” That Keeps on Giving

It seems to me that the world is being taken over by ...
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Interview With Nicola Mendenhall

I have spent countless hours “on the couch.” Therapy has saved my ...
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Rush To Judgment

So ... I have been really swamped lately—with work for students and ...
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Interview with Andrea Auten

In this magical season of glitter and gifts, of wrapping paper, cards, ...
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The Gratitude Seesaw

I struggle with gratitude. Here’s the thing. I am thankful. For so ...
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Interview with Isabel Cotarelo

Isabel Cotarelo is definitely an amazing woman over 50! A young artist, ...
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You Are Your Own Mirror

Have you ever had the feeling that the Universe was trying to ...
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Interview with Marjorie Waterman

I met Marjorie Waterman in a Facebook writing group. When I heard ...
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Embrace Your Imperfection

If posed with the question, “Which do you strive to be—brave or ...
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What’s Your “Likability Factor” … And Should You Care?

A few weeks ago, a wonderful online literary journal accepted an essay ...
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Interview With Mireya Vela

Mireya Vela! Strong, courageous, all around amazing woman! I met Mireya at ...
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A Look Back at a Year of WomanPause

I am so excited to say that this month—yes, this very September—marks ...
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Interview with Ana Maria Spagna

Ana Maria Spagna is definitely one of my sheroes. She’s a great ...
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FINDING HER WAY HOME: UPLAKE BY ANA MARIA SPAGNA*

FINDING HER WAY HOME: UPLAKE BY ANA MARIA SPAGNA* *First published in ...
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Doctor, Broadway Star, Baker : Huh?

What happens when a mechanic, a Broadway star, and a fourteen-year-old boy ...
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Interview with Adrian Miller

Adrian Miller is an amazingly dynamic, funny, wise woman over 50 who ...
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Sandy & Lonnie Phillips: Inspiration for Trying Times

Anger. Hate. Guns. A lethal combination, as we all know, as we ...
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Wedding Bells–Can You Hear Them?

Why do I love June, July, and August? They’re sunny and hot, ...
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To Heel or Not to Heel? Women and Our Shoes

Just last week, I happened upon an article in the July 20 ...
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Interview with Laura Malfa — One Heart Healing

Last Thursday evening, I drove to Northern Westchester (two hours in the ...
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Lose the Shame and Dare Greatly: Shero Brene Brown

Dear WomanPause readers. I have something personal to share. Last week, my ...
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To Dye or Not to Dye: That is the Question!

Hair! Mine has never been my best feature. I remember my younger ...
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Leaving Antioch And Taking With Me All I’ve Learned

UCLA’s Royce Hall It’s that time of year—graduation season. When you hear ...
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Interview with Sarita Sidhu

Sarita Sidhu! I loved her the minute I met her. Sarita is ...
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Nuns and Nones–Intergenerational Connection to Celebrate

We are living in exciting times. Even with all the divisiveness and ...
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Grow Bolder As You Grow Older

How important is your mindset? How much power does your belief system ...
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College Blues–Graduation Green

I always buy lottery tickets. Twice a week, I lay down $4 ...
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Women Wolves and Wambach

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the stories we grew up ...
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Gratitude is Not Enough!

Jessica Bennett’s Gender Letter appeared in my inbox a few weeks ago. ...
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Interview with Janet Rodriguez

Janet Rodriguez. I first met her at a Buddy Lunch at my ...
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All Aboard!

“It’s not the destination. It’s the journey.” Powerful quote. I’m pretty sure ...
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Three Questions: Stacey Abrams’ Lessons on Resilience

Resilience. It’s a powerful word. When it rolls off the tongue, you ...
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Interview With Deborah Briggs

Deborah’s Briggs is a certified Sage-ing Leader for Sage-ing International  (https://www.sage-ing.org), an ...
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Bored Enough?

Are you having trouble making an important decision?  Figuring out an answer ...
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Mean Girls – I Was One

I love reading poetry. Slowly. Letting the words simmer in my brain, ...
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Interview with Dr. Diann Schindler

Last week’s post “Spring Cleaning—And Sparking Joy”  highlighted my small journey into ...
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Spring Cleaning– And "Sparking Joy"

Times, so Steven pulls out pages that he thinks I might like ...
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The Stillness Beneath the Surface

Transitions are hard.   I look around. There are kids in the ...
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Interview With Sharon Richardson

Sharon and I spoke for close to two hours one Saturday morning ...
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Iris and Tao: More Than Meets the Eye!

Whenever Someone Occupies Space in My Brain … She Has Something to ...
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Wake Those Sleeping Giants — Rediscover Your Dreams

https://dianegottlieb.com/lose-the-shoulds-and-rewrite-the-script/   Last week, we discussed one of the great opportunities that ...
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Lose the "Shoulds" and Rewrite The Script

The Problem of “Middle” Age   In my search, many of the ...
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Interview With Sue Matthews

Taylor at age 15[/caption] I’ve known Sue Matthews for many years. We ...
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"Age is No Barrier"

much older than I imagine most of my readers to be. Each ...
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Do You Believe You Can Change?

<![CDATA[Do you believe you can change? Really believe you can change? Do ...
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New Year’s Resolutions, Anyone?

New Year, New Change The beginning of a new year is truly ...
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What Is "Meaning" Anyway?

Ft Lauderdale Beach Today is December 28th—my birthday! I have officially turned ...
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Interview with Alison Taylor-Brown

I first learned of Alison Taylor-Brown from reading one of Dan Blank’s ...
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Celebrate Midlife–Barbara Bradley Hagerty's Life Reimagined

So …I’m in California right now, smack in the middle of my ...
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Becoming Buddha*

I did catch the errors, I think. I was typing fast. But I’ve always ...
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Get Out of The Car — Letting Go Of Trauma

WomanPause in September, and that amazing woman has helped me grow until ...
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Interview with Patsy Mertz

Patsy Mertz, the founder of the Ivory Coast Mothers and Children organization ...
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My Great Divide*

*This piece was first published in Lunch Ticket on August 11, 2017. ...
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The Ultimate “F” Word

Last week, we talked about time—and the exhaustion or urgency we feel ...
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It’s Time

It’s time. A turning point. For women. For this woman. Time. What ...
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Interview with Julia Caroline Knowlton

I met Julia on the first day of school—the first day of ...
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What’s in A Word? Much More Than We Think!

With Special Guest: Author Adrien Sdao   Waiting somewhat patiently at the ...
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We Are Not Invisible!!! Connie Shultz—My New She-ro

So … This is the first of my monthly posts where I ...
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Interview with Deborah Roth

Deborah Roth, the “Goddess” behind Spirited Living, is truly an amazing woman ...
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Progress*

Alexa. A-L-E-X-A. Three syllables, five letters, soft vowel sounds. Depending upon which ...
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Musings Of The Season

It’s that time again. We’re coming up on the holidays. Leaves have ...
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