“We don’t stop playing because we grow old.
We grow old because we stop playing.”
— George Bernard Shaw

It’s summertime, and even if you work full-time, it’s time to play! I don’t mean call in hooky or goof-off at work, I mean shift your brain to a schools-out-for-summer mentality. If you’re a nine-to-fiver, thank nature and daylight savings time for giving us extra time to frolic after work, whether you want to garden a little, go for a beach walk, or get some afternoon sun at the neighborhood pool. June 20th is the Summer Solstice, when we will get 14 hours and 16 minutes of glorious daylight. That means even if you work eight hours that day, you still have a full 6 hours 16 minutes to play, enjoy, bask, and have some fun.

Two remote controls, a Google Home, a cable box, and a cell phone. That is the equipment needed to turn on the one television in my home. I have to wonder if anyone truly knows how to turn on their television anymore? If your answer is yes, does this mean you have the actual know-how to get the picture and sound on at the same time or did you just luck into it? And, even in your triumph, are you not terrified you may push the wrong button and never find the Hallmark Channel again?

“Lighten up, Francis!”
— Sergeant Hulka, Stripes

Does the world seem extra heavy to you right now? I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but nature begs to differ. She is giving us comfortable temps, mild breezes, beautiful blooms, and lots of sunshine that beckons our spirit to lighten up. Take some deep breaths, go outside, slow down, and allow ease to penetrate your bones. Start saying yes to things you love. At least once a day do things that bring you joy and fill your soul.

This month’s Hissy Fit is a giant complaint about complainers. I could make it short and just say, “get grateful and shut up,” but that’s not whiny enough to appeal to true complainers. Is that too harsh? Maybe, but isn’t it what we all want to say to those people—and we all know at least one—who complain about everything?

Complaining is a bad habit. All of us complain from time to time because life throws curve balls, and we don’t like it. However, some people complain constantly, and those are the ones we're tired of; they are very hard to tolerate. Speaking of intolerable—have you noticed most complainers usually have cringeworthy voices and a special talent for dragging out words and ends of sentences ad nauseam? Think fingernails on a chalkboard. Even if they were handing out compliments, it would still sound annoying.

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as who you become by achieving your goals.”
— Zig Ziglar 

I love who I’ve become in my 21 years of publishing Pink Magazine. Though it has been grueling and tough at times, this job, which I consider a mission, has made me smarter, wiser, more savvy, humble, well-read, patient and disciplined. However, owning Pink comes with a huge responsibility, which I don’t take lightly. I am absolutely inspired every day to feature women from all walks of life and offer the best stories in hopes of making a positive difference.