Should My Teen Take Time Off After Graduation?

You ultimately become what you repeatedly do. If your daily habits aren’t helping you, they’re hurting you. Here are some fairly common and widespread examples of the latter that will drain all your joy and inner peace if you let them:Try to use frustration and inconvenience to motivate you rather than annoy you.

Be OK with walking away. Rejection teaches you how to reject what’s not right for you.As you look back on your life, you will realize that many of the times you thought you were being rejected by someone or something you wanted, you were in fact being redirected to someone or something you needed. Seeing this when you’re in the midst of feeling rejected, however, is quite tough.

“Do not ruin today with mourning tomorrow.” — Catherynne M. ValenteEver feel a little overwhelmed? Or really overwhelmed?This quick read is for YOU…Once upon a time there was a man who had been lost in the desert for three whole days without water. Just as he was about to collapse, he saw what appeared to be a lake a few hundred yards in front of him.

“When we listen to our body with kindness, we honor the present moment and give ourselves the care we truly need.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh

The morning is enormously important. It’s the foundation from which the day is built. How you choose to spend your morning can predict the kind of day you’re going to have.Have you ever appreciated the silence just before the sun peaks over the horizon? Or the hush of a country road at sunset? Or the peaceful calm just after a heavy rainstorm ends? Or perhaps you know the silence in the back of your local city library, or the eager pause of an auditorium full of people when the lights dim for the main event, or, best of all, the moment just after the front door shuts and you suddenly have the whole house to yourself?Each silent moment is different, yet all are beautiful if you listen carefully.

Running a small business in places like Chicago, San Diego, or any other city comes with more than just day-to-day operations. Many owners focus on sales, marketing, and growth, but forget to prepare for the legal issues that can arise. The legal problems don’t always come with a warning, and when they do show up, they can be disruptive, expensive, and time-consuming.Whether it’s a contract problem, a workplace concern, or an unexpected dispute, not being prepared can cost more than just money—it can slow your entire business down.

There are moments when art reaches beyond words, where poetry becomes prophecy, and storytelling becomes soul speaking. The following piece […]

“Sometimes, the hardest person to trust is ourselves. But when we do, everything changes.” ~Unknown

“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count — it’s the life in your years.”As you age you will learn to value your time, genuine relationships, meaningful work, and peace of mind, much more. Little else will matter.Deep down you know that already, right?Yet on most days, just like the majority of us, you get distracted by so many others things. You give your time to lots of meaningless time-wasters.

Let’s be honest, our bodies are incredible. Every single day, they work tirelessly behind the scenes to digest food, balance […]

“Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.”Henry James“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”Maria RobinsonTo be kind to yourself in everyday life is in in my experience one of the best things you can do for yourself.Life will become lighter and your relationships will most likely improve.You will feel happier overall. And your self-esteem and your sense of deserving good things in life will go up.

By Charles Barnard, founder of Success Institutes. “I just didn’t want to feel anything anymore.” These were the words of a 16 […]

Living with ADHD means constantly unboxing and adapting to its little “gifts.” Our symptoms work like Russian nesting dolls, the outer shells consisting of one of the “big three” – inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity – and the shells within consisting of sub-behaviors that cause issues in different parts of our lives. It can feel impossible to break from these behaviors because of how subtle they can be and how automatic they become, but you CAN adapt. One of my most prevalent ADHD nesting dolls is perfectionism.Perfectionism wasn’t on my radar until I was diagnosed with inattentive-type ADHD at 30.

Not available July 10th? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.Children with ADHD endure frequent criticism or negative feedback from parents, teachers, other adults, and peers, and this steady stream of judgment often degrades their self-esteem.

June 10, 2025ADHD prevalence in adults and children remains stable, suggesting that the steady increase in new ADHD diagnoses does not indicate an “epidemic” but improved research and diagnostic tools, according to a new study published in the Journal of Attention Disorders. 1The systematic review, led by a team of researchers from King’s College London, found no significant increase in ADHD prevalence rates among children and adults from 2020 to 2024 compared to earlier time periods.

June 11, 2025Stimulants do not cause psychosis in children, concluded a new study published in Pediatrics.1 The study assuages concerns raised by previous observational research linking the use of stimulants to psychosis, which prompted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2007 to add a warning label to stimulants.2 The new study demonstrated that the slight association between stimulant use and psychosis is correlated to other factors, including the severity of ADHD symptoms, and not caused by the medications.The research team, led by Ian Kelleher, M.D., chair of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Edinburgh in the U.K, used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, a longitudinal study that followed 8,391 children ages 9 to 14, for a year. Of these children, 5.5% were taking stimulant medication for ADHD.Among both the general population and children taking stimulants, the risk of having a psychotic episode was very low.

Not available June 26th? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.ADHD brings with it intense emotions, impatience, and stress — and our inability to regulate these feelings affects everyday life as well as our most important relationships.

Slot machines are not just entertainment but direct channels to the most potent chemical in the human brain: dopamine. Knowing […]

“The journey of the perfect daughter is not about perfection; it’s about finding the courage to be imperfect, to be human.” ~Robert Ackerman,

In his influential book Principle-Centered Leadership, Stephen R. Covey explores the values and philosophies that shape impactful, ethical, and lasting leadership. Instead of offering quick fixes or superficial techniques, Covey provides a timeless framework for personal and professional development, one grounded in integrity, fairness, and service.This book isn’t about handing you the fish.

Amna Abdallah is one of the coaches that we found this month and we did a little interview with her. […]

Sonnets have been written about unrequited love for centuries. Countless books and films explore romantic heartbreak with devastating clarity. 

In today’s fast-paced world, having a peaceful retreat right inside your home is more important than ever. Creating your own home sanctuary doesn’t require expensive renovations or months of planning. One of the easiest and most stylish ways to transform your space is by using peel and stick wallpaper. This simple yet impactful decor hack allows you to craft a calming, cozy environment tailored to your personal taste—with minimal effort and budget.

Power outages are unexpected — but your need for power isn’t. Whether it’s lighting your home during a storm or keeping your business from shutting down, a generator gives you a secure source of backup power when the grid goes down.

I hope you’ll find something helpful here no matter if you’re a student starting a new chapter in life, a parent guiding your child or a teacher who needs a boost of positive energy.“I’ve always loved the first day of school better than the last day of school. Firsts are best because they are beginnings.” – Jenny Han“This is a new year. A new beginning.

“In any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or step back into safety.” ~Abraham Maslow

It happens to all of us gradually as we live and grow. We discover more about who we are and the way life is, and then we realize there are some changes we need to make. The lifestyle we’ve been living no longer fits.

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Pathological demand avoidance (PDA), also known as pervasive or persistent drive for autonomy, is a behavioral profile characterized by intense and extreme resistance to, and avoidance of, everyday demands.In the context of PDA, what counts as a demand extends beyond direct instructions like “clean your room.” The common, trivial requirements and expectations of daily living — from getting dressed for school and responding to a greeting, to following the body’s internal cues to eat and sleep — are often perceived as demands. Casual suggestions can also be interpreted as demands.

We don’t realize how often we block our own present blessings by holding on to everything so tightly.It’s always necessary to accept when some part of your life has reached its inevitable end. Closing the door, completing the chapter, turning the page, etc. It doesn’t matter what you title it; what matters is that you find the strength to leave in the past those former parts of your life that are over, and those little ideals in your mind that simply aren’t meant to be.Over the past sixteen years, as Angel and I have gradually worked with hundreds of our course students, coaching clients, and live event attendees, we’ve come to understand that the most common cause of human frustration on an average day is our stubborn propensity to hold on to things long after it’s time to let go. In a nutshell, we hold on tight to the hope that things will go exactly as we imagine, and then we complicate our lives to no end when they don’t.So let’s take a look at some common things we often regret holding on to for way too long…Try to use frustration and inconvenience to motivate you rather than annoy you. You are in control of the way you look at life. Instead of getting angry, find the lesson.

The ADHD brain thrives in environments that are unwaveringly positive, motivating, and encouraging. A kind, uplifting outlook does wonders for neurodivergent youth, who face more than their fair share of negative feedback, punishment, social rejection, and other daily frustrations.

June 6, 2025On April 29, the Trump administration announced it was cutting $1 billion in funding for federal grants used to hire and train 14,000 mental health professionals in 260 public school districts across 49 states.The grants originated in 2022’s Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a bill that passed the Senate with unanimous consent following the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, where 22 people died, including 19 elementary school children. The bill was largely seen as important recognition of and support for an escalating mental health crisis among American youth.In April, the Trump administration eliminated all funding for these grants, blaming Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives associated with them.

I hope you’ll find something here that’ll help make the start of this school year a happy, simple and inspired one.“A new school year means new beginnings, new adventures, new friendships, and new challenges. The slate is clean and anything can happen.” – Denise Witmer“The more that you read, the more things you know, the more you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss“Minds are like parachutes, they only function when they are open.” – James Dewar“I’ve always loved the first day of school better than the last day of school.