A couple of weeks ago, I was feeling really down. It lasted for about a week. I told someone who is close to me, and her advice was something she had said to me before, “Don’t think. You think too much. Just live in the moment and don’t worry about anything.” While that might sound...
Tag: artists
Of Poetry and Art That Dwells in Your Heart
The other day, I invited two poets, Veronica Patterson and Lisa Zimmerman, to speak to one of my writing groups. They talked about how poetry predates written language and how it’s in all of us. They pointed out that little kids speak naturally in metaphor. For example, when you ask them how something felt, they...
Finding Brilliance in Your Ordinary Life
I’ve been working on my branding and the messaging for my new website. In running through various exercises to arrive at what I do best, I realized there is a consistent theme in my life’s work. Everything I’ve done—from my books and other writings, to my speaking and presentations, to my community work and activism—has...
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...
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...