Are You Showing Up as Your Authentic Self?
I have a friend who is one of those rare people who can speak her mind without causing offense. Who can walk into a room full of friends as her authentic self, true to whatever mood she’s in, and be accepted. Whose hugs feel sincere, and whose wisdom you seek. She can call me on...
The Best Equation for Creativity
One of the definitions of faith is, “the complete trust in someone or something.” Each January, the members of my women’s group choose a personal word for the year. This year, I chose the word “faith,” as defined above. Why? Because in 2023, I was operating from a place of faith regarding multiple projects for...
Our Founding Artists
This Fourth of July, I got to thinking about the Founders of this country and their respective arts, and why so few people know that many of them considered their artistic pursuits to be passions, just as many of us do today. Many of the male Founders were well-trained tradesmen, farmers, or scientists. Some were...
Riding the Creative Waves
I’ve been under some stress lately, which has inhibited my creative thinking. It’s hard to focus on building something new when you’re more focused on keeping your head above water. But is that even true, or just a convenient excuse? Many artists throughout the centuries have produced amazing works of art while living through circumstances...
Still Living in the Summer of ’79
This past week on my newsletter, I wrote about wishing this year I could have the kind of summer I had when I was 12. You know, staying up late playing hide-and-go-seek in the dark, sleeping in and watching game shows all morning, reading books, and splashing in the pool. Spending lots of time laughing...
Go Ahead and Rage It Out
Let me tell you about my rage journal. It’s one of my favorite ongoing writing projects, but you’ll never read any of the pages. No one will. In fact, I’ll never even get to reread what I wrote. And that’s the beauty of this project. It started when I was on my 18-month sabbatical, dealing,...
Have a Very Human Day
I left a phone message today for a truly lovely person who closed out their voicemail greeting with the popular saying, “Make it a great day.” Am I the only one who cringes when I hear that directive? Or maybe you’ve read it on a bumper sticker or seen it on a sign? Sometimes it’s...
Art is the Language of the Soul
Next month, I’m hosting my friend, Katie Huey, to teach her class called, “Actually, There Are Words: A Writing Workshop for Life’s Disruptions.” She’s going to lead us in using wordplay, poetry, and writing prompts to “put words to our difficult experiences of loss, transition, or disruption.” In the past week, my husband and I...