How Do We Safeguard Our Kids From Toxic Relationships?
It's in the media. It's on so many episodes of crime shows. Toxic relationships turned into domestic abuse. Families are ripped apart by the grief of domestic violence. How do…
The Lies and Truth of Marriage: Growing Together and Apart
The lies of marriage make it difficult to have a "happy" or "thriving marriage, the truth is we grow together and apart. Here I am learning how to let go…
Self Sabotage: How I Learned to Break the Cycles of Bad Habits
Self sabotage showed up big in 2020 for many of us. Food and alcohol and all the other things we tend to "over" do are quick easy soothers for hard…
A Bucket List: My 40 before 40
A bucket list is defined as a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime." I prefer to define more simply as…
Living in Abundance: 5 steps to Loving What You Have
"If you look at what you have in life, you will always have enough. If you look at what you don't have in life, you'll never have enough." Oprah Winfrey.…
My Daughter Is Getting Married and This Girl Mom Is Getting a Son
The milestones of being a girl mom and raising daughters is priceless. Parenting comes with surprises every turn. Imagine my new delight at the engagement of my daughter. A feeling…
Are You a Control Freak? 7 Ways to Cope with Anxiety Induced Control
Do you struggle with anxiety-induced control? Are there times where you feel like a control freak when things don't go your way? Is controlling anything you can, a coping mechanism…
Tolerant? 5 Ways We Can All listen to Each Other Better
The definition of tolerance is non-judgmental and open to difference; tendency to be generally free of prejudice. International day of tolerance is on November 16th, and I was just thinking…
Right Path, Unknown Destination: Be Okay with the Unknown
Recently I started a journey with an unknown destination. I re-enrolled in graduate school to pursue a masters degree in an industry quite opposite from my most recent career. I…
Goal Setting for the Stage of Life You’re In and Utilizing Tools for Success
Goals, purpose, planners How do you feel when you think about goal setting for the year? Excited, overwhelmed, nervous? They sure feel overwhelming to me. I have so many thoughts…
Why is Healing So Hard? Five Pitfalls That Kept Me Stuck In My Healing Journey
When we deny the story, it defines us. When we own the story we can write a brave new ending. Brené Brown Why is healing so hard? If you have…
How Body Neutrality Taught Me to Appreciate a Body I Don’t Like
Every body is different. And yet I know I'm not alone in having this image of how my body should look. For years I've worked to love my body. For…
Cutting: A Way to Remind Myself I Was Alive
Trigger warning! Please be aware that this article discusses suicide, self harm, and cutting. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at…
In Praise of Boredom: 5 ways boredom is good
Boredom: the state of feeling wearied by dullness, tedious repetition, and apathy. Synonyms include apathy, indifference, disgust, lethargy, and monotony. Thanks, dictionary people. What a downer. How can any of…
Embarking on Growth: Purple Sweet Potatoes Brought Me Closer to My Grandfather
"Where there is no gardener there is no garden." -Wolfgang von Goethe . This quote reminds me of a conversation that my grandfather and I had after we lost my…
4 Things You Can Do When Your Best Doesn’t Feel Like Enough
I sat on the couch watching my daughter play with her toys; my eyes starting to fill with tears. Feeling overwhelmed and beating myself up for how the day had…
Your Past: How to Let That Shit Go and Move On!
I'm sure you've heard the saying, "the past is a lesson, not a prison" or something close to that. Dang, why did it take me fortysomething years to figure this…
Deleting Social Media: How it’s Improved my Mental Health and Productivity
I finally had had enough. I deleted social media from my phone. The mindless scrolling was taking a toll on my mental health and my productivity. We read all about…
Mama, Never Give up. Keep Trying, Keep Going.
I sat down on the steps, exhausted, ready to give up believing things could get better, ready to give up trying. The feeling of fatigue covering my whole body. Wondering…
Beautiful natural autumn background. Red maple leaves against the background of the evening autumn sky. Shallow depth of field.
Let Go with Fall: 7 Ways to Change with the Season
My favorite season is here, welcome Fall! The trees are beginning to transition and it's time to acknowledge a similar change within ourselves. The changing seasons can be a guide…
Build Yourself Up: 5 Ways to be Your Own Greatest Champion
You must build yourself up if you are going to live the life you desire and find the joy you deserve. No matter the strength and number of your relationships…
The Power of the Pause: 5 Ways to Add a Little Space in Your Life
Pause. Feel your heartbeat. Take a big breath in and let your lungs inflate as full as they can. Pause and hold. Now exhale and let all that luscious breath…
How to Have a Clean House: A Mom’s Guide to Peace With Your Home
I feel like a maid. I spend my day just cleaning up after everyone and I feel lost in the to-do list. I'm on Pinterest yet again trying to get…
Spite is the Enemy, Not the Woman Next to Me.
Successful women surround me and it's so incredibly beautiful until I get a knot in my stomach. It happens slowly, but then quickly. Spite blurs my vision and creates lies…
Good Credit: Why Women Need to Have Their Own
Do you think about your credit? When I was younger it never crossed my mind. What it was, how to use it, why it might be important. Or, most importantly,…
Four Things The Mental Health System Taught Me
I have been utilizing the mental health system since I was 10 years old. It was at that age that I was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and Major Anxiety…
7 Tips to Set Healthy Boundaries with Our Relationships
"Being human is hard not because you're doing it wrong, it's hard because your doing it right." Glennon Doyle, Untamed How can we set boundaries in our relationships and especially…
Parenting Adult Kids is Hard: 4 Lessons I’ve Learned
It's been two years since my twins moved into college dorms and began "adulting" as they describe it. These years of empty-nesting were supposed to be relaxing and stress-free. I…
Living in the Hard Moments When I Want to Eject
Navigating the loss of my dad a mere five years after the loss of my mom . . . there are no words. The strong desire to push eject from…
How I Learned to Redefine Charity By Tithing Time and Talent
Charity is defined by giving money to an organization that helps those in need. And it's true, money does help. Our amazing network of nonprofits within our nation depend on…
Seeing Double: From My Baby Girl to Adult. 11 Things I Want You to Know.
"When we look at our big kids, we still see our babies, too. This double vision is one of the most profound privileges of parenthood. We gratefully turn to fresh…
Maybe It Is You: 5 Strategies to an Attitude Adjustment
It is no secret attitudes are powerful influencers and an attitude adjustment can dramatically change your experience. I have first hand knowledge of this and I have to warn you,…
Hate Cleaning? Find Relief in the Art of Slow Homemaking
Slow homemaking isn’t being lazy. It’s having the power to realize that you determine what needs to be done. The power to make your own space feel clean. It’s taking…
Plans Change, Focus on the Vision, and Keep Going!
I love it when a plan comes together... But let's be realistic, things rarely go to plan. Plans change. Being a highly creative and "attention-faceted" adult, I have a hard…
Community Service: How It Helped Me Develop My Leadership Skills
The year was 20-ought something. I would tell you it was the fault of my red, 1991 Chevy Beretta. That car kept me in trouble! The Texas highway patrol would…
Feeling Angry All the Time? 7 Reasons Why and What You Can Do
"Anger is often a secondary emotion."Azevedo Hanks Are you feeling irritable, short-tempered or grouchy? Maybe you snap (or want to) at everyone around you. Yet you don't know why you…
Kindergarten Is Calling: The Bittersweet Blessing of Letting Go
I’ve been counting down the years, watching them turn into months. Always keeping my eye on the proverbial clock that’s been ticking away since she was born. And now, according…
24 Favorite Inspirational Quotes for Women to Empower and Uplift
No matter what stage in life you are in, let these 24 inspirational quotes for women help you see and know your worth. Life can get hard sometimes and as…
Summer Reading Book Club Ideas for Women From The We Spot
As things are opening up and people are beginning to reconnect, why not start a new women's book club? Meet with your current circle of friends. Create a new tribe…
Overcome Family Guilt and Shame: 7 Ways to Stop Saying Sorry
Guilt says you made a mistake. Shames says you are the mistake. Guilt motivates. Shame annihilates. -Susie Garlick Do members of your family bring instant guilt and shame? Specific members…
How Do I Find My Fun Me Again? 5 Ways to Bring Your Smile Back
This past year has been heavy. Ok let's be honest, for many of us, it has just plain sucked! The pandemic, social unrest, dehumanization, political division, virtual school, it has…
The Ups and Downs of Entrepreneurship: How to Stay Balanced
The ups and downs of entrepreneurship are like riding Mr. Freeze at Six Flags. If you have a business or are in the process of starting your business, you probably…
Losing My Religion: An Imperfect Journey to Finding My Faith Again
If you’re anything like me, the title of this article may have scared you away. Losing religion? Finding faith? Yikes. Religion can be a touchy subject; delicate at best, offensive…
7 Ways to Encourage Your White Children To Be Anti-Racist
My life is dedicated to working toward equity for all and speak, train and think about racism. I work to be anti-racist daily. I have been a parent for just…
Nine Things to Do When You Have an Empty-Nest
The day that all older women told me about arrived recently...my fourth and last baby has graduated from high school and will quickly be out on his own. While endlessly…
Embracing the Fullness of Our Names – Unapologetically!
“What sets you apart can sometimes feel like a burden and it’s not. And a lot of the time, it’s what makes you great.” Emma Stone We identify each other…
The Healing Process Can Be Messy: 3 Ways to Embrace It
Any type of mess makes me anxious. If my house is messy-even if I do not have the energy to do anything about it-it gives me physical anxiety. I start…
Induction Birth Story — 5 Focuses To Turn Trauma Into Triumph
A year ago I went to my 40-week prenatal appointment alone, masked following pandemic protocols, but looking forward to the ultrasound to get to see my baby. I was not…
What is Juneteenth? Why This Holiday Deserves Recognition
To be clear, I am not a historian, or an expert in African American history or culture. I am a white woman and only learned of Juneteenth during my own…
Sorry Not Sorry: 13 Things I Will No Longer Apologize For
I spent a large chunk of my life apologizing. I have been sorry for everything. You ran into ME? Somehow it must be my fault. So often I was the…
Healing Childhood Wounds with a Letter to My Dad
Healing is in layers, healing is time. Healing is excruciating. Once you think it's done, it's not. Mary Demuth Father, dad, daddy, those names can bring a boil to my…
Suicide Interrupted; Finding Hope in the Pain
Please be aware that this article discusses suicide, rape, and abuse. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME…
Set up for Success: 4 Keys to Kickstart Your Business Finances
Whether you're a new business owner or you've been invested in your business for some time, we're going to review a few key items to ensure your business is set…
Friends and Friendships…Healthy or Toxic? How Do You View Yours?
How do we view our friends and are our friendships? Healthy or toxic? Have you found yourself arguing with your friends after they've disagreed with you? Do you see your…
Unbecoming: The Journey of Unraveling the Weight of Perfection
I stand looking in the mirror. I am unmasked and starting the journey of unbecoming. It starts again though. I hear her breathing and speaking her bullshit behind my back.…
Stop Yelling at Your Kids: 5 Ways to Find Your Cool
A big struggle moms come to me with, as a mom mentor, is how to stop yelling at their kids. My answers and help always surprise them. It sounds like…
What is Gaslighting? How Do I Protect Myself From This Abuse?
Someone steps on my foot and I yell "ouch." The usual response from an empathetic person is, "I'm so sorry I stepped on your foot. "Are you okay? I wasn't…
Adult Child Guilt: Quick Tips on Setting Boundaries With Your Capable Parents
What is your duty as a child to your capable parents? Is it your job to make them happy? What happens when you have guilt for wanting to lead your…
A Love Letter To A Graduating Senior: Signed, a 30-Year Post Graduate
Dear Graduating Senior, I write to you as one who is now a 30-year post-high-school graduate. One thing I can say is: hold on---oh, what adventure and joy lay ahead…
Excuses are Overrated – You are the Solution to all Your Problems
Here’s the thing I am most frustrated about as of late. Excuses. Excuses are overrated. When we complain about everything on social media, posting the houses you wish you had instead…
Empower Your Daughters: 7 Things I Learned The Hard Way
Everyone you will ever come in contact with knows something you don’t. You can learn from all of them, even if it’s only that they don’t belong in your life.
How Do Financial Experts and Vulnerability Fit in Your Money Journey?
Dave Ramsey, Robert Kiyosaki, Suze Orman, Jonathan & Amanda Teixeira, Crystal Paine, Jessica Turner, Holly Reid Toodle, Chelsea Brennan. What do all these names have in common? They are financial…
Redefining “Smart”: The Importance of Emotional Intelligence
“Emotional intelligence is learned and learnable by everyone; whereas intellectual intellect is not learnable. The daily practice of doing emotional labour is what develops emotional intelligences. In the beginning, the…
Guilt Trippin’: Reframing Our Guilt for the Greater Good
Recently, I was chatting with a friend of mine. School had been cancelled for consecutive days in a row, thanks to massive amounts of snow dumped on our side of…
Afraid to Talk About Masturbation? 7 of Your Self Pleasure Questions Answered
Masturbation. Even the word itself conjures up discomfort for many women. The guilt, fear and anxiety that surround masturbation in our society is astounding. Of course this makes sense. Growing…
Calming the Noise of Social Media
We are certainly living in the digital age and it is more important than ever tat we are calming the noise of social media. To begin I wanted to say…
There is Beauty in Giving! But Do You Have Limits?
I write a lot about how the beauty of giving is a gift itself, literally and figuratively. What about boundaries or cut-off points to your extended hand? If you do,…
Celebrating Cinco de Mayo? Here’s What You Need to Know!
Cinco de Mayo! (“Fifth of May”) - the most widely celebrated Mexican holiday in the United States. Most people associate this day with tacos, tequila, sombreros, and serapes. Cinco de…
Are You a Multi-Passionate Opportunity Taker? 3 Things To Consider
What do you do? I uh, uh, I do, uh I do a lot... I have entered and left multiple career opportunities and I left a full-time job I enjoyed…
Expectations Got in the Way of My Happiness: How to Let Go of Control
Okay, I know what you're thinking. How can expectations get in your way of happiness? You have to have expectations to achieve more. How do your children achieve the high…
People Pleasing: Set Yourself Free From the Lies You Tell Yourself
It's subtle, people pleasing. The lies women are telling are often so close to the truth, so subtle that they go unseen, but they never go un-felt. Women are telling…
Self-Made…There’s No Such Thing! We’ve all Had Help Along the Way
There is no such thing as a self-made man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one…
Spectacular Gifts of Autism I Learned From My Undiagnosed Friend
The most kind man drifted into my life during my mid 30's. He was like no other. Tall, muscular, kind eyes, quiet and clean cut. He was a man of…
One Year Into Quarantine: 3 Things I’ve Learned About Myself
I'll start by saying this quarantine thing hasn't been easy...at all. I have enjoyed some aspects of it and I've downright despised other parts. But I try to look on…
Give Voice to Maternal Exhaustion – A Story of Burnout, Betrayal and Fear
What does maternal exhaustion mean? Well, I knew that I needed to face this topic for the last six months. Instead of writing, maternal exhaustion has been where I’ve lived.…
Getting Help is Hard; Not Getting Help is Harder
Mental health is a huge concern in our world today. Despite some advances, there is still a large stigma around mental health; especially around getting treatment. According to the National…
Living Out Her Legacy: Five Life Lessons My Grandma Taught Me
I’m cuddled up under one of my grandma’s blankets. A Mendoza painting of hers is now hanging in my entryway, a statement piece I’d overlooked countless times when it hung…
Facing the Fear of Change: Why ADHD Makes it More Difficult to Navigate
Facing my emotions has never been easy for me, but the fear of change I would have to say is one of the worst. I don't like to sit with…
Money Fears: Face Them and Rewrite Your Money Story
Feeling unsure about your finances? You're not alone! According to Northwestern Mutual, 70% of Americans say their financial planning needs work. Together we can change that! Let's face those money…
Grief: A Delicate State of Being of the Mind and Heart
Hello there and greetings to all who read this article. I hope and pray that everyone is doing well. That is indeed my hope for you. This article was going…
Buried In Our Something and Running from Sobriety
We all have something and sometimes we are buried in our something, running from sobriety. Your something might be grief. It might be alcohol or binge eating. Maybe it is…
World Autism Awareness Day: The Spectrum of Life
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain." Viviane Greene Today on April 2nd, 2021 World Autism Awareness Day,…
My Thoughts on Navigating Change, Endings & New Beginnings
Change is inevitable and the only thing that is constant throughout our lives. The world is always shifting and changing, even when we are not aware. I have a complicated…
4 Steps to Being a Successful Studier When You’re a Non-traditional Student
What is a non-traditional student? Basically, it means that you are over the age of 22 years old and did not go to college right after high school. That may…
Stop Calling Yourself a Recovering Perfectionist: Perfect Isn’t Always Bad
I used to say it all the time. "I am a recovering perfectionist." What I really meant was more along the lines of, "Yeah, yeah, I know it's a bad…
A Letter to My Grade School Teacher: 5 Things I Wish You Had Known
I’ve been out of school for quite a while now. I’m considerably older than you must have been when I was in your class, but still depend daily on lessons…
Why Are Daughters Critical of Mothers? Generational Feminism
A long time ago I told my girls, "I'm definitely not perfect so I am definitely going to screw up at being a mom sometimes! All that I ask is…
A Punching Bag and Boxing Gloves: An Unconventional Relationship
My first birthday after losing my mom, I asked my husband for a unique birthday present. A punching bag. There was so much emotion that had built up inside of…
In Honor of My Beautifully Broken Brain: My TBI Journey
March is Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Month. My TBI story begins on a perfectly beautiful, bluebird-sky day in early February 2013. While driving my son's acting friends to their drama…
Living Away from Fear, Not Into It: An Unexpected Lesson in Courage
Not long ago, we stuck a for sale sign in our front yard, packed up the contents of our home for the last seven years, and decided to live away…
Do I Complain Too Much? 7 Things That Can Help
As I listen to my internal and external dialogue, it strikes me that I hear a lot of complaining. Coming from me. I'm the one doing all the complaining. So…
3 Ways to Own Your Story, Unmask the Past, and Take Back the Future
A Different Kind of Mask Recently I found a series on Netflix called Imposters. Essentially there is a crew of thieves that create lives to leave their victims heartbroken and…
How to Mentally and Physically Practice Self Care
The term "self care" has become quite the buzz word these days. Though it is not what most people think. I wanted to discuss how to mentally and physically practice…
Where Have all my Adult Friendships Gone? How do I Make More Now?
Where have all my adult friendships gone? This is what I think when I'm cruising "social media" and I see pictures of the girl's weekends I was never invited to,…
You Can Heal From Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the symptoms that spark from it can feel defeating. Overwhelming. All consuming. Some days it takes everything out of you. I have Complex Post-Traumatic Stress…
Kindness: Make it Part of Your Legacy!
Perhaps the only legacy worth having is to have been known as a kind and compassionate person. -Unknown What exactly is kindness? A quick google search gives a simple definition;…
Black History Month- Acknowledging the Past and Fighting for the Future
As February comes to an end, I want to reflect on Black History Month. I believe that it is important to recognize that the end of this month does not…
Sarah Nicole Landry @thebirdspapaya
Body Image: How Birth Helped Me Heal After Abuse and a Lifetime at War with Myself and My Body
I was 20 when I lost my first pregnancy. I felt betrayed by my body, but at that point in my life, betrayal was all I knew towards her. My…
Extreme Self-Care: 3 Big Takeaways from 5 Days by Myself at the Beach
Due to a series of unexpected events at the beginning of the year, I had the opportunity to spend 5 days of extreme self-care by myself at the beach. I'd…
Apathy: Managing Emotions in This Uncertain World
Filled with a sense of indifference, I sat and watched as the young sapling's leaves rustled in the light breeze. Its small trunk swayed gently as the wind swirled around it.…
White Privilege Exists: A Privileged White Woman’s Perspective
Need a phrase to silence a crowd quickly? "White privilege exists." Seriously, try it. You will see people stop in their tracks. They will stop then look around and become…
Stuck in Your Own Head: What Your Daydreams are Telling You.
The inherent risk in tackling this topic is that you think I’m crazy, but I hope you think I’m brave. Anything less than bravery could not have brought me here,…
The Aftermath: Pressing Through the Pain to Find Healing After Trauma
Warning: traumatic birth story detailed below. Please read on with caution as the material or descriptions may be triggering. Every January, as his birthday draws near, I have a tightness…
Seeing My Daughter in a New Light: Through the Lens of COVID
I was 26 years old when I birthed my daughter, the final child we were to have...the icing on our cake. She was, like her older brothers, a joy to…
What is Wrong with You? The Damaging Dynamic of Familial Toxic Love
A couple weeks ago I was out shopping with my daughter. We saw this awesome shirt (pictured) in the store Zumiez. I posted it on my story on both my…
Detox and Recharge! Self Care Spa Recipes to Make at Home
The wintery days are upon on us, and we are very likely still somewhat limited in where we can go and what we can do, due to the pandemic. So,…
How is Time Management Part of Self-Care? Asking for a Friend
OK, time management has been my pride for more than a decade of my career life. As a self-confessed procrastinator, I dove into learning all the time management skills and…
A Work in Progress: My Journey with Perfectionism and Toxic Positivity
Toxic positivity is a mindset that I am very familiar with. For years, perfectionism and toxic positivity plagued my thoughts and inner world. This way of thinking affected how I…
How Do You Know When It’s Time to Move On?
How do you know when it’s time to move on? Or to say no to something that you’ve previously said yes to? Are you a “Yes” Person? If you find…
Feeling Overwhelmed? 10 Things to do Right Now
Overwhelm is not a feeling most of us welcome. Our typical response to ever-growing responsibilities and demands is to do more and work harder, rather than take a step back…
Give the Dance Moms a Break, Choose Acceptance Over Judgement
In 2016, I became a “girl mom.” But I was determined never to become one of those "Dance Moms." I was already mom to a little boy. He was innately a…
Considering a Job Change? What Opportunities Should You Consider?
How can you know when it makes sense to move forward into a new job opportunity? How do you know when it's time for a job change? Do you like your…
New Year’s Resolutions: What 2020 Can Teach us About Goal Setting
Each year around half of Americans set a New Year's resolution. In contrast, less than 10% stick to it or remember the goal past February. However, I think most people…
The 2020 vision board…what happened?
2020...the year. Who visualized this? It's been something....how's that vision board holding up? Last year I wrote an article about designing your vision board for 2020. Touting its propensity to…
Empathy, Forgiveness, and Hope: Gifts You Can Give Year Round
Empathy, forgiveness, and hope are gifts we can give all year long. Empathy Before I started my personal development journey, I wondered what the true difference between empathy and sympathy…
The Pandemic Sucks: Finding a Positive Mindset Amongst the Negative
Quick Note Please note, I am in no way an expert on mental health. I am a person who knows I cannot be the one to provide advice. My article…
Enjoy Your Holiday Food Without Guilt! Busting Myths and Answering Your Intuitive Eating FAQ’s
If you’ve been following me for even a short time, you probably know that I am passionate about Intuitive Eating. It is my absolute delight to help my clients free…
Reasons Why We Hesitate to Ask For and Accept Help When in Need
Do you find it difficult and are hesitant to ask for and accept help when you are in need? Why do some of us hesitate when it comes to asking…
Distance Learning: Educating the Heart Through Self-Compassion
How to educate has entered pretty much every parent’s home this year in a new way. As I write this I am embracing our third month of facilitating online kindergarten…
Changing our Mindset as we Closeout 2020
This year has been one of change and growth for so many. In order to end this year on a positive note I am sharing some ideas on changing our…
Rejection is Necessary: Why We Don’t Have to Fear It
“Thank you for your interest, but unfortunately your post was not chosen this time around.” Those words were tough to read, and even tougher to swallow. When I started writing…
This is What 59 Looks Like: Redefining the Aging Process
Old Before My Time I thought I was old at thirty-nine. Through no fault of our own, my husband and I had suffered a devastating financial setback that left us…
Mom Burnout: Finding Balance in a Season that has us Burning at Both Ends
What do you think of when I say the word balance? Do you picture the perfect system or a schedule that FINALLY makes motherhood feel balanced? What we experience in…
Family and Politics: Preparing for the Conversations & Potential Fallout
Our current political climate has been rocky and down right nasty. No matter your political affiliation, bitterness seems to be the flavor of choice for interactions between those that disagree.…
Calling All Peacemakers: Making Peace with the Need to Keep the Peace
Being a peacemaker is a lot of work. I’ve been trying to keep the peace in one way or another, with one person or another, for years. And in today’s…
My Dance with the Devil: Finding Forgiveness and Healing Friendship
Forgiveness, there would be no chance of it. I had danced with the devil, there would be no second chances. I can remember the morning just like it was yesterday.…
The Benefit of Trying New Things
This is a story of trying new things...and the regret of listening to others. It's probably a familiar story to some. Picture this: it's 2010 and I have just returned…
What if Life Were as Simple as a Choose Your Own Adventure Book?
Have you ever read a Choose Your Own Adventure book? These stories allow the reader to assume the role of the protagonist and make choices to determine the main character's…
Embracing Distraction with Kindness: Tips for Intentional Writing
With my cup of coffee steaming, the notion was simple: it was the perfect morning to enjoy some creative writing. Free from any plans and distraction-free, I was excited to…
My Meditation Journey: Sitting Still and Listening for the Answers
My first experience with mediation was in my 20s. I had recently begun attending a spiritually-based recovery program for my food and body issues, but I no longer connected to…
Prioritizing Your Mental Health When the World Feels Chaotic
If you are a college student, or are a parent of a college student, then you are well aware that online classes have started and are kicking into high gear.…
The Healing Process Requires Determination
I set out on a journey about 3 years ago. A journey of stabilization and healing. At the beginning, there was desire to heal and get better but there was…
Do it Your Way! Listen to Yourself and Start Living an Intuitive, Empowered Life.
Have you ever tried to follow an “expert’s” advice that just didn’t fit for you? Have you felt like a failure because their advice didn’t work as well for you…
My Journey Living with Anxiety and Depression for 30+ Years
It's been a long journey living with depression and anxiety for 30+ years. I remember with great and vivid detail my very first panic attack. I spent years trying to…
Becoming Solution Oriented: 4 Tips to Shift Your Mindset
So often we focus on the problem we have at hand, we obsess over why it happened. We complain, we vent, we get it off our chest. I do this…
Extending Kindness: Be Sure To Include Yourself
There’s a popular quote circulating the internet. You’ll find it emblazoned on t-shirts, coffee mugs, and wall art from Hobby Lobby. “In a world where you can be anything, be…
Courage to Thrive through the Home Stretch of 2020: Tips that Empower!
2020 Can Take a Hike! So here we are, going into the home stretch of 2020. To say this year has been hard or unique would be an understatement. It’s been surreal,…
Feel What You Feel: Honoring Your Emotions
Many of us are never taught to feel what we feel. Instead, we're trained to ignore our emotions, to stifle them. We label them as "good" or "bad," celebrating the…
Journaling About your Hobbies: How I Stay Connected
Journaling about your hobbies is a great way to stay connected to them when you may not have the time, space or money to actually do your hobby. One of…
Three Ways to Overcome The Challenges of Being a Caregiver
Being a caregiver can be very challenging and sometimes difficult to overcome but it can be done. On January 31, 2017, the rest of mine and my mother's lives changed…
Embracing the Beauty in the Ordinary
I am once again reminded that there is beauty in the every day moments as I watch the sunrise while holding our 8 week old. It is the ordinary, every…
No More Fixing Myself: Giving up the Obsession With Self-Help
My bookshelves are full of titles like “Present Over Perfect,” “The Way of the Happy Woman,” “The Happiness Project,” and “Rising Strong.” I’ve read and loved them all. Most are…
Change: Transitioning Well Through the Different Seasons of Life
As she entered this world, she needed me to physically care for her every need. It was essential that she have me hold, change, feed, bathe, clothe, and nurture her. Then,…
Change Isn’t a Bad Thing: Embracing the Circumstances That Shape Us
“Change doesn’t have to be a bad thing!” It was 2016, and we’d spent weeks repeating that phrase to our pre-teen daughters as we packed up to leave the only…
A Pandemic, Natural Disasters, and Politics, Oh My! 10 Things Keeping Me Sane Right Now…
The past 6 months have been unquestionably the strangest time in my life. It has been an unprecedented, unpredictable, and challenging time for the entire world. Not only have we…
Her Very Brave Life: Losing A Friend to Cancer
I lost a friend to cancer over a week ago. Yesterday was the first time I was able to even speak about her with my husband because I couldn't talk…
How to Connect the Dots of Your Life
We know the day we’re born, but not when we'll die. One bookend of our lives is defined but not the other. In our younger decades we anxiously race toward…
We Crave Quiet Time Yet We Don’t Make Time for it
I have a hard time being still and quiet. I always have to fill my time with something. I crave time to just be still but even when I have…
My Anxiety Relapse During the Covid Pandemic; and Navigating out of the Mental Mess
Something interesting happened during all this pandemic lock down and “new normal” we’ve been going through these past months. My new full time job went to part time. Two weeks…
Making Peace with the Present
Most people do not feel at peace in the present moment. They are uncomfortable with themselves, unable to be alone with their own thoughts. Think about it. How long has…
Sensitivity and Imagery: The Meaning and How They Impact You
Are you someone who is sensitive? If you are, do you sometimes ask yourself or just question, "Why am I so sensitive?" I have many times throughout my life, so…
Heart Centered Women Entrepreneurs: 3 Reasons Why I Choose to Serve
Are you a considering entrepreneurship? Wonder what different industries are like? Trying to determine your ideal client? I've been dabbling with my own businesses for the past 5 years. I've…
My Experience with Racism and Showing Up as My Whole Self
In the glow of the morning light is, ironically, when I feel the heaviest. When I wake up, I admire the sun seeping through the cracks of my curtains, spilling…
Three Ways to Know You are Making the Right Decisions for You
If you are like everyone else on the planet right now, you have a great pile of decisions to make. Should I go to the grocery store? Should I travel…
Anchoring to Your Inner Strength
An anchor is a heavy object to hold a vessel in its place or it’s someone that delivers you the news on television. It can also be a helpful mental…
Self Connection: 5 Tips to Knowing Who You Are
Self connection is an ongoing journey. As we change through the years each phase of life has its own effect on how we connect to ourselves. Sometimes we may not…
It’s So Quiet I Can Hear My Soul Whisper
When our world shut down and went quiet in March, I experienced something I'd never experienced before. Truthfully, I've experienced several firsts during this ethereal time, but this one in…
Chronic Pain is a Real Pain: Awareness, Coping, and How to Help
Chronic pain is maybe not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the word pain. However, it’s the first thing that comes to mind when anyone…
Making Sense of Who We Are in a Nonsensical, Non-complacent World
I love the recognition that humans are never complacent creatures, that we embody different versions of ourselves during different times of our lives. This concept is as equally exciting as…
Why You Need to Tell Your Inner Circle How Much You Value Them
Many of us hesitate to be authentic with others because we have been hurt in the past or assume we’ll have more time once we come out on the other…
Your Evening Routine is Just as Important as the One for your Morning
We all know that a good morning routine is a great way to start our day. It’s even touted that the most successful people are those who follow a positive,…
I Believed the Lie that I was Unworthy; Turns out I am Worthy
Worthiness. I am going to be honest with you. This word makes me uncomfortable. Like, to my core. I suffered years of emotional and verbal abuse in my childhood and…
Enjoying the Slower Pace of Life
If there’s an upside to the up-side down world we’re living in right now, it’s the slower pace of life. Coronavirus forced us to sit still and stay home. Because…
Attached to My Smartphone: Steps to Create a Healthier Relationship
According to research, people touch their smartphones about 2,617 times a day. Clearly, we spend a lot of time on our devices. I never realize exactly how much until I…
