Tag: motivation
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Are We Failing at Adulting?
When my husband turned 30 this month, we couldn’t help but reflect on where we are at in life and whether we have achieved all that we wanted to. When I was a child, I remember creating an outline for my life. By 20 I’d meet my future husband. By 24 I’d be married and…
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The Actual Best Part About Publishing a Book
In January when my coworker told me she was reading my first book, The Wounds That Don’t Bleed, I was more than a little nervous. She’s the type of woman who I look up to–clever, intellectual, and an avid reader–the type of person who knows good fiction from bad and isn’t afraid to tell you…
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Attack Ideas–Not People
Lately, I’ve been consuming a lot of content related to natural living, slow living, and homesteading. Basically, I’m interested in old-fashioned ways of doing things like growing food, making cleaning products from natural ingredients rather than harsh chemicals, using what you have rather than buying new, gifting useful things instead of “stuff,” etc. I guess…
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Stretching Toward the Sun
Two weeks ago I purchased a basil plant and used most of it for a frittata. What remains is a limp rod with two thumbprint-sized leaves surrounded by tattered stems. Although my instincts scream that this is a failed science project at best, I cannot bring myself to throw it away. Why? Because every morning…
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Why Everyone Should Find Their Faith
“Religions are different roads converging at the same point. What does it matter that we take different roads, so long as we reach the same goal?” -Gandhi Having faith has a bad reputation in the United States because extremists throughout history have tainted the word. Now, when someone says they’re religious, many of us wonder…
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Wait…Do I Kinda Like Winter?
Something odd happened earlier this year. While I was thrilled when Spring approached because it’s one of my favorite seasons (if not THE favorite), at times I found myself missing Winter. Like most people, I was taught to think that Winter is a bitter season; one that is simply too cold and too gray to…
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Is More, More?
I remember the moment vividly. It was the first day of a macroeconomics class in college, and the professor asked us each to answer whether we believe that “more is more” or “less is more.” The first two rows of students answered, “more is more.” But when it got to me, I said “less is…
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Finding Joy in Daily Chores
As I was scrolling through Pinterest, I came across a quote from someone who claimed that everyone naturally likes household chores so long as we don’t focus on how long it takes us to do them. Like many of you, my first reaction was a groan. There’s a reason people call them chores–they aren’t meant…
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Stealing Joy
A few weekends ago, I was extremely cranky. Outside, it was gray, gloomy, and pouring down rain–not exactly the type of weather to pull me out of a bad mood. I didn’t know why I was so miserable. My life was full of many blessings that I was grateful for. Nothing bad had happened. Sometimes,…
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When the Universe Tells You to Slow Down
Last week I arrived at the hairdresser ten minutes early, eager to get my first haircut in months. I’d scheduled my appointment three days prior–last minute, but not unheard of at the chain store I always go to simply because it’s cheap. I walked up to the front desk and was greeted by one of…
Humble Hollow 