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This blog shares food, fitness and lifestyle tips, to help elevate mind, body, and spirit.
“Those who have the privilege to know, have the duty to act.”
~ Albert Einstein
I am a lifelong learner with several decades of experience as a parent, caregiver, employee, writer, speaker, and wellness consultant. More recently, I have become a grandmother.
My curiosity, life experience and love of learning compel me to teach what I've had the privilege to learn - and unlearn.
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Embracing uncertainty
Do one thing everyday that scares you. Those small things that make us uncomfortable help us build courage to do the work we do. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt Today, we are all being challenged to embrace uncertainty. Uncertainty about the future can create anxiety. I have definitely been challenged to adapt to unpredictability and become more resilient. Never knowing exactly where I will be needed and where I will be sleeping next, I have no choice but to remain flexible and go with t
Mary Maciel Pearson
31 minutes ago1 min read
The power of words
Words have magical power. They can either bring the greatest happiness or the deepest despair. ~ Sigmund Freud The words we select and the language we use have the power to affect the people and the world around us. Words represent our beliefs, values, prejudices, and principles—sometimes in ways we may not intend. The words we choose can not only shape people’s perceptions of us but also influence them. Because I have grandchildren and aspire to help them be a positive influ
Mary Maciel Pearson
May 221 min read
The house is on fire
The people who test your patience are a blessing. Without them, you can't practice patience. ~ Nouman Ali Khan Feeling unsafe and a lack of trust are common traits in older adults in our family. Trust is often a byproduct of social density. When social circles shrink, trust often declines. Cognitive decline, particularly in the early stages of dementia, can affect the amygdala and prefrontal cortex—the brain regions responsible for evaluating social cues and determining wheth
Mary Maciel Pearson
May 152 min read
A thought-provoking obituary
People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. ~ Maya Angelou On Wednesday, I attended the funeral of a woman who died after prolonged suffering with cancer. The church was full. I was moved by the eulogy written by her daughters. It was thought-provoking, reminding me of David Brooks' book, The Road to Character. The book contrasts external "résumé virtues" (success, wealth, status) with internal "eulog
Mary Maciel Pearson
May 81 min read
Why am I here?
The two most important days in your life are the day you are born, and the day you find out why. ~ Mark Twain My husband and I stopped at a wellness retreat on our way to a wedding in New York City. I participated in a guided Soul Journey experience. The Spiritual Wellness Provider asked me to think of a question I could ask whoever I might encounter. Unprepared, I wrote down divine guidance on my soul mission. Breath-work and a drumming-assisted guided meditation took me thr
Mary Maciel Pearson
May 12 min read
Stubborn certainty serves no one well
Visionary decision-making happens at the intersection of intuition and logic. ~ Paul O’Brien Occasionally, I question my intuition and struggle with decision-making. “Strong convictions, weakly held” is a mantra I now repeat to myself when indecisive. It is a decision-making philosophy that advocates taking a clear, decisive position based on current information, while maintaining the humility to update or abandon it when new data proves it incorrect. The phrase is widely att
Mary Maciel Pearson
Apr 241 min read
When our parents become dependent
Aging parents show us the true meaning of patience, love, and the circle of life. Observing the age-related dependency and cognitive decline in our parents nudges me to do what I can now to reduce the likelihood that my children will have to look after me. Unlike the rapid growth of infancy, aging can be a gradual process of decline in which the body and brain lose capacity rather than gain new skills. Yet, we can easily overlook this decline in our parents until we face it
Mary Maciel Pearson
Apr 172 min read
If I change the way I look at things...
When we are no longer able to change a situation - we are challenged to change ourselves. ~ Viktor E. Frankl By reframing the challenges that arise in my life as opportunities to learn, unlearn and re-learn, I am able to remain calm and make a difference in whatever way I can. We cannot change the fact that my mother and my husband's mother, who are ill, now need support from their children. We are grateful to have siblings who are all doing their part. Much as I prefer to be
Mary Maciel Pearson
Apr 102 min read
Self-care is a gift to our children
Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you’ve got to start young. ~ Fred Astaire I can't say it's been easy, but I continue to show up to help my mother, who has now been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, in a loving way. Her memory has deteriorated quickly since her previous cognitive assessment in 2023. Mom had always been sharp with numbers. Three years ago, she could easily count backwards by 7. This time, when asked by a geriatrician what 100-7 equalled, she
Mary Maciel Pearson
Apr 31 min read
My nervous system needs a reset
Seeing a deer pause in the quiet woods taught me that stillness isn’t inaction; it’s the moment your spirit gathers enough truth to rise again. - Unknown The last couple of weeks have been incredibly busy. Again, I have been challenged to prioritize the needs of others. My nervous system, which had been on overdrive, needed a reset. So, a few days early, I packed everything up from our temporary winter home and headed back to the cottage. My husband went to visit his mother
Mary Maciel Pearson
Mar 271 min read
Loving unconditionally
Unconditional love is the outer expression of inner peace. ~ Louise Hay It's March Break. We have been caring for our two-year-old and four-year-old granddaughters at the cottage, while our daughter, their mother, works in the bunkie. They fill the house with joy and they love being here. Complicating matters for us is the fact that my mother and my husband's mother are ill and in need of our attention. At times, we are a little distracted. Last night, just as I'd managed to
Mary Maciel Pearson
Mar 201 min read
When science becomes religion
Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt. ~ Richard P. Feynman Religion and science are both systems of belief. Science is evidence-based and thus subject to constant revision and falsification. In contrast, religion is faith-based. It demands belief in the absence of evidence. The phrase “evidence-based” originates from the concept that decisions should be grounded in data, research, or verifiable facts rather than opinion, tradition, or intuition. It e
Mary Maciel Pearson
Mar 131 min read
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