“The prevalence of healthy lifestyles across the United States remains very low.”

Your finances can seem like both a gift and a curse when navigating through life. It can be a sense of overwhelming accomplishment or a downward spiral that can lead to health issues if not managed.

Can I be honest with you all? New Year’s Day seems a little sneaky to me. After we’ve spent the last two months gorging ourselves on cream cheese balls and all manner of delicious sweets, we are walloped with a holiday that has self-evaluation baked into its DNA. Like, seriously? Who planned this out? I’m not ready to be under the microscope!

In all transparency, I really struggle this time of year. I want to make my kids Christmas special; I want to stay on budget, I want to get the best deals, and I want to focus on creating memories over giving physical gifts. Yet, at the end of the day, I am often left feeling exhausted and unfulfilled. And then there’s the anticipation, maybe even worry, about receiving gifts.

Frustrated, stressed, and frankly, not wanting to deal with the problem at hand, I grabbed the bag of chips and started munching away in hopes to feel better about the difficult situation that had just arose.

I was having bad dreams...

If you’ve ever dealt with grief, you’re likely familiar with the phrase “it comes in waves.” One moment you’re smiling as a memory crosses your mind, and in the next moment tears flow uncontrollably when “that” song plays on the radio.