The Lifestyle Brief

Monday Mood Board

So if you’ve been following me you’ve probably seen that over the last couple of weeks I’ve been posting mood boards. Mood boards are a valuable tool to help you (and me) reach goals. I’ve been using them off and on (for more than I want to tell you) but approximately 20 years. Especially when…

Mood Board

Remodeling can be fun and expensive. Stressful and exciting. But before we start any home renovation project, we need a little inspiration. Here’s some of mine!

The Perfect Staycation Song

I don’t talk about it enough but I love music. I believe music is like food and water for the soul: it can nourish your emotions while at the same time helping you wash away the cares of the day, or leftover hurts and pains from the past. For that reason, I’m sharing with you…

My Monday Mood Board

Hello friends, How are you holding up with all that’s going on in the world? I can’t think of any other time in our lifetime when it’s been so bad. So many are feeling hopeless and lost. I don’t feel there’s any need to cover the headlines because I think you already know about those….

Is Nancy Meyers Hinting at Making a Film in The Pandemic?

I hope so!! I don’t know about you but I am a big fan of all things Nancy Meyers. But in case, like my parent’s, you don’t know her by name, Meyers is the woman behind films (and kitchens and homes to die for) like It’s Complicated, The holiday, The Intern, Something’s Gotta Give and…

For Lesley Barth Her Latest LP “Big Time Baby” is About Learning to Stop Living for Other People

New York-based independent singer and songwriter, Lesley Barth, drops her second full-length album Big Time Baby on May 15. In this interview Barth talks about a duet she did with her husband, how she agreed to the location for her cover shoot sight unseen, and how she hopes her ten-track album will inspire you. Big…

Shop Patricia Heaton’s Closet

Patricia Heaton known for playing Deborah Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond, Frankie Heck on The Middle and Dr. Carol Kenny on Carole’s Second Act is inviting you to shop her closet—for a good cause. Heaton posted the following on her Instagram page this afternoon “Shop selected looks from my personal collection on @therealreal Proceeds will…

Happy Legs & Feet Start Here

It was while going through chemotherapy that I started experiencing leg fatigue, excruciating and debilitating leg cramps and foot pain. I assumed after chemo was over my legs would get better. And while they did improve, my legs and feet have never been the same. I now struggle with a touch of neuropathy and some…

Why This Stay-at-Home Mom Chose Multilevel Marketing to a Start Up—The Interview

According to the Direct Selling Association 16.5 million people are involved in direct selling, representing every U.S. State. Most of them are women. Hello dear readers, you should know, this article is longer than usual. Sometimes that happens to deliver the story in its entirety. Last year, I was invited to my first ever Facebook…

Jamie Lee Curtis Opens up About Vicodin Addiction

I can’t begin to tell how you many women I’ve known and coached who secretly battled addiction. According to the CDC 18 women per day die from a painkiller prescription overdose in the United States. Women who look pulled together. Women you sit by at church. Women you lunch with. Moms. Business owners and VP’s…

My Menopause Aha! Moment

I was loading the dishwasher when I realized how bad I felt. I was sad. Sad like something bad happened. It reminded me of how I felt after the loss of my sister. It was in that moment I acknowledged the direct connection between my emotions and menopause.

With One Picture Jennifer Aniston Garners 3 Million Followers

Did you hear? Jennifer Aniston is finally on Instagram. And it made news in a big way!

Shoes.

Today I am sharing with you one of my favorite shoe brands that creates “good for you shoes” that are also easy on the eyes.

What you should know about the flour recall

What you need to know about the flour recall and how you can avoid getting contaminated.

Menopause Meltdown

Menopause can be difficult to navigate. But now you don’t have to do it alone. In today’s Menopause Minute I share my struggles, challenges and meltdowns.

Caring for your nails

Navigating menopause is no easy task. Menopause Minute addresses the challenges and issues of this phase of life and offers quick read tips, solutions, personal stories and expert interviews.

The “it” bag

Warmer temperatures mean more outdoor and travel time. But before you head out to that picnic or to the beach, you’re going to want to check out my favorite picnic bag!

Readers Questions

In this post I answer readers questions and give my take on the college admissions scandal.

Menopause Minute: Nutrition, Supplements & Herbs

Navigating menopause is no easy task. Menopause Minute addresses challenges and offers quick read tips, solutions, personal stories and expert interviews.

What you eat during menopause matters

#MenopauseMinute |No. 7 | Story from Henry Ford Health System and The Detroit News. According to dietician HALLE SAPERSTEIN, R.D. | FOR HENRY FORD HEALTH SYSTEM, what you eat during menopause can make a big difference in how you experience symptoms. “When estrogen levels begin falling, we have to be more mindful of what we eat and…

spring it on

While I do enjoy the rain and sipping tea by a warm fireplace, at heart, I’m just a spring kind of girl. All it takes is a spring breeze to get me to thinking about lemonade, pink toe nail polish and the beautiful white sands that only exists in places far, far, away. Maybe it’s…

Menopause Minute: 2-minutes with Dr. Holly Thacker

Menopause Minute is a brief and easy to read newsletter. Today, we’re talking about skin and hair changes.

Menopause Minute: dark spots

In this issue of Menopause Minute we hear from skincare expert Cecilia Wong. She talks about brown spots and acne.

Menopause Minute: in the news

Welcome to Issue No. 4 | #MenopauseMinute There’s no doubt the number one common denominator in the “second puberty” phase a.k.a. menopause, is hot flashes. Every woman I’ve spoken with in menopause all say it started with an uncomfortable heat that seemed to come out of nowhere. In case you’re wondering: hot flashes have the…

At Your Cervix

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month. Did you know? Each year, more than 11,000 women in the United States get cervical cancer. The human papillomavirus (HPV) causes almost all cases of cervical cancer. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the United States. While 79 million Americans currently have HPV, many of them…

Menopause Minute: menopause and sleep

Insomnia is something many women experience in menopause (hand raised). In this issue I talk about why it happens, and give you some basic curated tips to coping with this frustrating symptom.

Menopause Minute: 3 ways menopause can happen to you

Welcome to Issue No 1| MenopauseMinute Menopause. Change of life. Whatever you want to call it…it’s a natural part of a woman’s life cycle. Not unlike puberty. In fact, so much like puberty that I’ve coined it “midlife (or second) puberty.” I knew I would some day be in the menopause season, but I thought…

Behind the Beat: I Dream of Simple Things

The day she was born is a day I will never forget. I was about to take on the most important role of my life: that of big sister. My sister, Monique, was born when I was about three. I may have been young but I still remember the most important parts of that day….

Thinking Out Loud: home

When I was growing up my dad always said “A house is just a house. it’s up to you to make it a home. To make it a place where people want to gather” Home: A place where something flourishes.

How To: gift wrap like a Kardashian

I’m not a big fan of much of anything that Kim Kardashian shares in social media. But this is a great idea! According to the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star, each family in the Kardashian/Jenner clan is assigned a gift wrapping color for the upcoming holiday. Neon Orange was the Kardashian/West family color. It’s…

For your health information: #BeautyMadeBetter

Right now, cosmetics companies can put just about anything in their products – even chemicals associated with cancer and endocrine disruption. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) have introduced a bill that would require cosmetics companies to prove that their products are safe before marketing them and would give the federal Food and…

Fall fashion looks and faves

It’s time for a style upgrade. Here are a few of my fall faves.

Note from April

It’s that beautiful time of year.

How To overcome obstacles

Life is filled with obstacles. And to be honest, it’s not getting any easier. But we can push on with confidence. Keep reading. A Tweet Chat—also called a Twitter Chat, Tweet Party or Twitter Party—occurs when a group of Twitter users meets at a pre-arranged chat to discuss a specific topic that uses a designated hashtag (#). —-Livewire How…

What do I say to someone diagnosed with cancer?

It can be hard to know what to say to someone with a cancer diagnosis. In this article you’ll find 3 simple phrases that will help you convey your compassion.

Mental Unwellness Day

Did you know? One in five adults in the U.S.—43.8 million, experiences mental illness in a given year? (National Alliance Mental Health) It doesn’t matter where I am or who I’m talking to “depression” usually finds its way into the conversation. The current state of affairs, discord and day-to-day challenges can leave us feeling empty…