Drop the Mask: The Freedom of Living an Authentic Life
“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” ~e.e Cummings
Here is an unsettling idea: Most of us are not who we think we are. We are not the people we bring to work, we are …
Category “change & challenges”
Embracing Impermanence: Lessons from Living with a Chronic Illness
“Nothing is permanent in this world, not even our troubles.” ~Charlie Chaplin
At thirteen, I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. At first, I patiently waited for my doctor to give me medicine. When he didn’t, I patiently waited (for …
We Can’t Do Everything, But We Can Do More Than We Think
“There are plenty of obstacles in your path. Don’t allow yourself to become one of them.” ~Ralph Marston
I was sitting in a self-improvement course listening to the facilitator’s instructions. “I want you to come up with a Big, Hairy, …
What’s Helped Me Get Out of My Head and Do Things That Scare Me
“Don’t let the fear of what could happen make nothing happen.” ~Unknown
I knew it was coming.
But as I sat there on the first day of the seminar, my stomach still did a little turn when the trainer announced …
The Antidote to Shame: I Am Enough
“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.” ~Maya Angelou
I grew up with a father who was an addict. When I was fourteen my dad hit rock bottom and lost a job with a six-figure salary, …
Move Your Body, Calm Your Mind: 5 Practices That Help Ease Anxiety
“Get out of your head and get into your body. Think less and feel more.” ~Osho
Do you want to meditate but the idea of sitting with your thoughts for twenty minutes gives you anxiety? Or maybe meditation seems like …
4 Things I Needed to Accept When I Was in Transition and Felt Insecure
“Sometimes what you're most afraid of doing is the very thing that will set you free.”- Robert Tew
I want you to picture this. You are standing on a mountain, and in front of you is a taller mountain with …
Letting Go of the Victim Label: The Past Will Not Define Me
TRIGGER WARNING: This post deals with an account of domestic violence and sexual abuse, and may be triggering to some people.
“Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” ~Unknown
It …
When a Wrong Can’t Be Righted: How to Deal With Regret
“Regret can be your worst enemy or your best friend. You get to decide which.” ~Martha Beck
I was lucky enough to grow up with a pretty great mom.
She put herself through nursing school as a single parent, still …
Accept Yourself Unconditionally (Even When You’re Struggling)
“Self-acceptance is my refusal to be in an adversarial relationship with myself.” ~Nathaniel Branden
Have you ever thought that you accepted yourself fully, only to realize there were conditions placed upon that acceptance?
There was a point in my life …
How to Mindfully Calm Your Anger and Stop Doing Things You Regret
“Neurologists claim that every time you resist acting on your anger, you’re actually rewiring your brain to be calmer and more loving.” ~Unknown
One of the most impactful ways that mindfulness has changed my life is how I’m able to …
The Most Powerful Way to Help Someone Through Emotional Pain
“When you can’t look on the bright side, I will sit with you in the dark.” ~Unknown
I walked in for my monthly massage and immediately sensed something was off.
A layer of desolation hung in the air like an …
The Betrayal of Expectations: Coping When Life Doesn’t Go to Plan
“What will mess you up most in life is the picture in your head of how it is supposed to be.” ~Unknown
I expected to get into college. I expected to have a career after a lot of hard work, …
Tired of Waiting? How to Thrive When Your Life Feels On Hold
“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” ~Johann Wolfang von Goethe
Silence. Not a word.
Another day is over. The news you were waiting for didn’t arrive.
Everyone …
A First Aid Kit for When Life Falls Apart
“What if pain—like love—is just a place brave people visit?” ~Glennon Doyle
It’s one of life’s greatest paradoxes: When life is easy, everything seems easy. When life is hard, everything seems hard.
This one keeps coming back to me and …
How to Move Through Feelings of Body Shame
“Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” ~Brené Brown
My husband’s legs are smaller than mine.
I wish I could tell you that when I first realized this …
Why Cancer Was the Beginning of My Life, Not the End
“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” ~Mahatma Gandhi
Cancer.
I’ll never forget the moment the words fell from my doctor’s mouth. In one fell swoop, the “perfect” persona that I’d spent thirty-plus …
Feeling Anxious? People-Pleasing Could Be to Blame
“Living with anxiety is like being followed by a voice. It knows all your insecurities and uses them against you. It gets to the point when it’s the loudest voice in the room. The only one you can hear.” ~Unknown…
Why Anger Isn’t “Bad” and How I Learned to Hear Its Hidden Message
“Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. But anger is like fire. It burns it all clean.” ~Maya Angelou
I’ve always had a complex relationship with anger.
When I was young, I used to think I was somehow …
How to Keep Going When Your Dream Seems Far Off
“Do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do.” ~Oprah Winfrey
I needed a bit of extra cash last month, so I took on a temporary events role working at a local design exhibition.…
Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just as meaningful as mine.