You Did the Best You Could
How to Cultivate Awareness and Presence, Two Powerful Tools for Healing
“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh
In our fast-paced world, juggling multiple responsibilities while managing chronic conditions can make healing seem elusive. However, by harnessing the power of awareness and presence, we can unlock a profound path to recovery that addresses not just the physical symptoms but also the mental and emotional aspects of well-being.
My Experience with Chronic Pain
For a long time, I never really thought about my scoliosis. Not that I didn’t feel pain; it was ever-present and intensified by the demands of …
Upcoming Retreat for Highly Sensitive People and Introverts
Have you ever taken a trip to recharge but then returned feeling drained? If you’re a highly sensitive person (HSP) or introvert—or both, like me—you might yearn for the adventure and relaxation that travel can provide but struggle to find experiences that honor your energetic needs.
Perhaps also like me, you’ve been intrigued by the idea of a retreat but worried that it could be overwhelming, with packed schedules and pressure to constantly engage. Even many wellness retreats miss the mark, leaving little room for personal time and different ways of participating.
Imagine a retreat that allows you to connect …
How I’m Learning to Live with Anxiety, Not Against It
“Your anger? It’s telling you where you feel powerless. Your anxiety? It’s telling you that something in your life is off balance. Your fear? It’s telling you what you care about. Your apathy? It’s telling you where you’re overextended and burnt out. Your feelings aren’t random, they are messengers. And if you want to get anywhere, you need to be able to let them speak to you and tell you what you really need.” ~Brianna Wiest
For half of my life, anxiety has been my constant companion. I went from a confident, fiery, and fearless girl to a woman plagued …
The Toughness Myth is a Lie: Hang On To Your Vulnerability
“Sensitive people should be treasured. They love deeply and think deeply about life. They are loyal, honest, and true. The simple things sometimes mean the most to them. They don’t need to change or harden. Their purity makes them who they are.” ~Unknown
I can picture it perfectly—I was a freshman at the University of Notre Dame. It was my first semester at the school I’d dreamed of attending ever since I was a little girl. Everything felt new, and as I did the make-new-friends dance, I was hyperaware of how others perceived me.
Standing in line to purchase football …
It Takes Two, but a Better Relationship Starts Right Now with You
“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” ~Maria Robinson
It can be tempting to think you need a new partner to create a better relationship, and for some that might be true. But many of us don’t need new relationships; we just need to start doing things differently in the ones we have.
Perhaps your relationship isn’t feeling as fulfilling as it once did. Maybe you’re losing hope but also resisting the effort required to make it better. I’ve been there. Several years ago, many years into …
It’s Never Too Late to Change: How to Reinvent Yourself in Midlife
“Don’t be afraid to start over. This time you’re not starting from scratch, you’re starting from experience.” ~Unknown
Five years ago, as I approached my fortieth birthday, I was deeply dissatisfied with my life.
I resolved to change everything: to leave San Francisco, where I’d lived for nearly a decade, and to shift my career trajectory, finally committing to my passion—writing.
I also vowed to address my intimacy issues in friendships and romantic relationships. This desire led to countless online dates and deeper introspection, particularly regarding the impact of my mother’s death when I was a teenager and the emotional …
How I Found my True Self in the Space Between my Thoughts
“I am not my thoughts, emotions, sense perceptions, and experiences. I am not the content of my life. I am Life. I am the space in which all things happen. I am consciousness. I am the Now. I Am.” ~Eckhart Tolle
Everything changed the moment I learned I was not my thoughts.
There I was, reading Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth, when I read this line: “What a liberation to realize that the ‘voice in my head’ is not who I am. Who am I then? The one who sees that.”
I felt a shift. Wait, what?!? How can …
Love Isn’t About Being Chosen
“Feeling safe in someone’s energy is a different kind of intimacy. That feeling of peace and protection is really underrated.” ~Vanessa Klas
The first time I said, “I love you” to a romantic partner, I was met with silence.
Nine months into what I believed was a deep, mutual relationship, I felt certain we were on the same page. But when the words left my mouth, he froze. No words back. No reassurance. Just silence. The next thing I knew, he disappeared for weeks, leaving me sitting in the wreckage of my own vulnerability. I was left questioning everything—why …
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