Tag: journey
-
Self-Discipline ≠ Punishment
Years ago, I horribly injured my foot hiking a local trail. This was a hike I had hiked countless times without issue. And yet, I headed up that slope without stretching and came home barely able to walk. If I had any commonsense, I would have gone to a doctor and taken appropriate measures to…
-
It’s the Least Wonderful Time of the Year
Dreadful January. After all the cheery decorations get packed away, the friends and relatives end the revelry and return to their respective homes, and we all stop eating special foods to celebrate every single holiday, we are faced with a sobering reality. With its bills piling up and short daylight hours, January strips us of…
-
Now You See It. Now You Don’t.
With so many speaking up about mental health struggles, the world is trying to raise awareness and fight the stigma. This blog joins a cacophony of voices that speak candidly about depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, and other mental health struggles. As the conversation unfolds, as we continue to call attention to this very…
-
Incompatible
She looked me up and down. “Are you ready to go fishing?” she asked. “Yes!” I enthusiastically responded. “In THAT?!?” I was much younger than I am now, but I will never forget this conversation. I was wearing a miniskirt and stilettos. I looked dressed up for a night on the town (if your idea…
-
24 Changes to Aim for in ‘24
I’ve already established numerous times here that I am a goal-setter, a go-getter, and a minor fretter; but set that last point aside and let’s focus on the positive, shall we? As I reflect on the past year and look forward to next year, I begin to set my sights on the change I would…
-
Lessons Learned
This year has been a year of intense learning, not just in a formal education setting as I pursue my Master of Social Work, but also through revelations in the day-to-day as I sat silently, prayed, listened, and reflected. I am a work in progress. I love lifelong learning. So each lesson means the world…
-
Realizing My Responsibility
As we heal, we learn that sexual assault was never our fault. We are validated that we were truly victimized. We realize that our behaviors often directly stem from our trauma. We begin to understand why we are the way we are. If we stop our healing journey too soon, we run the risk of…
-
We Don’t Talk (Enough) About Mirabel…
I first watched a movie long ago (and many times since) that truly touched my soul, as is often the case for viewers of many incredibly emotionally moving films out there. I am not unique – this particular movie has spoken to countless people around the globe. Several songs in it became instant successes practically…
-
Embrace the Pivot
For years, I was writing a book about my healing journey. It took so long to write because I am a procrastinator, it contained difficult material, and life threw painful curveballs at me constantly. I even wrote a chapter titled “The Book That Almost Wasn’t” because when I really knuckled down to write, in 2018,…
-
From Pain to Purpose
She sits across from me – at a sushi restaurant, a coffee shop, in a living room. We tell each other stories – about our kids, our travels, our days. We laugh…until we don’t. Her face and tone change. She opens up about the abuse or the assault years ago – at the hands of…
Wisdom from the Trenches 