
Surviving Loss: You Always Have Choice
“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” ~Stephen Covey
One ordinary night after an ordinary day of work and family, I went to bed a mother, wife, teacher, writer-person.
I remember falling asleep between sentences exchanged with my husband after an evening spent with just the two of us on our patio, something we rarely seemed to find the time to do in our busy lives. We promised each other that we’d make a concerted effort to have more of these “dates.”
The next morning, on what was supposed to be another …

The Key to Peace: Let Go of What “Should” Be and Accept What Is
“Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be.” ~Wayne Dyer
Many of my friends are getting married and engaged, and when I compare myself to them I feel that I’ve somehow fallen behind. I scroll through my social media accounts and feel that my life is not as exciting or meaningful as theirs.
This belief of inferiority moves me out of the present moment and into a turbulent stream of fear that I won’t live up to what I perceive others have lived up to, …

Emotional Pain Doesn’t Go Away When You Numb It (with Alcohol or Anything Else)
“Making a big life change is pretty scary. But know what’s even scarier? Regret.” ~Zig Ziglar
It had been a long day at work. I’d had to work with new people, which always got my anxiety going, and had to put out a few fires. By the end of the day, I climbed into my car shaking on the outside and screaming on the inside. Sounds, light, and smells were like battering rams to my senses and my internal pressure was reaching explosive levels.
I had a prearranged dinner with my mom and sister at a local restaurant, …

The Two Biggest Mistakes Newly Single People Make
“Don’t rush into any kind of relationship. Work on yourself. Feel yourself, experience yourself and love yourself. Do this first and you will soon attract that special loving other.” ~Russ von Hoelscher
If you’re single right now, this is your moment. And by single I mean not dating, not sleeping with people, and not engaged in romantic mingling of any kind. I mean truly single.
When we’re truly single we have a chance to transform like never before. We have the opportunity to face into our pain, transmute it, and turn our heartbreak into our greatest lesson.
Two of …

The Healing Power of Self-Care in a World of Chronic Stress and Anxiety
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” ~Lao Tzu
I’ve always lived with a low hum of anxiety in the background, and lately it’s been harder to keep a lid on it.
There are a lot of things to be anxious about these days. We live in a complex and stressful world and anxiety is very common, affecting upwards of 20% of the population. Some experience manageable levels; for others, anxiety and chronic stress can be debilitating and self-destructing.
Truth is, we have good reasons to be stressed out. We work too much; we don’t take enough …

5 Lessons from a Dating Detox (for Anyone Who’s Looking for Love)
“Sometimes when you lose your way, you find yourself.” ~Mandy Hale
Ever since I can remember, I was determined, even desperate, to find love. My life felt empty and lonely.
I wanted to be happy and feel loved. I believed everything would be all right if only I had my man.
For years my self-esteem was non-existent. I had no clue how to build a relationship with a man. I had no boundaries. I felt unworthy and unlovable.
I started dating online. I kept meeting different men and occasionally I would meet someone who I would see for a …