One of the things that can be drummed out us as we age is our ability to dream. When we were younger they came so easily. Somewhere along the way this ability, those delicious ever changing desires, ambitions and dreams become so deeply buried we seem to be unable to find them. Where did they go? »more»

Jed Diamond, Ph.D. has been a marriage and family counselor for the last 45 years. He is the author of 8 books, including Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places, Male Menopause, The Irritable Male Syndrome, and Mr. Mean: Saving Your Relationship from the Irritable Male Syndrome (May, 2010). »more»

Useful checklist on how to become and stay happy from author Sonja Lyubomirsky:

1. Count your blessings. Express gratitude for what you have both privately and to others.

2. Cultivate optimism. Practice seeing the bright side of everything.

3. Avoid over-thinking and social comparison. Don't dwell on problems.

4. Practice kindness. Do good things for others. »more»

I grew up in the 50s and 60s when there were no subwoofers or loud exhausts. Mufflers were used to make vehicles quiet. This has become a major problem in my life and also part of the reason I isolate. I can't go to a restaurant, park, walk in my neighborhood or even go to a funeral where bass doesn't filter through the walls. »more»

The next time you are aching and reaching for an Advil, think about having some white tea instead. University of London researchers tested over 2- plant and herb extracts and discovered that white tea consistently outperformed each of them. Among the benefits were reduced rheumatoid arthritis risk, age-related wrinkles and even in helping body tissue repair faster. »more»

There may be no more perfect book for the LifeTwo audience than Gretchen Rubin's new book "The Happiness Project". Rubin spent a year as a one person focus group testing every possible way to increase personal happiness. Part memoir and part "how to fix your life", "The Happiness Project" is a joy to read. »more»

Jed Diamond, Ph.D. has been a marriage and family counselor for the last 44 years. He is the author of 8 books, including Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places, Male Menopause, and The Irritable Male Syndrome. He offers counseling to men, women, and couples in his office in California or by phone with people throughout the U.S. and around the world. »more»

We all make resolutions though not always calling them that. Sometimes we just say to ourselves "I need to start doing X" or "I need to quit doing Y". One of the most common such self-promises involves weight and diet. »more»

The more I step into this place of being open about early midlife celebrations, the more women I've noticed coming forward with their stories of frustration and loss. And when I say "loss", what I'm hearing more and more is that they've lost sight of who they are and are frustrated about who they've become. »more»

Like many (all?) people in midlife, I have found myself with less and less opportunity to read books. I regularly read two newspapers and several magazines but over the past decade my book reading has gone to 2-3 a month to 2-3 a year. Sad. I've offset this in part by a subscription to Audible.com but I still miss reading books.

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