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We like to reminisce about the good old days, which seem to take on a more magical glow the further away we get from them. We remember less the angst we may have felt as teens or young adults, whether from romantic heartaches, parental rules, or spats with friends, and more the joy of those younger years.   It was a very different time. There was no Internet. Cell phones, dating apps and social media didn’t exist. People met in person and communicated on the phone. You could call a business, and a live person would answer, not a chatbot....

We’ve all fallen into the trap of blurting out something we shouldn’t say to someone, and it can come across as unseemly or hurtful. Many times, we catch ourselves and apologize. But we don’t always hear ourselves. As we age, we try to master the art of holding back critical comments to avoid the common malady of lost-filter moments (LFMs).  How we each chastised our parents and other elderly relatives when critical or hurtful unsolicited words or opinions poured from their mouths like water.  Suddenly, we started hearing unsolicited barbs and advice from our peers: “That dress really isn’t flattering,”...

Can you be positive all the time? If so, you’re either a saint or the biggest phony on the planet. Positivity is great at the right time and place. Using it indiscriminately can be toxic. For example, it is really disconcerting and, quite frankly, annoying when you tell someone you’re upset that black ants were found in the basement of your new home, and they respond, “That’s no big deal. Just call an exterminator.” Or someone says about an upcoming cataract surgery, “Don’t worry, it’s really a nothing procedure, fast and over in the blink of an eye.” To you,...

A friend shared with one of us an uncomfortable situation. She was chatting with two friends, and one was going on and on about her daughter’s upcoming wedding and moaning and groaning about all the events, costs, plans, the lists, the people to invite and leave off. The other person has a daughter too, but one who’s never dated seriously. We don’t know all the details, so we’re taking some liberties with the background to make our point: our friend felt growing anxiety that the future mother-of-the-bride lacked sensitivity in sharing so much and in complaining about an upcoming happy...

SUMMERTIME (AND THE LIVING IS EASY) You know the aria from Porgy and Bess: Summertime (and the living is easy). It’s a wonderful time of year to be outdoors, to wear less clothing and to feel freer. Unfortunately for those of us who live in places with four seasons, summer is slowly coming to an end like the conclusion of a riveting novel.  Darn it. We may even grieve the loss with the anticipation of cold, dark days to come. Newscaster Katie Couric waits all year for summer. In a recent conversation with licensed psychologist Monica Dragust from partner Talkspace, they...