Vivian Banta

Stimulate Your Senses

From time to time, we all get stuck in our lives and our environment. We think about redoing a room or making big changes, only to become overwhelmed by the magnitude of the tasks we envision. Why not try making incremental changes instead at first? Sm... Read >

Creatures of Habit

Many of us make resolutions around the improvements and changes we want to make in our lives. Some of these things are one-time events or occasional efforts whereas others are things we would like to do consistently as part of a lifestyle. We say things... Read >

You Aren't What You Do

It's a typical business networking event, an after hours meet-and-greet. "Susan" introduces herself to a friendly-faced woman who then says, "So, what do you do?" These are the words that almost always come out after you introduce yourself to someone ne... Read >

Finding Your Passion

Ever wonder why you have met so few, if any, people who seem to truly love their lives and what they do? The concept of pleasure versus pain is a familiar one and in this case, what it means is that often, unless someone's current situation is truly unbe... Read >

What You Don't Know Can Hurt You�And Them

Copyright 2006 Vivian BantaWhen my mother had a massive stroke, I remember arriving in the emergency room and being asked a dozen questions about her medical history. My father was out of it, in shock, I think, and although my mother had been taken to the... Read >

Other People's Pets

Copyright 2006 Vivian Banta Whether or not you are a pet lover, you have probably run across issues with dealing with other people's pets. Either you are getting mauled by someone's huge, slobbering dog at a backyard barbeque or they have decided that... Read >

They Are Out to Get Me: Intention or Unmet Needs?

Copyright 2006 Vivian Banta A newsletter subscriber asked me to write an article about what she called "positive intention." To her, it meant the idea that one should initially ascribe positive intentions to those around us until time and experience p... Read >

Recognizing and Dealing With a Bailer

Copyright 2006 Vivian Banta Picture this. You've been sitting in a restaurant for 10 minutes. You peer at your watch—yup, your lunch companion is late. By five minutes because you were 5 minutes early. You glance at the two menus that the waitperson... Read >

Unlocking Your Creativity

Copyright 2006 Vivian Banta As an avid crafter, I often give handmade presents to those among my family and friends who appreciate this type of gift. For her birthday last year, I gave my best friend an amethyst necklace, bracelet and earring set. Sh... Read >

How to Get Away From It All Without Going Anywhere

Copyright 2005 Vivian Banta So many people when they have returned from taking a trip say, "I need a vacation from my vacation." This usually occurs if there is a lot of travel involved in the holiday or if people have over-scheduled their activities ... Read >

Gift Yourself: How to Rid the Holidays of Must, Could Have and Should

Copyright 2005 Vivian Banta It's that time of year again. Some people call it the holiday season and as much as I enjoy it, I have an additional name for it as well: "The Must/Have To, Could Have and Should Season." In my mind, part of the reason, p... Read >

Five Ways to Make a Military to Civilian Life Transition Easier

Copyright 2005 Vivian Banta The process of transitioning out of the military can present its own unique set of challenges. While the armed services train soldiers well in technical and leadership skills and do provide soldiers with many useful resourc... Read >

The Perfect Present: Using Your Five Senses to Live in the Moment

Copyright 2005 Vivian Banta "Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift - that is why we call it the present." Author unknown How much of your life is lost either dwelling on the past or worrying about the future? When your thought... Read >

Ten Ways to Simplify Your Life

Copyright 2005 Vivian Banta So many people embark on projects to make changes in their lives, only to get detoured or bogged down in the numerous other things that are in their lives. These can be physical blocks, such as a cluttered living room or ki... Read >

Five Ways to Immediately Connect with a New Community

Copyright 2005 Vivian Banta When you first move to a new city or town, you are consumed with the necessary tasks of creating a new life: hooking up the utilities, unpacking and finding new places to put all of your things, starting a new job, and so on... Read >