What Self-Care Is
When Life Gets Hard: How to Find Peace Within the Chaos
“The more in harmony you are with the flow of your own existence, the more magical life becomes.” ~Adyashanti
Have you turned on the news lately only to want to shut it off after a few minutes?
It seems that chaos has enveloped this planet. Every corner of every street has been impacted by the current situation; I have never seen anything quite like it in my time.
It may be incredibly difficult to find some breathing room between all of this. On one hand, you want to be up to date with the world, and on the other hand, …
Do You Remember When You Didn’t Worry About Your Weight?
“We need to start focusing on what matters—on how we feel, and how we feel about ourselves.” ~Michelle Obama
Do you remember the little girl (or boy) in you? The kid who ran, jumped, danced, laughed anywhere and everywhere they felt like it—before someone told them to shush, that they were too big, too loud, too much.
The kid who didn’t even know what a scale was before someone told them their size was wrong.
The kid who just ate—before someone gave them a mile-long list of “bad” foods and made them scared of food and distrusting of themselves.
After …
What I Now Know About Rejection and How It’s Set Me Free
“If someone does not want me, it is not the end of the world. But if I do not want me, the world is nothing but endings.” ~Nayyirah Waheed
Rejection means a lot of things to a lot of different people. To healthcare professionals, it may mean immunological incompatibility, a body not accepting a transplanted tissue or organ. To a couple that wants to adopt, a rejection letter can be discouraging and devastating news. To a writer, rejection can come in the form of submitting your precious work that you slaved over to a publisher and being told it didn’t …
What You Need to Do If You Feel Insecure in Relationships
“The key is in learning how to live a healthy, satisfying, and serene life without being dependent on another person for happiness.” ~Robin Norwood
When it comes to relationships, people can call you “crazy” and “needy” all they want. I can only guess some people don’t know how crazy it feels when every cell in your body feels like the only way to breathe is to stop this person you desire from abandoning you right now.
You may not realize it as the emotions hijack your mind and body, but unconsciously, you only have one job in that moment—to …
How to Calm Morning Anxiety by Mindfully Drinking Tea
“Mindfulness isn’t difficult. We just need to remember to do it.” ~Sharon Salzberg
As a Brit, I do what we British people do best: drink tea. Lots of it.
I’ve drunk a cup of tea every morning since I was a chubby-faced teenager.
I used to think tea was the best thing ever, that friendly little cup of brew that’s always there for you, reminding you to take a moment to chill. But it turns out that mindfully drinking a cup of tea is so much better. Not only does it make me enjoy my tea more, it has utterly …
When You Dance with Discomfort, Surprising Things Can Happen
“I wish for a world where everyone understands that discomfort is the price of legendary. And fear is just growth coming to get you.” ~Robin S. Sharma
For years, I felt like the most incredible dancer. Whenever I heard music, no matter where I was, I would start moving, at first slowly and then, as the music started to infuse my soul, with increasing abandon. In that moment, I was filled with passion, and I completely let go. It was me and the music—no-one and nothing else. I was in another world.
When I danced in front of …
Sorry If I “Trigger” You, But I Will Never Move On
“It’s so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone.” ~John Steinbeck
When you lose someone close to you, there are a plethora of duties you must first complete.
When my boyfriend passed away from cancer at the age of twenty-nine, I was just twenty-three. We lived together in a claustrophobic, studio apartment in lower Manhattan. I recall many people telling me to physically move from the apartment, as that’s where he passed away, but moving in Manhattan is never an ideal situation to be in, especially when you are traumatized.…
Why We Feel Like a Fraud (and How to Stop)
“I have written eleven books, but each time I think, ‘Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody and they’re going to find me out.’” ~ Maya Angelou
Any minute now they would find out.
I scanned the large conference room. The twenty-six project team members around the table discussed data analysis. Their voices were muffled by the thick fog of my anxiety.
My own throat tried to choke me, and my chest refused to expand. Sweat trickled down my side.
Breathe, just breathe. It’s going to be okay.
My eyes met my …
When Self-Help Hurts: How My Obsession Kept Me Stuck
“Quiet the voice telling you to do more and be more, and trust that in this moment, who you are, where you are at, and what you are doing is enough. You will get to where you need to be in your own time. Until then, breathe. Breathe and be patient with yourself and your process. You are doing the best you can to cope and survive amid your struggles, and that’s all you can ask of yourself. It’s enough. You are enough.” ~Daniell Koepke
I feel a bit like Frodo Baggins. I’m on this tireless, seemingly never-ending journey just …
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