One of my favorite things about humanity is how we need each other. Not one single person is completely self-sufficient. We each have strengths and weaknesses, skills and deficits, clear vision and blind spots. Each of us is in a constant state of development, always unfinished. This is why advice is so compelling. When we’re […]
Colleen Cook, Thrive Correspondent
Posted inWellness
Commentary: It’s finally time to consider taking that delayed vacation
Last year, like many people, we had a couple of trips planned that we canceled due to the pandemic. Traveling is one of my favorite pastimes, and I’ve been eager for the restrictions to begin to lift so that we could begin to travel once again. Thanks to vaccines and updated guidelines from the CDC, […]
Posted inWellness
Commentary: Are the things limiting you actually helping you?
When I travel, one of the highlights for me is enjoying the variety of local cuisine. I’m traveling today, and as I drove to the airport, I looked forward to picking up a cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich once I arrived. Upon selecting the coffee shop, latte and sandwich that most appealed to […]
Posted inWellness
An ode to small-town living
As a child, I dreamed of living in New York City. The energy of the city, Broadway, the food, the subway … I was enamored with it all. The contrast between the suburban life I had always known and the glamour of the big city was stark, and I couldn’t wait until I could move […]
Posted inWellness
The seven dimensions of wellness
When we think about wellness, we’re most inclined to think first about physical fitness and nutrition. We think about how we need to eat better or exercise more, we think about how we need to drink more water and buy organic. We criticize ourselves for the things we’re not doing enough of, our bad […]
Posted inWellness
The impact of small changes
When we moved into our home, a century-old craftsman-style fixer upper, there were a lot of cosmetic things we needed to address right away. In particular, we focused our energy on pulling down 1990s-era wallpaper and border choices that distinguished each room from the next: an African Safari in the living room, Patriotic Angels in […]
Posted inWellness
Like what you like
When I was a kid, I loved to play Barbies. For me, it was about playing out my perceived glamorous reality of adulthood – the careers, the romances, the interior decorating, the children – that I couldn’t get enough of. I’d meticulously select which dolls and accessories I’d be playing with, setting up elaborate homes […]
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Maintaining your identity throughout motherhood
Yesterday, my 7 year old daughter asked me what it’s like to be a mom. This girl is wildly empathetic and has asked similar questions before, trying to understand what it’s like to walk in my shoes. She asked me if it was overwhelming, always having someone who needs you. I told her that, sure, […]
Posted inWellness
Commentary: WWJD — When you don’t fit neatly into church
For most of my adult life, I’ve never felt like I fit squarely into the American church. My stance on political issues is always too liberal to fit neatly with that crowd. I struggle mightily with evangelism, legalism and the American church’s definition of patriotism. Plus, I cuss like a trucker which is both not […]
Posted inWellness
Resolving to make resolutions that stick
There are two ways to look at the start of a new year. You can see it as a fresh start, an opportunity for a new outlook, to retire habits and mindsets that no longer serve you, a chance to get it right. Or you can see the new year as just another day, week […]