Fall marks a new season in my life too — The last story I wrote bookends a long chapter in my life. My mother’s illness and death was the most difficult thing I’ve ever experienced. When you lose your mother, you lose your best friend. It has been a long journey, and I’m excited to move forward into the future…

Today is the first day of some big changes — I’m excited! Today is the first day of my new life. If you’ve read my writing, you know I’ve been struggling for some time now with physical and mental health challenges. I took charge of the physical challenges last November, and I’m taking charge of my mental health today. Physical Challenges First…

You have more control than you realize — Taking a break from writing and social media was the best thing I could do for myself. Now that I’ve returned, I’ve noticed a significant shift in myself. Life hasn’t changed, but I have. I wanted to share some changes I’ve made that have made me a calmer, happier person…

Because the world is loud and exhausting — When was the last time you sat in silence? Those of us with a meditation practice may spend a few minutes each day in silence, but do we spend time in silence outside our meditation? Probably not. If you’re anything like me, you wake up and reach for your phone…

You can do it too! — Last November, I was struggling to walk. I could barely hobble down the road and back—only an eighth of a mile. The pain in my low back and right foot was excruciating when I walked. I had to clutch the rail to go up and down stairs. I had seen…

Remembering a good friend — My friend Steven was an incredibly talented musician and songwriter. He was a good friend and an encourager who worked to make a difference in the world through his actions. When I lost my job, Steven helped me completely redo my resume. He spent a lot of time with me…

You may not realize how much better you are doing — Recovery from trauma can take a long time. It’s frustrating because you want to be “done” and get on with your life. I have CPTSD and have been in trauma therapy for a long time. …

You’re just afraid to make it — Do you have trouble making decisions? If you have a trauma background, you probably do. You agonize over every choice. You ask six different people if you are doing the right thing. I get it. I also have a revelation for you. …

So simple, yet so profound — Last night, the sadness of the holiday season hit a new low for me and I had quite the emotional crisis. I cried for hours until I felt lousy. I should have done… I shouldn’t have done… If only I had done…different. Wow, that’s a lot of regrets! Crisis At my…

I will never forget what he taught me. — An orange and white tabby cat showed up at the front door of my apartment in the fall of 1997. I had never owned a cat before, but this one instantly charmed me. He had such a friendly and easygoing manner. He wasn’t shy either. …

A big thank you to my friend for buying this for me — My friend and I went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast this morning, and while we were waiting, I saw a tin of Charles Chips. Boy, does this bring back memories! When I was a kid, a Charles Chips truck delivered these to our house each week. They were the best…

Small steps lead to big results — I’ve been working on a painting project, trying to get my porches and fence painted while we’ve had such warm weather. I got the porches finished this week and was very proud of my hard work, especially since it caused my back pain to flare up—again. I pressed on, determined…

Focus on enjoying the now — Today marks another year on the planet for me, and I’m in an introspective mood. Not a big surprise for me. I don’t feel like writing a long article today, but I wanted to share some important thoughts. This year is a wake-up call. My mother is gone, and everything…

I’ve decided it’s better than the alternative — There are a lot of positive writers on this platform, but there is also a lot of negativity, and doom and gloom. Bad news sells, and I have fallen into that writing trap myself. I started writing because I wanted to inspire and give people hope, but it seems people…

Don’t put off what’s important in life — Last night on Facebook, I got the news that someone I knew from my church youth group had passed away. They had recently diagnosed her with stomach cancer, but her death was still sudden and shocking. The group is having a reunion in October, so the news had an even…

Anyone can do these things — I don’t know anyone who isn’t struggling right now. This post pandemic world is new and frightening territory. There is more uncertainty than ever in our lives. We all want to feel better, but happiness seems in short supply. What if you could start feeling better today? Would it be…

A simple answer —

I love you just the way you are — Update: I am closing the comments on this story after receiving an abusive comment from someone who completely misconstrued what I wrote. Dear Beloved, You’re doing it again. Beating yourself up. Finding your worth from what you do. You think you must be productive every minute of the day. …

Not what you achieve — For a large part of my life, I didn’t have a secure sense of self-worth, so I set about trying to earn my value. I was the ultimate achiever and people pleaser. Until I wasn’t. When you live this way, you eventually crash and burn. Burnout leaves you with serious…

Carpe diem. Seize the day. — “Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, ‘Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.’ Don’t be resigned to that. Break out!”—Dead Poets Society: Robin Williams (aka Mr. Keating) I’ve…