Don’t Run Away
Sometimes I feel like running away. That feeling is always a signal, a heads-up that something is wrong. Usually, it happens because I’m running on fumes—depleted of basic things like food, sleep, or fun. Other times, I start thinking about everything I need to do for the day, and the sheer size of the list […]
Control Your Mind
Have you ever thought yourself into a stomach ache? I have. My worrying mind has been so intense that my stomach got in knots, and I even felt nauseous. This was all from overthinking. No one was attacking me, I wasn’t in physical danger, and the thoughts were not useful. But I made myself sick […]
Beating Perfection Paralysis
I’ve struggled with organization my whole life. Growing up, my room was always messy. In school, my binder and folders would end up a disaster within days of starting the school year. As an adult, this translated into my mail and paper system. I couldn’t keep track of anything. Piles and bags of paperwork would […]
I’m Every Woman
Sometimes I get really loud and excitable and need a party of people to have fun with. Sometimes, I think the world is too loud and I need to be quiet and alone. Sometimes I want to share my controversial opinions and scream them at everyone. Sometimes I just want to sit back and listen. […]
Stop Giving Advice
A few years ago, I made the decision to stop giving unsolicited advice. It’s been tough to stick with, especially when someone opens up and I think I have the perfect solution. The urge to fix problems is strong. But I’ve come to believe that resisting that impulse makes me a better, kinder person. When […]
What Do I Want
I’ve noticed times when I’m caught in a negative spiral, spending my day focused on what I don’t want. Whether it’s dreading a project, not wanting to talk to someone, or even disliking where I live, these thoughts can weigh me down. It’s not wrong to acknowledge what I don’t want, but it becomes exhausting […]
Get Over It
If I’m feeling annoyed and someone says, “Just think differently. You have so much to be grateful for,” even if that’s true, it can be infuriating. This kind of advice simplifies what’s actually a complicated emotional process. It’s dismissive to expect someone to bulldoze through their pain and reach happiness without acknowledging the middle ground—the […]
Stop Suffering
Every day brings its own set of challenges. Just when I think I’ve found my rhythm for a productive day, that’s when I get a flat tire on my bike. Or I catch a cold that knocks me out. Or a family member calls with bad news. What I’ve learned is that there’s no such […]
Get Unstuck in One Minute
I rolled my eyes the first time someone suggested I make a gratitude list. Meditation seemed like a waste of productive time, and yoga? That was for hippies. It took me a while to realize that I was responding out of ignorance—rejecting things I’d never sincerely tried. Nothing keeps me more locked into ignorance than […]
Make It Manageable
When I start to feel overwhelmed by my day’s tasks, I try to remind myself: if the task feels too big, it’s not the next task. It needs to be broken down into smaller, manageable steps. Any project I need to complete, any goal I want to reach, is really a series of smaller tasks […]
