Opinion Is the Lowest Form of Knowledge
On Those Hard Days When You Feel Like Nothing You Do Matters
“Just a reminder in case your mind is playing tricks on you today: You matter. You’re important. You’re loved. Your presence on this earth makes a difference whether you see it or not.” ~Unknown
Today I woke up feeling like nothing I do matters. I didn’t want to wake up feeling like this, but I did.
I got myself out of bed, brushed my teeth, and went through the motions until things inside my mind started to feel unbearable.
The first thing I did was try to reason with myself, tell myself that, of course I matter. I tell everyone …
How 10 Minutes of Daily Meditation Can Calm Your Mind and Relax Your Body
“Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of these things and still be calm in your heart.” ~Unknown
I began the morning with a meditation. After taking my dog out and brewing the coffee, I sat in my sunny living room, my little dog Frankie nestled beside me. I perched cross-legged, a blue pillow on my lap for warmth. I closed my eyes and began to focus on my breath.
When ten minutes passed, I raised my hands in appreciation. …
One Question for Anyone Who’s Stuck in a Rut: What Do You Believe?
“You become what you believe, not what you think or what you want.” ~Oprah Winfrey
What do you believe? During the forced stillness of the pandemic environment we’re all living in, this is a question I’ve been faced with more intensely than ever. In particular, I’ve come to question what I believe about myself, and how that impacts every element of my life.
Coming out of years of self-help for social and general anxiety, a long-standing eating disorder, and several dissatisfying personal relationships, I had to come to question what these external realities reflected back to me. For what …
How a Numb, Phony Zombie Started Singing Her Own Song
“Alas for those that never sing, but die with all their music in them!” ~Oliver Wendell Holmes
Six years ago, I came across a line from an old poem that punctured my present moment so profoundly it seemed to stop time.
On an average Tuesday, there I was, sitting at my desk, ignoring the stack of papers I was responsible for inputting into a spreadsheet and procrastinating as usual on the Internet instead.
At this particular time, Pinterest was my drug of choice—anyone else?
As I was aimlessly scrolling through wacky theme party ideas and spicy margarita recipes, suddenly, here …
Where Our Strength Comes from and What It Means to Be Strong
“Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you thought you couldn’t.” ~Rikki Rogers
A friend recently asked me: Andi, where does your strength come from?
It took me a while before I had a good enough answer for her. I sat contemplating the many roads I’ve traveled, through my own transformational journey and the inspirational journeys of all my clients who demonstrate incredible strength for me.
I moved to a different country, alone, at eighteen years old and have changed careers, battled a complex pain diagnosis with my child, and lost loved ones…
10 Things to Do When You Feel Sad, Hopeless, and Defeated
“Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” ~J.K. Rowling
I’m no stranger to feeling hopeless and defeated. After many failed relationships, physical, sexual and emotional abuse my entire life, two bankruptcies, and the recent loss of my online business (October 2020), you could say I’ve been through enough to last two lifetimes.
I’ll admit, there were many times I wanted it all to end. There were many days I just didn’t know how much more I could handle. My recent loss has devastated me beyond words. Everything I’ve worked so hard for in the last …
How I Overcame the Stress of Perfectionism by Learning to Play Again
“What, then, is the right way of living? Life must be lived as play…” ~Plato
I am a recovering perfectionist, and learning to play again saved me.
Like many children, I remember playing a lot when I was younger and being filled with a sense of openness, curiosity, and joy toward life.
I was fortunate to grow up in Oregon with a large extended family with a lot of cousins with whom I got to play regularly. We spent hours, playing hide-and-seek, climbing trees, drawing, and building forts.
I also attended a wonderful public school that encouraged play. We …
When You Lose a Loved One to Suicide: Healing from the Guilt and Trauma
“You will survive, and you will find purpose in the chaos. Moving on doesn’t mean letting go.” ~Mary VanHaute
I was ten years old when I discovered the truth. He didn’t fall. He wasn’t pushed. It wasn’t an accident.
He jumped.
Suicide isn’t a concept easily explained to a six-year-old, much less her younger siblings, so I grew up believing that my father’s drowning was an unfortunate freak accident. It was “just one of those things,” the cruel way of the world, and there was nothing anyone could have done about it.
This explanation more than satisfied me and, other …
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