Every time I say no, I actually mean yes. (What, am I the two-headed monster from Sesame Street?) I know it's confusing, but hear me out. It looks like this... "No. I can't connect for a long-overdue playdate on Friday morning," actually means... "Yes. I will take the morning to clean since we have people coming over on Saturday. If I can clean during the day on Friday, then I won't have to stay up late on Friday night cleaning after the kids go to bed, and I'll be able to be well-rested for our visitors which will help me enjoy the time more. I'll also get quality time with Jason after the kids go to bed, which is rejuvenating and fills up my cup." "No. I will not add more work hours to my week, even though I feel like it would be helpful since my inbox is constantly overflowing," actually means... "Yes. I will make the commitment to put the kids first and be their primary caregiver each morning and two full days during the week, which allows me to find a healthy …

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If you only had a year to live, how would you spend it? It's a paradoxal cliche that we hear an awful lot, but don't spend nearly the same amount of time thoughtfully considering. I stumbled across a story shared by Chris Guillebeau about an artist named Robert Genn who developed pancreatic cancer and was told he had about a year to live. Here's what he decided to do: They considered how to spend the time they had left together. There were thoughts of trips to Hawaii or the Galapagos, but Genn wanted to end his life as he had lived it: in his studio, making art, with his family close by. James fashioned a reclining chair so his father could continue to paint, lying down, as his illness took a physical toll. “He made it is his mission to go as long and as far as he could with a paintbrush in his hand, and he was painting small canvases right up until the last few weeks,” James said. “There’s a thing in the culture that says, if you’re given a year to live, what would you do …

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