Small Decisions That Create a Life You'll Love

By Mary R. Dittman, M.B.A.

Many single women spend years waiting for life to begin.

We'll get organized when we buy a house.

We'll save more money when we're married.

We'll finally take better care of ourselves once life settles down.

We'll travel, decorate, declutter, and pursue our goals after we meet Mr. Right.

But what if Mr. Right never shows up?

Or what if he doesn't show up for another ten years?

Do you really want to spend the next decade living in limbo?

I don't.

One of the biggest shifts I've made in my own life is realizing that my future self is counting on me.

The woman I hope to be five years from now depends on the choices I make today.

And honestly, so does the woman I hope to be five months from now.

Take Care of Your Environment

Whether you rent a tiny apartment or own a sprawling house, your environment matters.

Is your home clean?

Organized?

Peaceful?

Does it support the life you're trying to build...

Why Building an Interesting Life Makes You Happier—Whether You're Dating or Not

By Mary R. Dittman, M.B.A.

Most people can name every Kardashian, their children, and their exes.

But ask them to name five Supreme Court justices and you'll likely get a blank stare.

We live in an entertainment culture. We're constantly looking for stimulation, scrolling social media, keeping up with celebrity gossip, and consuming whatever happens to be trending.

At the same time, I've heard many women express a fear that men will find them boring.

My response?

The people who are interesting usually have interests.

I don't mean interests designed to impress other people. I mean things that genuinely light you up.

Maybe it's yoga.

Maybe it's knitting.

Maybe it's champion-level Tiddlywinks.

Maybe it's collecting vintage Tupperware.

Maybe it's renovating a dollhouse.

Whatever it is, people are drawn to passion.

And by passion, I don't mean romance.

I mean that state where your eyes light up, ...

How Taking Responsibility Can Set You Free

By Mary R. Dittman, M.B.A.

If you're over 40, chances are you have at least one relationship you wish had turned out differently.

Maybe you wish you had spoken up sooner.

Maybe you wish you'd left earlier.

Maybe you wish you had never gotten involved in the first place.

Or perhaps you're still wondering what happened and why things fell apart.

Regret has a way of keeping us trapped in the past.

We replay conversations.

We revisit decisions.

We imagine alternate endings.

And sometimes we find ourselves experiencing the same heartache over and over again with different people.

The names change.

The faces change.

But the pain feels strangely familiar.

For years, I couldn't understand why certain patterns kept showing up in my relationships.

Then I learned a tool that changed the way I viewed my past.

The Question That Changed Everything

One of the most powerful exercises I've ever encountered comes from Alcoholics Anonymous.

In...