Your life will happen one way or another, so it's a good idea to take charge of its direction, and a life plan is the way to do it. Thousands of books discuss how to create a life plan. No matter your age, the purpose of a life plan is to capitalize on opportunities and avoid regrets. A life plan can be written for a month at a time or drafted to incorporate many years. Life plans help you maximize and prioritize possibilities, and they separate the possible from the improbable. (You probably…

Getting kids back to school and on a new schedule can be a tug of war without a little preparation. Here are some tips that stand the test of time:

• For the nervous youngster facing a new school or grade, walk through the schedule one week before school begins, visit classrooms, and get a lay of the land to reduce anxiety.
• If the school offers a pre-start, back-to-school night, attend it.
• Beginning a week before the start of school, test sleeping routines by having everyone in the family…

Are you facing the loss of a close relationship, deciding it's not time to let go and end the pain and conflict associated with it? You may want to consider counseling support for this journey. The challenge of ending an unhealthy or toxic relationship often includes a cycle of holding on, letting go, retrieval, and the hope of one last try, followed by an even bigger letdown. You may face grief-life reactions such as denial, anger, and depression before acceptance. Counseling can help you…