A True Friend
Daring to Fail: Uncovering the Hidden Strengths in Our Struggles
“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” ~Robert F. Kennedy
How do you define failure?
When something doesn’t go as planned?
When someone tells you they don’t like what you’ve made?
When an outcome doesn’t match your expectations?
I find it increasingly important to define failure. Which seems like a weird thing to do because we’re all trying to avoid it. Even talking about failure feels like it has the power to bring about failure.
No one wants to be labelled a failure. And it’s because of that underlying fear that we end up stuck, miserable, …
Unleashing My Inner Teen: From People-Pleasing to Authentic Self-Expression
“Be more afraid of losing yourself than losing the approval of others.” ~Unknown
Sometimes, when I feel restless, I listen to angsty music that I used to listen to as a teenager, such as Taking Back Sunday, My Chemical Romance, Paramore, and Bullet for My Valentine.
I can still belt out every lyric to Misery Business with precision, without missing a beat, and with perfect intonation (okay, so maybe not the last one). As I was listening to music from my past, I tried to make sense of this inner restlessness.
Why has this been coming up for me so …
Finding Home: The Magic of Feeling Seen and Heard
“The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place to go where we can go as we are and not be questioned.” ~Maya Angelou
In 2019, I found myself in a psychiatric institution sitting across from a psychologist who was grilling me about why I was there. She seemed angry.
I told her how heartbroken I was that no one “believed” the physical symptoms I was dealing with, caused by chronic illness and benzodiazepine withdrawal. I told her how my nervous system had been hijacked, and I could not control the terror I felt daily. I told …
The Closure in Accepting That They May Never Change
“One of the hardest things I’ve had to understand is that closure comes from within. Especially difficult if you’ve been betrayed by someone you love because you feel like you gotta let them know the pain they caused, but the peace you seek can only be given to you by you.” ~Bruna Nessif
Many years ago, I wrote a very personal post for Tiny Buddha titled Get Past It Instead of Getting Even: Revenge Isn’t Winning.
The post described the challenges I experienced with my parents as an adult and, ultimately, my decision to cease all relations with them.
Getting Unstuck After an Unexpected Life Change
“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” ~Lewis Carroll
After an unfortunate layoff earlier this year, I found myself feeling stuck, spiritually, physically, and mentally. I had moved from Virginia to Los Angeles for my MBA, and I was working remotely as a product manager for a climate fintech company, which combined a lot of things I enjoyed.
In the two years I had spent out west, I built a great group of climbing buddies, felt a sense of community, and was involved with local non-profits. Los Angeles wasn’t a perfect match for
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