Adultitis affects billions of people across the world. When left unchecked, it can downright ruin lots of otherwise festive occasions, including birthdays. The Cure Adultitis Institute has released another case study documenting the serious nature of this deadly condition. Watch this video, but be warned: it's pretty depressing. Adultitis always is. Don't forget to send this video on to all of the people you care about. And the test is just a click away. …
General
Stress Begets Stress
Remember Jeff Foxworthy's, "You might be a redneck if..."? Classic! Recently in our speaking gigs we have started helping audiences identify their Adultitis by giving some examples in a similar way. For instance, you might have Adultitis if... you consider your cell phone a body part. You might have Adultitis if... it's dark when you leave home in the morning and it's dark when you get home, and you don't live in Alaska. This last one is quite an issue. I happened upon an article talking about the trend of commuters leaving earlier and earlier, while also leaving work later in the day to …
Life As A Daring Adventure
Kim and I are in Arizona this week. It's hotter than the inside of an Easy Bake Oven. After a speaking engagement in Scottsdale on Sunday, as I signed books for busy moms and teased little kids, I noticed an elderly woman standing quietly in the background. She looked like she was waiting for the crowd to clear out. Once the activity level died down, she and her walker made their way over to the table where I was sitting. “I want to share a story with you,” she said eagerly. …
A 9/11 Tradition
Kim has already posted a pretty good take on September 11 and the events that transpired six years ago. (Six years already?!) I'd just like to add a simple question: How has your life changed? Some of us have had friends and family members who have fought in Afghanistan and Iraq. But for many people, the only big change has been the extra security at airports. Other than that, life has settled into the same hurried ruts that were prevalent in pre-9/11 days. …
Escaping Adulthood in Australia
Sam and Soph from Sydney are two of the latest people from around the world up for the Escape Plan Challenge. They're fed up with Adultitis, and are posting the details of their adventure on their blog, The Fountainside. The Escape Plan is fun, and it's made even funner (I know, "more fun," but "funner" is funner!) when couples and friends tackle it together. As of this writing, they're almost a quarter of the way through. So far, they've added some art to their fridge, enjoyed a mud mask, wrote down some big dreams, determined that Soph's mouth can hold only 56.52173913% of the total …
Eeyore or Tigger?
As I sat typing on Daisy, my Mac, waiting for the car to get some fresh oil, I couldn't help but smile to myself at the psychology lesson that was unfolding right before my eyes. Folks were coming in to drop off their cars for everything from oil changes to big money repairs. To say that "attitude is everything" at the mechanics is an understatement. First a thirty-something woman came in, very Eeyore-like. Although she wasn't elderly, she sure seemed to be moving at a pace that would get her some significant discounts at Arby's. Her presence was gloomy and grey, just like America's …
Calling Your Shot
Christina over at Writer Mama challenged me the other day to reveal "Eight Random Things About Me." Since I did a similar post a few months ago after Phil's request, I decided to take a different slant on this. I've tweaked it to be "Eight Random Things About Me In Eight Years." Last month I talked about the importance of life lists and the power in writing down your goals. In that vain, I have decided to reveal the list I will write eight years from today, Aug. 16, 2015. I will be 37 years young. Essentially, I'm "calling my shot." Here goes... 1. I love being a mom! Our kids bring me …
Do You Have That Spark?
This summer I have been inspired by a bunch of strangers who have been consistently working their butts off while following their hearts. Who are these persistent dreamers? The contestants from the reality show, "On the Lot." This is the first refreshing reality show I've seen. I know, usually refreshing and reality do not simultaneously describe a reality show, but this one has been different. Reailty shows usually have a lot of drama, but the drama in this show is real. It's the natural drama that comes when passionate people are working hard towards the accomplishment of their …
Death of the Grown-Up
Will the death of the grown-up bring about our downfall? Could be. You may be asking, "How can you write this, Mr. Author of Escape Adulthood: 8 Secrets from Childhood for the Stressed-Out Grown-Up?" Easy. The book, The Death of the Grown-up: How America's Arrested Development Is Bringing Down Western Civilization by Diana West, is supported by many well-known conservatives. I suspect that it might veer off to an extreme tangent, but I agree with many of its premises. Parents spend way too much time trying to be their kids friends rather than their parents. We are way too politically …
11 Things Kids Must Do During Summer
Summer is coming to a close, so you need to make the most of these last few weeks. When school starts the harsh reality for most kids is that their small amount of free time will soon be filled with homework, soccer, music lessons, church classes and sleeping. To read more about how overscheduled kids are destined to become perfectionist adults (riddled with Adultitis), check out this article. It's time to cross-reference your recent summertime activities with my list of 11 Things Kids Must Do During Summer. If you would like more ideas, I highly recommend the awesome book, "101 Things …