When I sat down at my table for the Iris Awards, it never occurred to me that I might have to be prepared to deliver a well-thought and eloquent speech as I accepted an Iris Award for my writing. I was up against four other women who are eloquent word wizards, one of which is…
Motivational
Anxiety is like Allergies.
I was trying to explain anxiety and what’s been going on with me to my husband last night, but he just couldn’t get it. He was like, “But anxiety is a normal part of life. I get anxious before a meeting.” and “Yeah, I get anxious before a workout sometimes.” or “Yeah, I get it,…
My Mind is a Graveyard of Great Ideas
I am one of the luckiest people in the world. Sure life is crazy and things don’t always go my way. Sure, having a life worth living is a constant decision of YES, I’m going to make this thing happen, but I’m really lucky, especially where friends are concerned. A photo posted by Summer…
Marriage is Messy
I come from a family who has treated divorce kind of like car buying. One of my parents has been married the same number of times as the number of arms an octopus has. Another has been married the same number of times as people in my immediate family. I’m on my second marriage. Yep, it’s true. My…
The Key to Happiness is . . .
I want you to stop and think for a minute, about the things that make you happy. What is it for you? What gives you that bubbly, my cup runneth over feeling of happiness? If your answer was of something tangible, I want you to listen closely. Try to follow along the best you can….
I Hear Voices & They’re Loud, Obnoxious, and Difficult to Ignore
I’ve never been diagnosed schizophrenic, but some days I wonder. I’m not overly paranoid or anything, but I talk to myself – a lot. Maybe that’s just a function of being a creative, but I spent a lot of my youth making up songs when someone would walk in the room and catch me ranting…
Things I Know to be True
For me, looking back on 2015 is going to be a lot like looking at my favorite rollercoaster being destroyed by a tornado seconds after I get off the ride. It was a year full of great things and a year marked by difficulty and tragedy. In November I lamented about how I refused to look…
No Click Bait Needed. This One’s That Good.
Sometimes life is hard, that’s a given. But sometimes life is also really amazing. I always thought life was one or the other or somewhere in between. It’s crazy to think that there could be life that exists in both places at once. It would have never occurred to me that it was even possible…
Parent is spelled S-A-C-R-I-F-I-C-E
It’s one of the last words you want to hear, and one that many people turn a deaf ear to. Sacrifice. Chew on it a minute. Roll it around on your tongue. How does it feel? “Don’t tell me to sacrifice my wants!” “If you have to sacrifice something on that diet, you’re on the…
Dreams Do Come True – How to Get Where You're Going
It only takes one person. One person who believes in you. One person willing to invest in you. One person who likes your writing. One person who can see what you have to offer before you ever see it yourself. You can’t actively seek that person out, but what you can do is start working…