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Sara Schairer

Have you ever caught the bug? I’m not referring to something cool like the surfing bug or the rock climbing bug or the bug. I mean the flu bug. It’s the worst, right? A nasty stomach bug can spread q …

Adding a dose of compassion to someone else’s day not only uplifts their spirits, but makes you feel happier, too. And while most of us intend to be compassionate beings every day, our hectic schedule …

Schools are doing a bang-up job teaching our children how not to treat each other. Kids learn about bullying the moment they enter kindergarten. However, most schools could use some help when it comes …

As much as we want to simply "rise and shine" each day, mornings can often bring an intense rush of negative emotions. Have you ever slept through your alarm, struggled to get your sloth-like children …

The holidays—and the unfortunate materialism that comes with it—are here. Everywhere you look, messages are trying to entice you to buy more, have more, and want more.Retailers fire off clever adverti …

Have you ever noticed that New Year’s resolutions often focus on our external selves? We set goals to get fit, eat healthier, and lose weight. This year, why not focus on your inner self by setting a …

As a parent, you want your children to be successful. But have you ever considered your personal definition of success? Although society typically correlates success with financial wealth, academic pr …

Is the back-to-school frenzy making you feel a bit stressed? If you’re a parent of a child in school, you might be in the midst of purchasing school supplies, picking out a first-day-of-school outfit, …

2016 is not for the faint of heart; news about climate change, terrorism, racism, and gun violence inundate the headlines. United States presidential elections have created clear divides between our f …

Do you ever feel like time is flying by, and you’re constantly on the go? Work and family obligations combined with fitting friends into the mix can create full days and may eventually lead to burnout …

Recently on the television show SuperSoul Sunday, Oprah Winfrey and Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn, discussed the importance of teaching compassion in schools. They both stressed that compassion should …

With the holiday season upon us, you may be fantasizing about how wonderful it will feel to prepare and share delicious feasts with your family. Perhaps you visualize your Pottery Barn-inspired dining …

Another year has flown by, and the season of giving is upon us again. Oftentimes, we run around purchasing “stuff” for the people in our lives. These gifts may look like a t-shirt, wallet, coffee mug, …

The recent U.S. election, Brexit, climate change, refugee crises, and other social injustices may leave you with a pit in your stomach as the New Year begins. The deep divides between the people of ou …

With the New Year in full swing, it’s time to reflect on your goals and intentions. You probably started the year with boundless energy and the will to stick to your goals. Yet, if you’re like many ot …

If you’re on the road and feeling like it’s a waste of your time, you’re not alone. Driving for hours to take your kids to and from school or meeting other demands throughout your day can be less than …

Facing the unknown can be unsettling to say the least, and many around the globe are embarking on an era of uncertainty. The United States seems more divided than united, Brexit has turned the United …

Have you ever relied on technology to curb the repeated “are-we-there-yet” question from your kids? Or maybe you’ve entertained yours kids (and even yourself) during long flights or drives with tablet …

Time is flying by, and your intention to set a new habit or pursue a certain goal might have been left in the dust. If that’s the case, don’t fret–there’s still time to get back on the right track.Sin …

Do you know your neighbors? In our hurried and often detached society, having neighbors as friends and part of your support system is not as common as it used to be.One of my friends has a theory abou …

Have you ever had a light bulb moment—a time when, out of the blue, you had a brilliant idea? Maybe it was a new solution to an old problem. Perhaps you felt inspired to create art, or you felt lyrics …

Humans are creatures of habit. Nearly everything you think, say, and do is a result of habits deeply rooted into your body and mind through years of repetitive behavior. The habits you develop can eit …

Have you noticed that when a colleague says something negative about your work, you can’t get it out of your mind? Yet when three co-workers compliment you on a job well done, you don’t give it much t …

Holiday shopping can be a drag to say the least. It’s not easy during the hectic holiday season to search high and low for the perfect gift, and material items often lack true meaning. What if your gi …

What might happen when mindfulness becomes a priority in your relationship? Mindfulness means “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally,” according …

Do you ever find yourself avoiding your meditation cushion? Whether subconsciously or on purpose, you’re not making the time to sit.Or have you tried meditating, and you’ve decided it’s not for you?Lu …

Spring has sprung, and it’s a good time to revisit those New Year’s resolutions. If you look back on the intentions you set in January, you might be kicking yourself a little bit. Have you given in to …

Are you tired of your same old Mother’s Day tradition? Perhaps you always send your mom flowers and a card, or you carve out time for brunch. What if you kicked Mother’s Day up a notch and expressed g …

Sometimes carrying out small acts of kindness can be a simple way to make a huge difference. When you commit to practicing mindful acts of kindness every day, they become a part of who are and how you …

Compassion, wanting to reduce the pain of others, sometimes gets a bad rap. Some view it as a soft and fluffy virtue that allows others to walk all over you. However, giving and receiving compassion o …

Are you having trouble sticking to your meditation practice? Perhaps you have every intention of meditating, but you run out of time each day. Or maybe you get flooded with texts and emails before the …

Do you ever feel like you’re unhappy with your work or career? If so, you’re not alone. According to Designing Your Life by Stanford University lecturers Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, two-thirds of wor …

When you think of mindfulness, what do you picture? Do you see yourself sitting … and sitting … and sitting? Sure, there are tremendous benefits of having a sitting meditation practice to cultivate mi …

You may have noticed times when you want to feel a certain way, but your mind isn’t cooperating. Have you ever wanted to feel confident, but you didn’t? Have you ever been in a funk, and you wanted to …

Are you setting goals for 2019? Maybe you’re trying to lead a healthier life by eating a more plant-based diet, prioritizing sleep, or drinking less alcohol. Perhaps you have a goal of spending less t …

You’ve probably heard the old adage, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Or perhaps you’ve heard people described as “set in their ways.” Those sayings aren’t typically issued as compliments, but …

Nearly each and every day offers a unique opportunity—the opportunity to scream, shout, and throw a tantrum about something. Did someone cut you off on the freeway? You could shout. Did someone in fro …

Thanks to the fast-paced world, the days seem to fly by. Did you feel like the new year arrived, you blinked, and then it was nearly summer?Me, too.The arrival of summer means you might have an opport …

Do you ever think you’re too busy for compassion or kindness? Juggling work, family life, and other obligations might mean that acts of kindness fall by the wayside. Who has time to feed the homeless …

“Be nice.”“Be kind.”“Treat others how you wish to be treated.”You’ve probably heard those brief directives since you were born, or at least by the time you got to school. Have you paid attention to ho …

Are you finding yourself constantly thinking about your to-do list this time of year? Maybe you need to plan a menu, shop for the holiday meal, coordinate travel plans, purchase gifts, and get ready f …

While “empathy,” “sympathy,” and “compassion” are three words that many use interchangeably, they are not synonymous with one another. Let’s take a closer look at how to differentiate them.While these …

It’s a new year, and you’ve probably already been bombarded with information about how to envision your ideal decade, create goals, stick to resolutions, lose weight, be happier, and <insert self-i …

“How can I help?” Have you found yourself asking this question a lot more lately? Recent extreme weather events have displaced thousands of people around the world. Tragic violent episodes are plaguin …

Grief comes in many forms. Any loss can touch off a series of emotional responses in you. You can help yourself move through your pain to healing.When I experienced intense loss for the first time, I …

Today, September 21, the world celebrates the International Day of Peace—a day declared by the United Nations in 1981, asking humanity to commit to peace. On this day, we press pause on our disagreeme …

A pandemic, economic challenges, a presidential election, and more make the end of 2020 an endurance race. But if we align ourselves based on our compassionate efforts, we can get through this togethe …

Trump versus Biden, pro-police versus #BlackLivesMatter, masks versus no masks, online school versus in-person school, “open the economy” versus shelter-in-place. I yearn for the good ole days when Co …

The holidays are here, and they bring with them an abundance of twinkle lights, cookies, reflection, and joy. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, right?Yes. For some lucky people.Perhaps this li …

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times - “Everyone suffers. It’s the human condition.” Whether you’re an Olympic athlete or a champion at binging shows on Netflix, you’re human. Bec …

“You’re grounded.”Do you remember when that statement was a bad thing? If my parents said those words to me when I was a teenager, I knew that I had messed up in a big way.These days, though, I take t …

Despite the power of technology to connect us with others, we live in a society of loneliness, polarization, and isolation. The social media platforms originally designed to connect us are instead dri …

Do you have an answer when you ask yourself the question, “What’s my purpose?”Pursuing your purpose may sound like an intimidating undertaking, but it doesn’t have to be. You can begin with a few simp …