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I’ve always been a thankful person; expressing gratitude has never been an issue for me. When I was a child, my stepdad once told my mom that I was grateful even if I was given an empty paper bag. My gratitude caused my stepdad to do nice things…

There were times right after my lupus diagnosis when I longed for a relationship that was more than platonic. There were times when I felt I needed someone to hear out my frustrations and wrap their arms around me in a way that was different than a family…

There are situations where I know it would be beneficial for me to disclose that I’ve been diagnosed with lupus, but I just can’t. When it comes to my personal life, I’m all for being open and honest, even if it means stepping out of my comfort…

Before I got lupus, I had no idea what an anxiety attack felt like, let alone how to work to stave one off. I’d always used meditation for personal focus and professional clarity. Meditation and mindfulness are how I have accomplished a lot of goals over the years but…

Selfish is almost a dirty word to me. When selfish is used to describe someone, it’s usually with distaste, and I’ve long considered it a terrible quality to possess. But of late, my tune has started to change. I’ve realized that to be selfish doesn’t necessarily mean…

When a long-term relationship ends, I usually take a year or two to understand the new me because, let’s face it, we change. My last serious relationship ended in 2010. After a while, I got caught up in all the wonderful things that were happening in my…

I’m a lot of things: Hard-headed, intensely determined, logical and deeply reflective, to name just a few. And while these character traits often are considered to be qualities, they can be perceived just as easily as flaws. The one thing all of these traits have in common?…

Nobody asks to be sick, and no one asks for constant pain. Living with chronic pain is not a life anyone would set out to have for themselves. As we go through our lives, we ask for more money, a better job, good things for our families,…

Good health too often is thought of solely in the physical form. In this society, we put so much emphasis on the state of our bodies, yet neglect to pay attention to the state of our minds. Truthfully, I never used to give much thought to the…

Two years ago the Paleo Diet was the diet everyone was talking about. I remember going to a New Years Eve party and they served paleo chili with cauliflower. It may sound very Californian, but it was honestly the best chili I ever had. I remember…