Archives For Holidays

Independence Day, on the Fourth of July, is a US holiday that commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, which declared our freedom and independence from Great Britain.

 Let's Celebrate Freedom!

In the US, July 4th is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, family reunions and political speeches and ceremonies that celebrate the history, government and traditions of the United States of America.

Celebrating Freedom

There are many types of freedom including religious and political freedom, freedom of speech and the acceptance of our Basic Human Rights. Many of us who have grown up with these basic freedoms tend to take them for granted. We assume that everyone in the world has the same inherent freedoms that we do.

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In Emotional Healing and recovery work, emotionally healthy men often feel like they’re getting a ‘bad rap,’ because all they tend to hear about are the negative, hurtful things other men have done.

Appreciating Healthy Men

Because men have not been encouraged to express their feelings in our culture, many men in the past have acted out their emotional pain in unhealthy ways, creating pain and suffering for their families and friends. But fortunately there are millions of good men in the world, who truly care about the world and the contribution they are making.

It’s important to appreciate these emotionally healthy men in our lives. They make a huge difference to all of us everyday by contributing their kindness and wisdom.

What is a ‘Good Man?’

Women often talk about a ‘good man’ like he’s a rare commodity. It’s pretty common to hear surprise in a woman’s voice when she talks about someone she knows who’s a really ‘good man!’

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As we start the New Year, many people are thinking about their New Year’s resolutions. Are you going to focus on getting healthy and working out at the gym? Do you want to be a better parent and spend more quality time with your kids?

Just Imagine

New Year’s resolutions are good, but as we all know, they often fall by the wayside when life comes along and throws obstacles in our way. It’s very easy to let them all go and go back to our old negative behaviors. Too often we find ourselves sitting in front of the TV instead of exercising and creating that slim, healthy body we had hoped for.

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Christmas is a loving, family time for many people, but for others it can be very lonely and depressing. Some people have suffered significant losses in their family or jobs. Others simply never had supportive partners or families to make the holiday feel warm and loving.

Photo by flaivoloka

Photo by flaivoloka

The frantic shopping and gift-giving can also be difficult and challenging for people who are struggling financially. Many people are simply happy when Christmas is all over and they can go back to the normal routines of life.

What Makes Christmas Special?

Love is the essence of Christmas. It’s not the gifts, or the fancy dinners or showing off for all your friends and family. It’s the love you give from your heart that makes Christmas special and memorable.

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With another holiday celebration just around the corner, we could probably all use a little humor to lighten our spirits. So instead of focusing on how to do things right, I thought it might be fun to think of creative ways to totally ruin our holiday gathering.

How to Ruin a Holiday Gathering

I’d love to have you add to the list! I’m sure you can think of lots more ways to make everything a complete disaster!

15 Easy Ways to Ruin Your Holiday Gathering

So here are some of the best ways to ruin things that I could think of. What are some of the best (or worst) ones that you’ve experienced?

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With the holidays just around the corner, some of you who grew up in dysfunctional families may already be dreading the family holiday gatherings.

Thanksgiving Dinner

You may be bored with Great Aunt Martha who loves to talk about her latest illnesses or frustrated with Uncle Bob, who’s always drunk before he ever arrives. Dysfunctional family dynamics can be very difficult and challenging.

Demands and Expectations

Holidays are a time when families tend to have a lot of demands and expectations. Rather than asking you how you would like to participate, sometimes families simply expect or demand that you do things the way they want you to do them.

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