A recipe for making fire: courage room to breathe desire Have you ever thought about how a candle burns? Blue as it breathes in, gold as it lets go. The candle’s flame isn’t a thing, but an event, a reaction between fuel, breathing room, and a little spark. The candle pulls the wax from its…
Live Free
If nothing else, remember that today, you are alive.
“I guess it’s blooming that I fear,” I confided to the garden. “What if I discover I’m only a weed?” “Have I told you about the dandelion?” the flowers replied. – from Love, Child. Love. If I am meant to blossom, then I must nurture the garden that sleeps in me. I must learn to dabble…
The place where hearts go to mend. (I’ll meet you there.)
There is a clearing. I found it most accidentally, yet I knew somehow that it was waiting for me. The air was crisp and bright where the edge of fall tapped upon summer’s back. I spent the day with the birch tree, gathering her fallen leaves and placing them along her branches’ shadows. One by one,…
Forever Brilliant (A Poem for Bravery)
If you’ve ever had a dream but been afraid to take action, if you’ve tried and failed before, or if you’ve forgotten who you are inside, this poem is for you. It’s inspired by my own journey through fearing who I am toward deeply knowing and loving that person – and dreaming bravely. I spent a…
It’s okay. Be free.
I wrote something last week that got a lot of unexpected attention. Apparently, a lot of people could relate. I want to share it and a little backstory with you in case you can relate, too. This was one of those pieces that popped into my head almost fully formed. It doesn’t often happen like…
This is how we nurture the seeds of joy, compassion, and strength.
Right now, you have access to an unlimited supply of peace. The kind of joyful, steady peace you can dip your toes into on a hot summer day. In this moment, you can have the fresh air of freedom, like opening all the windows and letting the light pour in. Whenever you want, you…
I’m Happy to Report That Practice Doesn’t Make Perfect
It’s been almost 15 years since I first “got into” inner peace, self-loving, and creativity, but I’m just now getting what that really means. Over the years, I’ve practiced journaling, yoga, and meditation (and mindfulness and gratitude and optimism and self-compassion). I’ve read every kind of self-help book I could find, from positive psychology to…
What Makes a Person Whole
There was a time when it felt like having flaws or struggles somehow made me less than, and I spent all my time trying to hide those parts of me. I longed desperately to be known but avoided being really seen. Unsurprisingly, this did not lead to the authentic connection I craved – with myself…
A Message of Hope in a Simple Package
Sometimes the most profound messages come in the simplest packages. My daughter brings home piles of paper every day, and I discovered this in the middle of it: And on the back was this: (In case you need help deciphering a 5-year-old’s artwork, that’s a picture of her turning on the light.) Finding this…
A Poem for Loving Yourself, No Matter What They Say
Before, an excerpt from There, I Might Find Peace. Before you told me who to be, I wanted to be me. Before you taught me what to change, I wanted to be free. Before you said to doubt myself, I knew myself the best. Now that I’ve done all that you asked, I still…