What if everyone saw the real you?

girl with blue hair and knowing smile

I believe in being real. After the disaster that was my second marriage, I realized that I was no longer willing to hide, pretend, or sugar-coat in attempt to get love or acceptance. It didn’t work and only made things worse, and I was done with it. So I decided […]

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 […]

Atlanta traffic, fear of failure, and finally being good enough

ready to come out of hiding

What are you afraid of? I’m not talking about things like spiders or snakes. I’m talking about your real fears. If people saw the things you’re trying to hide about yourself, what would they see? And what are you afraid would happen if they did? This is on my mind […]

Celebrating an Ecstatic Goodbye + 50% off Beyond Fear

happy couple waves goodbye out the back window of an old car

It’s a year ago today that I gathered the last few things out of my office, took my name plate off the door, and walked out for the last time–a free woman. Here’s the secret most people won’t tell you: exciting = terrifying + awesome.

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.

What’s holding you back? (Free Guide)

If you could do anything, if nothing was holding you back and there were no rules, no constraints, no money problems, no judgmental faces… what would you do?

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.