Small Moments of Joy: How to Feel Better When Life Feels Like Too Much
Somewhere in your kitchen right now, there is probably a cup of coffee that has been reheated twice and forgotten both times. I say that with love, because mine is still sitting in the microwave. That cold coffee is a small thing, but it tells a bigger story. When life gets crazy, the first thing […]
8 Things the Herd Knows: Elephant Lessons for Community and Emotional Well-Being
Let’s be honest. Most of us have collected our life advice from some questionable places. A fortune cookie. A throw pillow with a slogan stitched on it. That one relative who talks the most at every family gathering and somehow says the least. So taking a minute to learn from an elephant is not the […]
Fear Can Ride Along It Just Doesn’t Get to Drive
Fear of the unknown keeps a strange schedule. It might clock in when life is falling apart. It usually waits though for the moment something is about to change — and usually, something good. The new opportunity. The fresh start. The decision you’ve been circling for months. The second you take any of it seriously, […]
When the Mask Gets Heavy: How Emotional Honesty Protects Your Mental Health
You know the feeling. You walk into a room already arranging your face. The “I’m fine” leaves your mouth before the other person has even finished asking. You laugh on cue, nod at the right beats, and somewhere underneath all of it, a quieter part of you is just… tired. Most of us have learned […]
You Can’t Manage Time. So Let’s Stop Trying and Take Back the Day Instead
Grab your coffee and let’s talk about the spare time you have. I think I already know what you are going to say, and I am going to gently disagree with you anyway. “Are you serious? There is NO WAY I have spare time. Have you SEEN my calendar?” I have, and yes, it’s a […]
When “I’m Fine” Isn’t: How to Keep Showing Up for the People You Love
Most of us have said it. Someone asks how we are doing, and before we have even checked in with ourselves, the words are already out: “I’m fine.” Sometimes that is the honest truth. Sometimes it is the most polished thing we own. The people we love say it too. And learning to hear what […]
Stop Staring at the Hole: What a Donut Can Teach Us About a Whole Life
Quick question, and nobody is grading it: when you look at a donut, do you see the warm ring of sweet, fried joy, or the empty circle sitting in the middle? Hang with me here. Your answer might say more about how you are living than any goal you scribbled down back in January. The […]
Be Grateful for the Love of Your Family: Shirley’s Final Mantra and the Six Mantras We Carry Forward
“Be grateful for the love of your family.” — Shirley Johnson We made it to the last mantra together. Seven weeks ago, I introduced you to my neighbor Shirley Johnson, the 90-something soul-knowing friend whose wisdom has been quietly rearranging my days. We have walked through five of her mantras since, and each one has […]
Remember Bigger Problems: A Doorway to Honoring Your Emotions, Not a Dismissal
“Remember, there are many people with bigger problems than yours.” — Shirley Johnson I want to start this one carefully. This mantra has, in some seasons of my life, landed sideways. If you have ever been told “well, somebody has it worse” while you were in real pain, you know what I mean. It can […]
Silver Friends and Gold Friends: Why the People We Choose Are Our Best Medicine
“Surround yourself with wonderful people.” — Shirley Johnson Some weeks I think about how much of my wellbeing has been written by the people I have chosen to spend time with. The friends who picked up the phone when my voice was wobbling. The ones who knew when to just sit quietly. The ones who […]