Relaxation

“When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we are not pretending, we are not hiding—we are simply present with whatever is going on inside us. Ironically, it is this very feeling of authenticity that draws people to us, not the brittle effort of perfectionism.” ~Maureen Cooper Most of my life I have been really good

We all have goals for the future, many of them things that would dramatically improve our lives and the lives of the people we love. Maybe you want to get healthy and fit so you can live a longer, more active life and be there for your kids for years to come. Maybe you want

“If you feel like you’re losing everything, remember that trees lose their leaves every year and they still stand tall and wait for better days to come.” ~Unknown For a big lover like me, heartbreak has always gotten the best of me. I have felt heavy pain from the ending of a relationship, the ghosting

TRIGGER WARNING: This post references an account of sexual assault and may be triggering to some.  “When you quit drinking you stop waiting.” ~Caroline Knapp, Drinking: A Love Story I’m now at 181 days teetotal. I prefer teetotal to sober. I say sober sometimes, but teetotal feels lighter, airier, and I feel lighter and airier

“Sometimes you’ve got to look straight into the tired eyes of the woman staring back at you in the mirror and tell her that she deserves the best kind of love, the best kind of life, and devote yourself to giving it to her all over again.” ~S.C. Lourie I learned the hard way that

“The real test of friendship is can you literally do nothing with the other person? Can you enjoy those moments of life that are utterly simple?” ~Eugene Kennedy  I could not. When I was with them, we had to be doing something. That is why I didn’t see it. I kept myself too busy to

“Don’t let this silly world trick you into starving your soul for material things. Cause someday you’re gonna be sitting out under the sun and realize how little you actually need to be truly happy.” ~Brooke Hampton It was early morning. The birds were chirping, the street sweepers were methodically clearing debris off the sidewalk,

“Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside, you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.” ~Naomi Shihab Nye I knew it was around that time. When I opened my eyes, it was pitch black outside and I couldn’t yet hear the chickens in the distance waking up. It was 4 a.m. again.

“Get comfortable being uncomfortable.” ~Jillian Michaels I’m an introvert. I need lots of time to myself to re-charge after socializing with others, and I relish solitude, as it gives me the time and space to think and be creative. I’m quiet and can be shy on occasion, but I really enjoy spending time with close

“I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself.” ~Maya Angelou In my final year of high school, I had a horrible breakup. I was heavily attached to my girlfriend because, with her, for the first time in my life, I felt like I belonged. Growing up in Germany,