[Published on Huffington Post] Too often today so many of us are caught up in the daily grind, wondering how we can get off the hamster wheel of life. This can't help but lead us to experience feelings of overwhelm and the more we feel that way the greater our stress levels. Our days tend to look like this; get up, go to work, come home, go to bed. Rinse and repeat day after day. With little to no time to unwind, there is little opportunity to minimize the stress from the hectic schedule. One day quickly melds with the next and suddenly weeks and months have passed. The intent to address the stress never gets implemented but should be. With a mere 15 minutes each day, and with discipline to be consistent, stress can be significantly minimized. How easy does that sound?

Remember the show, The A Team? I loved that show and I especially loved the line George Peppard would often say:  "I love it when a plan comes together." There is something so thoroughly satisfying when all the hard work you've done to create and implement a plan comes off without a hitch. However, many is the time when the plan needs to be adjusted at the last minute and how well you can flex and make it work is up to you.  Can you do it?  Can you keep calm and make a change or changes?

An ancient Chinese proverb tells us to dig our well before we are thirsty.  What great advice this is. Do you ascribe to that way of thinking?  I do.  It makes perfect sense to me...in my head.  The logic is definitely there however it takes more than that.

What this means is that one has to think way out front of today and be prepared for tomorrow.  That is not so easy.  How many times I have wished that I had seen what was coming down the pipe and been much more prepared.  Know what I mean?  I can think of any number of retired friends I have that know exactly what that means.

Who hasn't been challenged with a picture that asked, "What do you see?"  And depending on where you are and with whom, you might come up with all sorts of answers; some that will make sense and others that just stir the pot. Know what I mean? Like the picture above.  At first glance it looks like a cube and then with a closer look it all goes sideways. Huh, you ask yourself.  At least  you should.  What the heck is this?  It kind of reminds me of the moving staircases in the Harry Potter movie.

Do you ever wonder how weather got to be the forerunner of small talk?

You know what I mean. It tends to be the first efforts we make at conversing with our fellow man...or woman.

However, it does seem to be the one topic that we can all agree is safe. No matter who you are, what position in society you hold or your age, you can always offer up a weather related comment. "Nice day, isn't it?" "Oh, it's a cold one out there!" "Great to see the sun out at last."

Any of these comments are sure to elicit a rather agreeable comment in return. Like I said, weather is safe. No chance of someone being nasty or returning a snarling retort. Ever receive a "No. It's not a nice day"? Didn't think so.