Last week, I wasn’t at meetings or crossing off my to-do list. I was in bed - sick, tired, and reminded of a lesson I keep learning, sometimes accepting the challenge means letting go. It can look like saying no. Asking for help. Receiving help. Prioritizing rest and basic needs instead of pushing through to meet everyone else’s. That is not quitting; it’s clarity. It’s kindness. It’s courage. The Question I Ask Every Year In my annual planning workshop, there’s a reflection

Some years start with crisp plans and fresh notebooks…and end with a pile of should’ves. Mine did. In 2017, right after publishing A Misfit Entrepreneur’s Guide to Building a Business Your Way , I mapped bold programs and growth goals. I was energized, clear, and ready. And then I wasn’t. A wave of unprocessed, complex trauma pulled me under. Tasks that used to be simple, sending a newsletter, attending a networking event, pitching a perspective client, felt like climbing a c

The other day, on the walk from my daughter’s school to the car, we overheard a teenager listing her instruments: “I know how to play piano. I know how to play clarinet…” My daughter, who’s been studying piano for 5 years, looked up and asked, “What does it mean  to know how to play the piano?” Such a simple question. Such a revealing one. We say “I know” as if there’s a finish line. But most meaningful skills don’t work that way. Knowledge expands. Context shifts. Our craft

Many of us grew up with a single story about Thanksgiving - a harmonious feast celebrating the harvest between pilgrims and Native Americans filled with shared gratitude. We have traditions, gathering with friends and family to give thanks. That white-centric narrative leaves out another living truth. For Native peoples, Thanksgiving is a Day of Mourning rooted in profound loss, violence, and ongoing harm. If you’ve grown up believing one story of Thanksgiving, holding both o

In a very predictable move, I've been reflecting a lot on this past year! I wonder if anyone else feels like 2023 has been a weird year?...

When I was younger, I used to set New Year's resolutions that never delivered on the intended change. In some instances, it was because...

A few years ago, a disgruntled and disturbed individual came to my friends' partner's workplace and opened fire. She got word of what was...

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Among the myriad of doctor's appointments I've had in the last 7 months, I consulted a plastic surgeon about breast reconstruction. As he...

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As I've navigated making a major medical decision for myself this year, I have felt like the poster child for your brain on stress. And...

Before my daughter was born, I busily prepared for her arrival. Our guest room was converted into a nursery, which required laying down...

Sometimes, when things feel so overwhelming it’s hard to know what to do next. Or to focus. Or to think straight. The best thing you can...

The wind has been ferocious lately. Just the other day, I looked out my window and saw two crows flying against 30 miles an hour gusts....

When I was in college, I went with a group of friends into town. A girlfriend and I were getting piercings. My friend had her lip pierced...

There's something about advocating for myself that tends to compound triggers. This might be due to the gumption required to step into my...

Last spring, my cat alerted me to two baby bunnies stuck in our window well. My cat's instinct to hunt was the only reason I knew that...

I was packing for my flight home from Spain when I looked at my friend's computer. It was early morning and no one else was awake yet....

Six years ago I set a goal to smile at everyone I encountered for 6 months. It was partly a social experiment, and partly an intention to...