Joyful Cactus Blog

There is no getting around the fact that we’ve lost our sense of normalcy, and many of us have lost jobs, businesses, and loved ones. There is much to grieve, and peace may feel far away. However, if we can make a few adjustments in our self-care we can love ourselves through this, find our peace, our joy, and our love of life even during the chaos. Read More

It’s so important for healthy relationships, but setting and maintaining boundaries can also be scary, so people avoid doing it. This leads to unsuccessful relating, victim feelings, and loss of intimacy. We don’t want that! We want happy, respectful, adaptable, and loving relationships. That’s why it’s worth the effort to get comfortable setting boundaries and maintaining them. Here are 3 … Read More

I don’t know about you, but my mind is a busy place with thoughts ranging from profoundly wise to downright absurd. One moment I’ll think to myself, “tomorrow is not promised, so I’ll tell my loved ones how much I appreciate them today.” and the next moment I’m likely to think something like, “the clouds look yummy today, I want … Read More

I’ve had the honor of knowing some magnificent human beings. I’ve also had the honor to witness the passing of some magnificent people as well.  Anyone who has experienced loss can tell you, the deeper we love the greater our loss. This fact has kept many otherwise courageous people from pursuing intimacy, keeping themselves from diving fully into their relationships. … Read More

Chances are money has made you uncomfortable at some point. When we have too little money, our quality of life is devastated not only by harsher living conditions, but also the exhaustion of prolonged stress. Financial PTSD has lasting impacts on us; even those who later reach stability may show persistent effects of early-life hardship. Those born into wealth can … Read More

Relationships are often the most important part of our lives. They help us define who we are and underscore our sense of worth in the world. They can also be the cause of the most pain and despair. The good news is, we have choices to make about who we want in our lives. Some of us feel stuck choosing … Read More

Beauty is highly valued in our society, but what does beauty actually mean, and why do even the most beautiful among us feel ugly? according to a new report by TODAY and AOL the average woman spends 55 minutes every day “beautifying” themselves. More than 2,000 adults and 200 teenagers were surveyed, and 78% reported spending close to an hour … Read More

Ah the Holidays, the air is crisp, the lights twinkle, and all is Merry and Bright… for the kids right?! As adults, so many of us have a hard time juggling our desire for the magic and delight of the holidays with the stress of shopping, meal prep, and trying to meet the needs and expectations of family members. At … Read More

My childhood home was full of dangers. As I was growing up, I spent a lot of time afraid and became hyper-vigilant as a way of keeping myself safe. I remember my sister and I locking ourselves in our room for hours, waiting for the fighting to stop, watching the door and praying that it didn’t open. To survive in … Read More