The holidays are a time of joy and coming together. But they can also be quite tough, especially for people who struggle with self-image and self-love. In the middle of New Year’s resolutions, fitness promo packages and gym memberships, it’s not easy to focus on what really matters: yourself. What we think of ourselves and how we take care of ourselves is crucial for a happy life. Here are 5 tips to help live your healthiest life: Continue reading
Standing in the middle of a path lined with wild flowers with the sun blazing unforgiving on my face I took the deepest breath of my life. I inhaled pine and palm, sky and lake. I concentrated on the beads of sweat dripping into the small of my back and acknowledged the pain in my right calf after too many fractures and Achilles ruptures.
I gave thanks to my body for surviving me. I gave thanks to my mind for surviving me. I gave thanks that I was able to stand in this place, at this time and take in that deep breath and I exhaled and forgave myself for the last year, for my failures, for everything I put myself through, because I seem so fundamentally broken at times. Continue reading
I’m a habitual hider. It’s not uncommon for me to apply for a job and go through multiple rounds of interviews before even mentioning to my husband that I’ve thrown my name in the hat. I wait until articles are accepted for publication before telling my family that I’ve even submitted them for review. I withhold all kinds of personal and professional details about my life from the people I love, so that just in case things don’t work out, I don’t have to share my embarrassment, disappointment, and shame.
In other words, my go-to defense mechanism is avoiding vulnerability like the plague. Continue reading
On the surface, I was a seemingly joyful 27-year old with more to be thankful for than I could have ever imagined. When I finally admitted to myself that I was unhappy, I couldn’t just stand by and spend the best years of my life on the proverbial hamster wheel in a routine that was draining me.
Both of my parents owned small businesses and lovingly dreamed of a life for me where I never had to chase someone to settle their bill so I could get my paycheck. Raised on the idea that hard work leads to achievement, which leads to success, which in turn leads to happiness, I was collecting life experiences like bullet points to place on my resume. Continue reading
Along with the poolside days, scorching sunshine, and carefree lifestyle that summertime brings, so too come expectations. Whether they revolve around an upcoming vacation or a significant other, expectations can really bog us down.
How many times have you been frustrated by something lately because it didn’t meet what you’d envisioned in your mind? Recently, I’ve been feeling this a lot and I’ve come to the realization that these situations stem from having a tightly clenched fist. Not the type you get when climbing rope or pulling up weeds in your garden; but, the metaphorical clenched fist you experience when you’re holding out for a specific outcome. Naturally, we want what we want out of life, but this habit often creates an inability to see clearly, and to enjoy life for what it truly is. Continue reading
It is now the end of February and although we are almost over the hump (daylight savings is just around the corner!), it feels like winter in the northeast can just DRAG. ON. FOREVER. The sparkly promise of a fresh new year has lost its luster. New Year’s resolutions have fallen by the wayside – my daily exercise goal has dwindled to barely once a week (I blame the cold). My attempt at curating stylish winter work-outfits has devolved into reaching for my warmest black pants and a lumpy wool sweater while I rub my eyes awake. Who can prioritize chicness when New York City is in a rotating state of slush, snow, and biting cold? Continue reading
One of the best things I did this year was join a women’s indoor soccer league.
I know, I know, it sounds sort of lame. The teenage version of myself cannot stop rolling her eyes. A bunch of grown women out there on a Friday night flailing around on the soccer field sounds incredibly pathetic. I get it. Continue reading
I had a really good childhood. My parents were loving and supportive. My sister was nurturing. My brother was overprotective. And for all those reasons, I often felt happy.
I was sheltered in the best way possible, by my Iowa hometown, my close-knit family, and my loyal friends. So, feelings of sadness, shame, and loneliness came in short lived spurts. Continue reading
You know that awkward, confusing, somewhat unattractive phase of life that many kids in the throes of puberty wish they could fast forward, and similarly, many adults wish they could forget? The timeframe otherwise known as middle school? Well, I loved it. Not because I wasn’t awkward, confused, or somewhat unattractive. I was all of those things. And I still have the photo albums to prove it. Continue reading
When you’re having problems and things are not going your way, it’s normal to feel irritated and find yourself in a bad mood. However, getting yourself out of that mindset does not to have to be difficult. Here are six simple ways to shake off your grumpy mood and feel better, almost instantly. Continue reading
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