Authentically Teresa Funke – Never AI
Where Work and Worry Meet
Today, a close member of our family had major surgery, and another had a minor procedure that concerned me a bit. It’s hard to focus on work when you’re worried. You tell yourself that everything will be fine and you must assume the best. You tell yourself you are “professional” enough to not let fear...
Are You Ready to Be Vulnerable?
The other day, I was meeting with one of my women’s groups. We’re all getting to know each other really well, and one woman asked a pretty deep question. Another said, “Wow. You’re asking us to be pretty vulnerable.” And then we each answered, from the heart, and with faith that we would face no...
When Your Energy Rises, Time Expands
I get it now. Finally. It’s only taken me 50 years. People often say we must make time for ourselves, but I never really understood why. I mean, I kind of got it and sometimes I did it, but I’m a busy person. There are days I barely keep up with chores and work and...
How Self-Improvement Can Help Your Art and Business
I made a commitment at the end of last year to devote myself to self-improvement in 2018. By that I meant, learning to meditate; creating more space in my life for contemplation and introspection; finding more time to read and attend classes; releasing old grudges, negative thought patterns, and pressures I put on myself; and...
Lessons from a Lullaby
I’m sure it’s safe to say that every culture across the globe has its own lullabies. And that mothers have been singing their children to sleep since the dawn of civilization. If your ancestors hail from a certain country or tribe, you may know the traditional lullabies. Or perhaps your mother made up her own...
It Is Safe to Stand in Your Power
A few months ago I was chatting with my friend, Jean Marie DiGiovanna, who is a brilliant and successful speaker, but also happens to create unique jewelry on the side. I asked if she had any new pieces, and she directed me to her Etsy page. I went the next day and found a bracelet...
10,000 Joys and 10,000 Sorrows
Buddha once said everyone would experience 10,000 joys and 10,000 sorrows in their lifetime. I came across that quote the other day, and the number jolted me. It sounded so high! I mean, it’s not hard to imagine 10,000 joys if you think of a joy as finding a pretty feather as a child or...
No Great Story Ever Started with “I Think I’ll Take a Nap”
A friend of mine recently attended an afternoon writing panel on which I was speaking about Strong Women in Children’s Literature. She’d had a busy morning. She’d worked out and followed that with a heavy lunch with her family. She was tired and tempted to skip my panel in favor of a nap. After the...