A big change is coming to my podcast format. Watch for it next week.

Controlling our anger can be very difficult. Controlling our anger during COVID can be worse.

I know for me anger is hard to get a handle on. When I'm asked to do things that are outside of my comfort zone or things that are just not the norm. I know that to control my anger I have to change my knee jerk reaction to people, events and circumstances. 

Parenting was never meant to be an activity you do in isolation. You need to have at least one good friend.

When you can't provide your kids with the latest gadgets, expensive clothes, or go on exotic vacations, it is easy to feel like you live under a financial curse. You blame yourself and you are convinced this will be your lot in life. 

But money doesn't define who you are, and it doesn't determine your success as a parent. 

Single Moms are tough because they have learned how to break through the stifling, mundane repetition of parenting and live their lives in freedom. 

Much of our adult mindset and our self-concept find their roots in our childhood trauma or unpleasant events. Research has shown that we accept labels placed on us by others or by ourselves even at an early age. These labels would haunt me through my adult life until I broke free from my past.

You know that being a parent really has some perks. And those perks far out-weigh all the negative stuff.

So, even though being a parent is hugely gratifying, it also has some issues we will need to look at if you are going to rest under the palm trees in peace and tranquility.

People swear that they're going to change their lifestyle and turn over a new leaf.

But come January 7th, you discover that none of the resolutions you made on New Year's Eve are going to happen, at least not this year. 

For the most part, resolutions never become a reality, and there is a reason why they don't. 

When Christmas came around, my sister and I didn't expect much, and Mom had prepared us for the worst. Our caseworker had made arrangements to get us a free Christmas tree, Mom had made some homemade Christmas Cookies and someone had given my sister and me a used aquarium and a few tropical fish. That was pretty much it. 

 But my Dad had promised my Mom that he would bring us gifts for Christmas. When she shared this with us we became euphoric. We would have a real Christmas after all.