The People You Will Always Remember
Toxic Masculinity and the Harmful Standards We’re All Expected to Meet
Recently I woke up uncharacteristically early for a Saturday to meet a friend and her baby for coffee. I am embarrassed to say that by “uncharacteristically early” I mean 8:30am, which is not that early. I get it.
As I walked by two chipper twenty-something-year-old girls in skintight leggings either in route to or on their way back from a workout class, I found my mind reeling.
Why is it that I see so many more women in New York City whenever I wake up early on the weekends? Why do they seem so much more productive than men?
I …
How I Stopped Worrying All the Time and Started Feeling Good About Life
“We don’t see things as they are. We see things as we are.” ~Anais Nin
When I was young, I used to stare out into the big, blue sky and ask, “Is this really the right place?” “Did they drop me off on the wrong planet?” I wondered.
It felt like I didn’t fit in or belong. Things seemed so much easier for others. They moved forward with ease even when something was painful, while I felt an arrow pierce my heart every time a loved one was in pain, or a difficult situation arose.
When I looked around, I …
The Areas of Our Lives We Need to Balance to Find Peace and Contentment
“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.” ~Thomas Merton
Balance is everything and is really what we are striving to find in life. Balancing work and play. Balancing food and exercise. Balancing a social life and solitude. Balancing being and doing. Finding balance is finding freedom.
Once I was truly able to comprehend this it was a game changer on my healing journey. Any suffering you experience in life can be attributed to a lack of balance.
What is balance? The ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu speaks of The Dao, which …
10 Positive Things to Do for Yourself in the New Year
I think I know you pretty well. I know I don’t know you, know you, but I’m guessing since you’re here, you’re a lot like me.
You want to be your best self. You want to make the most of your life. You want to be the best you can be, physically and mentally, for the people around you. And you quite possibly will take a little time today to think about what you should embrace or release in the year ahead to boost your happiness and make a positive impact on the world.
Maybe you’ll make a list …
A Natural Approach to Mental Health: How to Reduce Anxiety Through Gardening
“When the world feels like an emotional roller coaster, steady yourself with simple rituals. Do the dishes. Fold the laundry. Water the plants. Simplicity attracts wisdom.” ~Unknown
I’ve suffered from anxiety since my childhood, but it was only seven years ago that I was formally diagnosed.
My symptoms began to get worse after my long-term relationship ended and I felt like my world had collapsed around me.
I was suffering from extreme fatigue, having trouble concentrating, not sleeping well, and I was constantly worrying.
Over the next couple of years my mental health continued to deteriorate, and I had trouble …
No One Starts Off at Their Best – Why We Need to Keep Going Anyway
“Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not.” ~Pablo Picasso
This article is about the day I realized Picasso wasn’t born Picasso.
If you’re already opening Google to find what his name was at birth, I’ll save you the typing and tell you here…
He was born Pablo Ruiz Picasso. (His baptized name is wayyyy longer, but you get the point.)
Okay, so he was always a Picasso.
But he wasn’t always the Picasso.
Let me explain by rewinding a few years back…
I was in Spain for one of …
The Benefits of Solitude and How to Get the Most from Your Alone Time
“Understand that healing and growing can distance you from people who you once had a bond with, and it can also bring you closer to those who will heal and grow with you. The time in between can be difficult, but there is so much to learn in solitude.” ~ @themoontarot
There have been many occasions in my life where I’ve felt lonely. Some of these times I remember as incredibly painful; other times, I’ve relished in my solitude.
During some periods, I’ve even forced myself into seclusion, which comes easily to me as an introvert.
One thing all of …
How to Better Manage Stress So Little Things Don’t Set You Off
“It’s not stress that kills us, it’s our reaction to it.” ~Hans Selye
I was driving home from work, minding my own business, when a car cut in front of me.
Pretty common in Sydney traffic, right? Normally, I would just brush it off.
But not today. For some reason I couldn’t explain, that simple event set me off. I got so irritated that I pressed both my hands on the horn and started shouting at the other driver—who just gave me the finger and continued on his merry way.
That’s when I lost it. How dare he do something …
Choose Joy and You’ll See the World with a Brighter Perspective
“We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy.” ~Joseph Campbell
It’s been just under five years now since I had a head injury that changed my life forever.
Unfortunately, I spent more than two years going to multiple kinds of therapy and doctors several days a week and ultimately had to stop working. I was devastated.
I loved my career as a special educator and school administrator. I’d been in classrooms since I was twenty years old, and here I was at fifty-seven, suddenly unable to return to a school in any capacity …
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. 