Be Intentional 2023

  Habits play an important role in multiple aspects of our lives: mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health, productivity, relationships, and self-esteem. It's worth noting that there are times in our lives when we may need to build new habits, more helpful habits, and change habits that no longer align with our needs. We are never too old to create new habits and that's great news for those of us with aging, changing bodies. I want to make a distinction between habits and routines. According to healthine.com habits differ from routines because habits typically involve little to no conscious thought, while routines typically require some intention and discipline. With that said, if we do it right, our habits can flawlessly become part of our daily routine. And when that happens, life becomes better. It is helpful to know that there are multiple habit focus areas. A few are: Preventive habits like taking a vitamin each day or brushing your teeth each day. Eating habits ...

  I've been thinking a lot about maintaining strong relationships during trials. What is it that keeps people together when it would be easier to drift apart or walk away? Why do people stay and fight for a relationship? What do they get out of staying together?  Every relationship will have its peaks and valleys. Every relationship will bring joy and sorrow. How we navigate both strengthens or destroys the relationship.  According to thehealthyjournal.com close to 70% of relationships fail within the first year, while 40% of marriages end in divorce. The statistics for divorce increase to 50%+ for occupations such as military personnel, health care workers, and law enforcement. Those are staggering numbers to me. Marriages are falling apart at an alarming rate: 2.3 persons per 1,000 people. Even more surprising to me is that divorces amongst people aged 50+ years are rising. The US divorce rate is the third highest in the world with the average length of a marriage in th...