Holidays

“If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.” ~Buddha There are seasons when life feels stripped of joy, when hope seems far away, unreachable, or unreal. Seasons when you wake up already exhausted, and it feels like there’s nothing soft left in the world—no beauty, no connection, […]

“You are not responsible for other people’s emotional reactions.” ~Susan Forward This morning, in our usual rush and routine heading to school, my son was looking for something, as per usual. I calmly asked what he was doing, and he snapped at me. That’s not uncommon. I stayed regulated and grounded to help him regulate.

“Healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.” ~Pema Chodron I recently went on vacation with my partner, Jett. I want to tell you it was kind of a disaster, but the truth is, it was just life. I had a

“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” ~Rumi On July 2, 2009, my life shattered with three words: “He is gone.” I thought my friend meant my love was away on a camping trip, but no. She meant he was gone, as in forever. My stomach knotted and my breath stopped. My body

“Many of our relationship struggles are not character flaws but survival strategies that once made sense.” ~Unknown Throughout my life I’ve often been described as confident and outgoing. I can be the “life and soul” of a party and am able to strike up conversations with a wide variety of people. But what nobody would have

“Enough is a decision, not a condition.” ~Unknown The night sky above Disneyland shimmered in color as fireworks burst to life. My daughters leaned against me, sticky-fingered from melted ice cream, eyes wide with wonder. It was supposed to be the happiest place on earth. Then Mirabel’s voice from Encanto echoed through the speakers: “I

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson I grew up as the fifth of seven children in a strict religious family where faith shaped everything. From an early age, I learned to follow the rules, perform to be seen, keep

Trigger Warning: This piece contains references to childhood trauma, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Please take care of yourself as you read, and step away if you need to. If you are struggling, you are not alone — support is available through trusted loved ones, a therapist, or resources like the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

FREE Live 90-minute Write to Heal class and 20-page guide with prompts, recordings and more to support your healing journey.  When I was studying writing in college, my personal essay class was my favorite. I’d already been journaling for almost a decade, so I understood the power of exploring life experiences through the written word.

“You can’t add more to your life until you first let go of what weighs you down.” ~Unknown I used to think being busy meant being successful. My days were a blur of meetings, notifications, and commitments. My calendar looked impressive, but at night I lay awake wondering why I felt so exhausted and strangely