The most important life hack of all (do you agree?)

cereal bowl with tiny person swimming on one last cornflake in a sea of old milk

It wasn’t just the cereal bowl. It was everything.

Every morning, my first husband would sit in the living room and eat a dish of cereal. When he was finished, he’d set the bowl on the floor next the recliner with half an inch of used milk still in the bottom. Then he’d go on about his day and not think about it again. I, on the other hand… couldn’t NOT think about it.

But that wasn’t what bothered me most. What turned a minor nuisance into a raging insult was my interpretation.

How to be far less flappable

unflappable seagull at Niagara Falls

You know how some people can change your mood, just by being around them? Some people spread happiness like grass seed. On the other hand, you might be feeling fine until you run into Mr. Pit of Despair. If you’re not careful, you can absorb his mood and feel like […]

What if your Dig Deep button broke?

shovel digging a hole

I know I’m not the only one who seems to get around to solitude, creativity, and recharging only after all the “serious work” is done (i.e., never, in some cases). What if you broke your Dig Deep button and put coming alive first?

Creativity, passion, fire–the mysterious ways of The Pull

"I am drawn to fire."

Sometimes, you’re so fired up, your energy feels like a big glistening color-filled bubble in your chest, pulling you irresistibly toward creativity and success. But then there are the other times. If you’ve experienced The Pull, and then experienced the lack of it, you know what a slog it can be to try to work when it’s gone. So, what can you do?

Are you highly sensitive?

a line drawing of an anxious brain, representing the way highly sensitive people feel in many situations

I used to think something was wrong with me. I need to eat frequently or I get grumpy, then stupid. Shrill noises give me a headache. I can’t think when there’s too much going on or if there’s a loud environment. A scratchy tag in my shirt can ruin my whole day. If someone makes a careless remark, it can bother me for days afterward. Sound familiar?

On cubicles, a death wish, and how I bought back my life

A car speeding toward you--the first step to overcoming fear?

I stood frozen, watching the car speed toward me. It was a deer-in-the-headlights moment: I knew I had to get out of the way, but there I stood, rooted to the spot as the car got closer.

Warning: Are you running from the wrong thing? (I was.)

overcoming fear: standing on the edge of a cliff

I’m afraid of lots of things: car accidents, getting mugged, running out of money, being laughed at, getting rejected, failing. I’m kind of used to those fears. But this was something different.

Overcoming fear in the sunshine with barbecue and Miatas

My favorite method of overcoming fear: autocross

There are two main ways people suggest when they tell you how to overcome fear: gradually expanding your comfort zone by taking baby steps, or leaping outside your comfort zone and letting it spring out to catch up with your new position. Last weekend, I revisited my favorite fear-conquering leap: autocross.