In celebration of physical touch as the world moves online — Lately I’ve been reminded of the power of physical touch — both for healing and for connecting with others on a deeper, more intimate level. This is further reinforced today, as the lack of physical touch has been linked to rising rates of anxiety and depression. …

One step in front of another How you do one thing is how you do everything. You may have heard this, but what does it mean? Take creative writing. For many writers, starting a new story is always exciting. But then you get to the “messy middle.” Now the writing…

We’re all creators — When you think of the word “creative,” what comes to mind? Painting a picture? Writing a book? Playing an instrument? All of these are wonderful ways to express yourself while connecting with others (it’s so satisfying to share our creations with others) AND connect with something outside of ourselves —…

If so, why does it feel so heavy sometimes? One of the strangest stories I ever wrote was about a McDonald’s prostitute (based on true events!). I don’t think I ever finished it. …

Stop living the same day over and over again — This quote from Shelley Jackson’s meta short story “The Swan Brothers” speaks to me on many levels. “Because you’ve also lived — you’ve been living and reading for years, sometimes both at once — you are not surprised that people often repeat their most unpleasant experiences. It’s probably for the…

Is “no” really such a dirty word when it comes to creating the life we want? — While most of us (at least those of us who grew up in the 80s and 90s) are familiar with the phrase “just say no,” the word “no” has become a no no in the spiritual community. According to this line of thought, spirit/God/source doesn’t understand the word “no.” So…

The surprising parallels between mindset and fitness — In the spiritual community, we often hear the phrase, “Thoughts become reality.” As with anything, I can only speak about my own experiences and observations. There are varying degrees with how literally you want to interpret this, but my experience has not been one where physical things (like cars and…

The scariest villains in my life were not Freddy or Michael Myers, but the girls who roamed the halls of my middle school. — For the majority of us, real-life horror does not manifest as a chainsaw-wielding killer wearing a mask. It’s rejection. Humiliation. Public “castration.” Two times in the past two days, “mean girls” showed up in my feed. …

At a retreat I attended recently called Metamorphosis, one of our first activities involved walking around in an enclosed area. Each time we crossed paths with someone, we’d have to hold eye contact for…1 minute? 2 minutes? 3 minutes? I’m not sure, but it felt like hours. At first, it…