People sometimes say, “It’s never going to change.” Not true. Things are changing all the time. In fact, the only true constant is change. The question is, where are we hanging onto something or someone that isn’t in our best interest because of fear? Where are we holding on too tightly to an old way of doing and being because we’re scared of the unknown? Scared. Sacred. Swap too letters and the whole meaning changes. Honoring ourselves, what is true and sacred for us is ofte

The other day I saw a picture of someone I know moving their child into college. I haven’t seen them for some time. Our kids used to play together when they were little, but kids grow up and life changes. Seeing the image took me back to a conversation we had several years earlier. I had stopped by their house to pick up my daughter, and we chatted as I waited on the front steps. Just about everyday stuff – kids, life, etc. Out of the blue, he made a comment about wanting to

For most of my life, I was a perfectionist. My OCD was legendary. I was born into a people-pleasing existence and learned early on to keep everything in its place, both inside and out. My earliest memory of creating art was met with, “You’ve made such a mess!” My inner artist went underground and didn’t risk stepping out again until I bought my first sketchbook at age 24. Everything from that time until entering college at 36 was self-taught. I created art here and there betw

(This post is in response to the prompt “How did you become a writer?” for the DIY MFA Book Club that started today. Click here for more information on the club.) I have heard from many writers that the desire to write began early on. My own journey to the keyboard came a bit later. For over half of my life, I felt I had nothing to say that anyone would want to hear. I had no voice of my own. The word accident was mentioned often in my formative years and left its mark – I sp

A few days ago, as I walked down an aisle in Target, I passed by a woman speaking to a clerk. As I wandered past, the clerk nodded his head and proceeded to lead the woman to what she was seeking. The woman, following his lead, said with a slight giggle, “I’m just a mom. What do I know?” I responded in a whisper to her question, “Everything.” I’m sure she was kidding, at least to a degree. Now obviously, I know she doesn’t know everything. But having been a parent for almost

mere: being nothing more or better than During my quiet time this morning, I found myself writing something I frequently say, “I don’t believe in coincidence.” And this is true. I don’t believe in coincidence. I believe that everything happens for a reason, though it may be a while before the reason is apparent, if ever. Then out of the blue, a question appeared. “If you don’t believe in coincidence, why do you still question your own existence?” Growing up, I was frequently

So you had a bad day. The bad day to beat all bad days. A spirit-breaking, heart-aching bad day. The good news is that your today is not defined by your yesterday nor does it define your tomorrow. Breathe. Stay in this moment. Ride the wave of emotion running through you. You will reach the other side. And you know what? Your today does not define your yesterday either. Even if you stumble and fall, it does not erase the ground you’ve covered, the growth you’ve achieved. So g

I am at the barrier of my comfort zone and I want to push it. HARD. Not just push it – I want to blow it out of the water. I spent the majority of my life prior to college in a near constant state of fear. I was 36 when I started college. That adds up to a lot of fear. The trajectory of my life shifted when my husband said to me, “You’ve taken care of us for the last twelve years. What do you want to do?” No one had ever asked me that. Not on that level. I had always been som