A friend moved back to town who I hadn’t seen since she graduated college. She was married now and I was eager to meet Troy, her new husband. I…
Dot-Marie Jones is a woman. At first glance, however, if you're not paying close enough attention, you might think she's a man.
I first…
A criminal committed a crime. (Because hey, that’s what criminals do.) Anyway, he was sent to the king for his punishment. The king told him he…
To a librarian the term “inner citadel” could mean a few different things. It could be what I like to call the inner sanctum of the library—a…
“Mary Jane” has been an excellent employee most of her life. She has worked hard, has gone above and beyond the call of duty, traveled three weeks…
Did you hear about Monday’s mass shooting in Farmington, New Mexico? It’s a small town of just over 45,000 people. Three people were killed, 6…
The other night while finishing my Chinese food, I was wondering what was in my future via my fortune cookie. Will I be going on a cruise, or…
Perhaps you’re doing chores at home, driving to an appointment, or cooking a meal, and then it happens—someone you know comes to your mind and you…
”The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor and Philosopher Last…
DO YOU SAY YES WHEN YOU REALLY WANT TO SAY NO? If you're nodding your head, then you're not alone. It's not uncommon for many of you to say Yes to…
They’re inevitable! Often during your Life’s Journey, you will come to that proverbial Fork in the Road. And it won’t be just once; it will show…
See here how it's done…
Of the 72 Roman emperors, Marcus Aurelius, who reigned between 161-180 CE, still reigns supreme in my mind. It's not just because he had curly…
For this installment of “In conversation with…”, I sat down with my tribe member, Kym Allen, a master fitness trainer and instructor, and my…
Jane: I’m really upset!
Judy: Why?
Jane: Can’t you tell?
Judy: No. Is it the new Admin, Kandy Kane?
Jane: No…
Question: (blindfolded)
While organizing my book shelf of Roman emperors over the weekend, I took a look at King Charles’ coronation and couldn’t get over Princess Anne’s…
No, I’m not getting personal! But, let’s do talk about constipation—Emotional Constipation—that is!
But first let’s take a look at…
Somewhere someone is looking for exactly what you have to offer. – Louise Hay
How cool is that! You, yes you, have exactly what someone is…
This morning when you woke up you did not know this. I am happy to be the bearer of such great news!
You’re probably scratching your head…
A lot of people don't like change. They consider it scary. After all, when change comes, it often disrupts the safe little life that has been…
Who doesn't experience challenges? We all do. They are life’s speed bumps. They show up when you least expect them. And they definitely slow us…
A while back our kitchen clock fell off the wall, the glass breaking into several pieces. It had to be thrown out. Only after the clock was no…
Our co-founder, Mark, who makes youtropolis work smoothly and efficiently has come down with Covid. Please send him some love to help him heal…
(Tweet sent to me on Twitter @askjoshsmom).
When I received this tweet, I was stunned! Why would anyone write this? I had to read it a…
Things happen in life. Things we don’t like. Things that make us feel bad, and create turbulence. Sometimes those things seem like Everything—like…
Dementia isn’t a condition associated with positivity, as cognitive degeneration can rob a person of the life they knew and upend those of their…
Sometimes gifts keep giving.
The first time I realized that gifts can exceed their worth or utility was during my run for Congress…
You stop at your neighborhood 7-Eleven, and purchase one Lotto ticket. It’s not going to win, you’re sure, but you’ll check tomorrow night anyway…
You’re driving down the freeway going about 80 miles an hour; a tad too fast, but hey, you’re going with the flow of traffic, right? You’re going…
Several years back, my youngest brother told me that he loved a painting called The Nightmare by Henry Fuseli (1781). He asked me to paint it for…
A woman in India went into butt-kicking mode when a crocodile attacked her husband. The power of love knows no limits.…
Ever feel like your life is empty, meaningless? Do you ever wonder, "What's the point?"
Let me tell you what the point is: You matter! You…
Have you ever felt so heated during an argument with a loved one that you’ve said something really mean and hurtful? Then after you said it, you…
On an episode of CNN’s “The Nineties”, Steven Bochco, writer and producer of shows like Hill Street Blues, LA Law, and NYPD Blue, reflected on one…
You’re in the kitchen preparing your favorite pasta meal. You pour your penne noodles in the boiling water. It should only take about 9 minutes…
How accurate is your perception? Watch this video to get an idea (full screen is recommended)…
We encounter countless people every day. Strangers, if you will. We see them at the supermarket, the gas station, the mall, the gym, or even in…
“ . . . nobody wants a phony. Nobody ever wants a counterfeit coin.” ~Paul Boynton
It’s often said that imitation is the greatest…
Back in July of 2014, the Ninja roller coaster in Magic Mountain, located in Valencia, CA, going at approximately 55 MPH, ran into a tree branch…
Partner or Crutch?
Even the best relationships have their challenges. If you’re in one, you might be struggling to make things work. If…
THE CAKE SITS BEFORE YOU, THE CANDLES AGLOW . . . “Make a Wish,” everyone yells. And you do. You close your eyes, blow as hard as you can, and…
When a friend asked me what I did on Easter, I told him I spent a good part of the day helping my parents remove a big, deeply rooted Oleander…
How much should dead batteries cost?
Actually, there should be no charge!
I think this twists the brain more than the tongue in determining if there's too many "saws".
A story I heard:
A man was brushing his teeth when he saw an angel standing behind him reflected in the bathroom mirror. The angel said to…
While making my lunch the other day, I reached into the tortilla chip bag and pulled out this perfect heart-shaped chip. How amazing is that! It…
Remember...no one MAKES you angry. You decide to use ANGER as a response.
Have you ever had one of those dreams where you’re walking down the street and you realize you’re naked? Everyone around you is staring but there’…
Did you play hopscotch as a kid? I can remember how easy it was to repeatedly hop on one leg without falling and faceplanting on concrete. Many…
I don’t think there’s a soul out there who hasn’t experienced the embarrassment of having eaten and gotten a piece of spinach or black bean stuck…
Tonight's full moon was beautiful and sorta pink after all.
Youtropolis has formed an alliance with Happy Harvesters, a grassroots movement that gleans produce from neighborhood backyard trees and donates…
People make mistakes. The saying, “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones,” was created for a reason. Everyone messes up at some…
Several years ago, I frequented library book sales and antique bookstores, always arriving early and eager to find something different and…
My client, Todd lives on a private road off Sunset Boulevard in Southern California. When pulling onto his road, it’s like entering a forest with…
I wish for people to just leave others alone. Believe what you will, but don't force others to do the same. The trouble starts when someone thinks…
The tunnel is long and dark. You’ve been traveling for a while now wondering where it’s leading you. Every step you take feels heavy, exhausting…
Tech neck is a postural and structural imbalance that has become very common with computers and especially smartphones. Not only does tech neck…
Ben is a 75-year-old client living near Aspen and has been skiing for decades. During our online training session, Ben said, “I’ve learned that…
UPDATE: On July 5, 2023, Canada's updated travel advisory to citizens traveling to the United States includes the following warning for gun…
A few years ago I was in a training session with my client, Lawrence. During a rest break between exercises, he asked me where I went to…
When I was about six or seven, my mom took her prized philodendron outside and asked me to “squirt the leaves off.” Apparently, I gave her a…
Sanatana’s “We’ll see…” post stimulated several of my “we’ll see” memories. One in particular came to mind I’d like to share. I was hired as an…
This weekend I was looking at my You Factory stats to see how much love I’d given over the last seven days.
I noticed that overall my you-…
Of all the teachings of my faith. The one that seems mentioned often is to ‘love thy neighbor’ - and it is the most difficult of all the teachings…
This article discusses how insurrections on slave ships were not uncommon, and captured women often led them. Important knowledge to commemorate…
What can we learn from this funny video? Possibly that we should always pause before reacting? Not to judge a book by its cover? That inner…
