Not Everyone Will Be “Merry” This Christmas
Why Listening Matters More Than Giving Advice (A Barbershop Lesson)
“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” ~Stephen R. Covey
I used to think running a barbershop was all about haircuts, schedules, and keeping clients happy. I measured success by the number of chairs filled, how quickly we moved through the day, and whether everything ran smoothly. Efficiency felt like the most important thing.
Then one afternoon, a moment with a customer changed everything.
Mr. Hicks, a regular, came in looking unusually quiet. He slumped in my chair, barely making eye contact, and gave only short, mumbled answers when I …
Learning to Feel Safe Resting After a Lifetime of People-Pleasing
“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” ~John Lubbock
For years, I thought exhaustion was a sign I lived fully and did my best that day. I felt proud of being exhausted. I squeezed every bit out of the day, and there was nothing left.
If I felt tired, I pushed myself to do just one more thing. It was always just one more thing. If I needed …
The Gift of Being Single (More Joy, Less Fear)
“The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.” ~Michel de Montaigne
Some people fear spiders. Some fear public speaking.
My biggest fear? That my plus-one will always be my own reflection.
More and more people are finding themselves in the single life—not because they joyfully signed up for it, but because they’ve quietly resigned themselves to it. Being alone forever is one of the worst things most people can imagine. And yet, nobody’s talking about it.
I have no interest in bashing men—I love them. And I’m not here to shame relationships—I’d still …
How Menopause Exposed the Hidden Trauma I Spent Years Ignoring
“There is no way to be whole without first embracing our brokenness. Wounds transform us, if we let them.” ~Sue Monk Kidd
Menopause flagged up everything unresolved, unmet, and unchallenged and asked me to meet it with grace.
I’m not saying it was an overnight thing—more like a ten-year process of discovery, rollercoaster style. One of those “strap yourself in, no brakes, no seatbelt, possibly no survival” rides.
If I’m honest, the process is still unfolding, but with less “aaaaggggghhhhh” and more “oh.”
Having mentally swapped Nemesis Inferno for It’s a Small World, I can now look back with
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. 