Articles by Luise Volta

1) Blaming Others for the Roadblocks in our Lives May Be a Way to Stay Stuck
How many of us point the finger at someone else when we look at the problems we face on a regular basis? Whether at work or at home, we can site the cause readily enough as our boss, co-worker, spouse, or offspring. Often we are right but where does that get us? A very hard lesson to learn is how to take affirmative action when the difficulty rests with others and the ball is in their court. We often... » read more

2) What Are Food Supplements All About and How Can We Educate Ourselves on this Subject
Today we are hearing a great deal about food supplements and we are reading about them in almost every type of newspaper and magazine. Yet sometimes the information can be pretty confusing. Some articles are obvious ads and that can make their claims suspect. There are also articles that appear to be written by independent sources that are really disguised ads. In generations past, fresh fruits and... » read more

3) A movement is Replacing New Year's Resolutions and It's Working for Those Willing to Give It a Try
Many of us have totally given up where New Year's Resolutions are concerned. We have left a sad little trail behind us that seems to reach out into infinity...liberally strewn with broken promises and dead resolves. So what's the point? Still when the time approaches, most of us can't help but think about our weight or our savings plan or a thousand other things that really could take some cleaning up. » read more

4) Christmas Shopping Doesn't Have to be a Grueling Experience if We Approach it Methodically
Every year most of us tremble at the thought of doing our Christmas shopping. The task looms and we shrink back from it dreading the crowds and what we will have to face when the snow clears, Santa is gone and the Visa bills arrive. Christmas shopping is a job that can be reduced to a very minor issue with a little organization. There is no law that says we can't allocate next year's Christmas... » read more

5) We Often Don't Notice our Accumulation of Possessions Until They Take Us Over and Possess Us
Have you noticed that as we get more palatial homes with huge multiple garages and also awesome second homes...that we are also renting more storage lockers? We have become a culture focused on "things" and the truth is we don't know what to with the over flow. Closets are full, basements, garages and attics are full and most of us really don't have a clue when we start to look for something...where we... » read more

6) How Can We Approach a Necessary Divorce Wisely and Well
One of the things none of us ever expected to have to face when we were young adults wearing custom-fitted, rose-colored glasses was leaving a marriage. We've had no training in how to do it although most of us have had the misfortune to observe how not to do it, up close and personal. When our children are still at home the process becomes a great deal harder. Divorce already looms as nearly impossible... » read more

7) What Can Be Done About Our Inability to Feel Comfortable When We're Alone
Many of us have planned our lives very carefully to avoid being alone. We may not see our motivation that clearly but we can sure look back and see a long string of relationships of one kind and another. That ought to tell us something. We like company...someone to use as a mirror. It's possible to see our selves reflected in the approval of others and then dummy up an identity. Starting out in this... » read more

8) When Seniors Remarry Late in Life What is Different and What Pitfalls Could Be Avoided
A lot has been written about romance but there isn't much available data about senior romance. It's actually in a class by itself and needs special treatment. First of all, the normal hurdles that younger couples have to work their way through are seldom of concern. Careers are over for most seniors. Children are raised and have left home. Home buying and other major acquisitions were made in the... » read more

9) Seniors Beyond Age Eighty May Need Extra TLC to be Able to Enter the Cyber-world for Fun and Profit
Most of the present generation of seniors past the age of approximately 80 may not have had computers introduced into their work-lives. When that is the case, it may feel daunting to them to try to stretch into a new technology without any real foundation. Fear of failure can be a strong deterrent in attempting to learn something new plus having to commit strange data to a less and less reliable memory... » read more

10) When Is It Wise to Rent Instead of Buying and What If You Have to Rent and Can't Build Equity
The question of whether to buy or rent housing is one people have struggled with for ages. Salaries go up but so does the cost of housing. Is it ever a wise choice not to buy when that's an option? If it's not an option, how can that be changed? The initial stopper in purchasing a home for most of us is funds and credit. If you can't swing a down payment or qualify for a loan then renting isn't so much... » read more

11) We Need to Address Clutter at Home and at Work, Otherwise it Can Become a Real Block in Our Lives
Most of us have a definition of our own regarding clutter. The New World Dictionary defines clutter as: "a number of things scattered in disorder; jumble." However, when we look at the way others describe it, there can be a vast difference in interpretation. When I asked a close friend of mine about clutter, she was quick to tell me that she had gown up in the middle of endless piles of this and that.... » read more

12) Many Varieties of Meditation are Available for Stress, Disease, and Depression Through Relaxation
Most of us who have never meditated or who have always practiced it in a very prescribed manner can learn a great deal by moving beyond our rigid precepts. Beyond the spiritual, there is mounting documentation that regular meditation can reduce stress and support longevity. It's no longer uncommon for health care professionals like physicians, psychologists, and massage therapists to recommend various... » read more

13) Being Responsible Can be A Loaded Concept That May Need Scrutiny And Require Updating
If we are willing to take a close look at responsibility, it may occur to us that there are many different ways to address and define it. Giving the subject some thought could bring a breath of fresh air into our stale concepts and automatic behavior patterns. Most of us think a responsible person is one who takes on a job and follows though with it in a way that reflects integrity. We have grown up... » read more

14) Pairing Generic Faith With Compulsive Overeating Can Bring About A Viable Approach To Food Addiction
We read a lot about how to beat compulsive overeating, yet in those we know with this baffling condition, we see more of the "accordion effect" than any permanent resolution of obesity. It's become common knowledge that dieting doesn't work, has lasting ill effects and supports weight gain in the long run. Still, new diets and Diet Gurus surface on a regular basis. It's clear that the afflicted don't... » read more

15) Today's Seniors Are Finding That The Time To Look Into Retirement Centers Is When You Don't Need One
Increasing longevity can be, and often is, a blessing. It offers extra time for retirees to enjoy the fruits of their labors. Travel and hobbies can be explored after the kids have all flown the coop and early retirement is opted for. Many individuals are in much better shape physically as they enter the "Senior" category--due to better health practices and fitness programs. The early years of such a... » read more

16) Looking Closely At Our Friendships To Determine How To Function To Capacity With Others
We read a lot about our live-in relationships and where and how they flourish and/or founder. A step away from those lesson-providing efforts, are the special friendships we have over the years that continue to matter to us and to thrive. The basic good news is that we don't have to live with our friends! What a blessing! Beyond that is the need to see what each friendship that matters offers, and... » read more

17) Finding Ways To Create A Healthy Environment When Working In The World of Computers
Many of us sit at computers for long hours at home and at work. We get used to less than adequate equipment and often think that our aches and pains are normal. Not the serious kind of pain that comes with carpal tunnel and can't be ignored, just a stiff neck more often than not, a chronically tired lower back and maybe a little eyestrain, for example. We get used to the kind of chair we sit in and the... » read more

18) Impulse Buying Has Become An Even Greater Threat Now It's Become So Easy To Shell Out On The Web
Impulse buying has long been the bane of the unconscious shopper's existence. Huge displays in the middle of the isle in supermarkets, sales racks in clothing stores waving prices that can't be beat or ignored, and tasty surprises handily placed at checkout stands in hardware stores, of all places, beckon to us around the clock. We've already spent a bundle, so why not? Look at the money being saved or... » read more

19) 9-11 Taught Us That World Peace Is A Long Way Off, So How Can We Personally Address This Issue
The advent of the fifth anniversary of the 9-11 mass catastrophe at the World Trade Center has brought about a flurry of activity. Not only commemorative ceremonies but also writings and sermons have come to the fore concerning the lessons such a destructive act of terrorism has forced us to confront. So, how do we do that? Forgive. First it seems to me we need to see where we are holding judgments and... » read more

20) Poetry Flowing From the Heart Of Another
There are probably as many ways to approach writing poems as there are poets. Certainly, taking classes on this subject could broaden anyone's approach and constructive criticism from an apt teacher could provide useful guidelines. Another way to look at it is to wonder what your thoughts would be if they were just allowed to form. Most of us don't take the time to stop and look at where our thoughts... » read more

21) The Difference Between Being Adaptable And Evidencing Insecurity, Insincerity, Or Low Self-esteem
I recently watched two close friends interact over a misunderstanding. It was fascinating. Let's call them Ann and Bea. Ann invited Bea to a Friday overnight retreat and she accepted. They usually saw each other on Saturdays at a self-help group that I also attend. However, at the meeting the week before the event, they didn't get together to finalize their plans because Bea was indisposed. She assured Ann... » read more

22) Untangle Emotional Overeating and Overspending And Become More "User-friendly" Toward Yourself
Many of us have a variety of hidden emotional barometer that is all too easy to read in our behaviors. Yet we often don't see the connection between how we feel and how we act until we are, yet again, at the effect of some variety of overindulgence. Then we have to wonder how making ourselves feel so rotten seemed to be the cure for feeling so rotten. Truth be told, action and reaction often need to be... » read more

23) Pearls of Wisdom or What Goes Around Comes Around...The Neck
When I was a blushing bride of twenty, (brides blushed back then), my husband to be, who was from a very well to do family (from my perspective), gave me a lovely string of pearls for my wedding gift. This surprised me because I simply couldn't imagine him even entering a jewelry store. When I subsequently asked him what store they came from the mystery was solved. His mother had picked them out for me.... » read more