“Make it a great day that ends with a smile in your heart.” Growing up, I always heard my father speak variations of these words. They’ve always sort of been ingrained in my head, but now more than ever are forever planted. He lived by them. He breathed them. And in doing so, he instilled … Read more

“Until you make peace with who you are, you will never be content with what you have.” ~Doris Mortman For most of my life, I believed my worth was tied to how well I could perform. If I looked successful, kept people happy, worked harder than anyone else, and stayed quiet about my pain, maybe—just … Read more

“It’s okay to let go of those who couldn’t love you. Those who didn’t know how to. Those who failed to even try. It’s okay to outgrow them, because that means you filled the empty space in you with self-love instead. You’re outgrowing them because you’re growing into you. And that’s more than okay; that’s … Read more

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” ~Anaïs Nin What is it about us that makes us wait for permission? To do what we want. To be who we are. We wait until we’ve “earned” it, until we’re thinner, … Read more

“Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death.” ~Anaïs Nin I never imagined I’d be fired. It wasn’t because I didn’t have the qualifications or experience. In … Read more

“Rituals are the formulas by which harmony is restored.” ~Terry Tempest Williams Life doesn’t come with an instruction manual. One day, it’s a relationship you thought would last. Another, it’s a career path that suddenly dissolves. A health scare. A financial setback. Aging parents. A terrifying diagnosis. A global pandemic. If you’re lucky, you haven’t … Read more

“To love someone deeply is to learn the art of holding on and letting go—sometimes at the very same time.” ~Unknown Nothing has softened me—or challenged me—like caring for my ninety-six-year-old mother as she slowly withdraws from the world. I thought I was strong, but this is a different kind of strength—one rooted in surrender, … Read more

“Success isn’t about what you do; it’s about who you are. Just existing—waking up, breathing, being present—is enough.” ~Unknown On my third trip to the emergency room, I lay in a hospital bed, ten weeks pregnant and nine kilograms lighter. I had just vomited for the forty-seventh time that day. My body felt empty, but … Read more

The first time I got my heart broken—really, painfully broken—I remember feeling too ashamed to ask for support. I didn’t talk about it with anyone because, at the time, there weren’t many people I trusted with such a raw and tender part of myself. I cried a lot, so people around me knew something had … Read more

“Joy comes to us in moments—ordinary moments. We risk missing out on joy when we get too busy chasing down the extraordinary.” ~Brené Brown I started going to my local gym a few months ago to prepare for a strenuous hike. The gym is a tiny place, located on a quiet street in the middle … Read more