Recently, my mom had a close call. I admitted her to the emergency room early one February morning, her yearlong decline in vitality at such a point that there was no other choice. She spent three days in the hospital. I sat there with her, watching her, in pain and frightened, looking more petite than she is (if that’s possible). I sat with her for fifteen hours on that first day, trying not to look as worried as I felt, and then spent about ten hours with her ...
You are not broken. Your flaws are not fatal. Your eccentricities and sensitivities don’t make you a monster; they mark you as human. And what, if not that, are you meant to be? You are here to be the highest expression of yourself. You are a thread in the weave of humanity. You have all you need to know. You don’t need any more workshops, or trainings, or external degrees. You are eminently qualified to be you. The things that scare you are ...
Hey you. Tap, tap. Yeah, you on the other side of the screen... Wake up! I mean it. Even if you think you are awake, likely you are just sleepwalking through the day. And that cup of coffee? Not going to help for this kind of wake-up. No, I am talking about waking from your get-up-work-eat-drink-sleep-repeat lifestyle. I’m surprised you even call it living. And lifestyle? Not much style there if you ask me. I have big dreams, and like me, I bet you do, too. Or at least you did at one time. So, ...
We are at a pivotal time in history. Never before has so much information, so much stuff, been available to us at all hours of the day and night. It’s like a fire hose that we can’t turn off. I see us, this human species, on the precipice of something great—or not. The choice is ours. To move beyond the constraints of selfishness, of a me-centered mindset, will take time and intention. We are at nearly 7 billion people on this planet that we call Earth and it’s not sustainable to continue ...
Gift-Giving Season is Upon us. If you are lucky to have a writer or three in your life and you are stumped for gift ideas, I have few suggestions that will be sure to keep their words flowing all year long. And, just maybe, you might want to add a few of these to your wish list, too! Below are some of my favorite tools for writers: books, software, and more. In the holiday spirit, Shanna Great Gifts for The Writers in Your Life Moleskine Notebook (from $12.21 at Amazon). This is the ...
When I was in my twenties, I dated a man whose family traveled extensively. They lived in Saudi Arabia, the father was headmaster at an American school, and the entire family of six would travel all over the Middle East and Europe. The one good thing I remember from that train-wreck of a relationship was his family's mantra about packing before a trip: Never pack before midnight, and never pack sober. I reference that maxim often when people ask me for advice on packing light, not because I follow the ...
As the seasons change, so, too, our focus. We go from outward expressions of self during the summer: swimming, volleyball, beach trips, and camping. As we move from summer to fall (if you are in the northern hemisphere), our attention draws inward. Whatever hemisphere you’re in, it’s time to revive, or start, a supportive and nourishing home yoga practice. A practice that is lead by a woman whom I admire and respect: Marianne Elliott. Marianne is a yogi with heart, smarts, and soul. Kind and compassionate, she is the author of the ...
Sheet Metal Worker. Artist. Mom. Dancer. Son. Street sweeper. Accountant. Wife. Who are you? No, really? Who are you after you peel off the layers of the socially and culturally sanctioned roles? Who are you when you are not what you do? Who are you when you close your eyes at night, when you take that deep soul-rocking breath, and exhale the day’s stress and grime away? Do you know? Are you the person you thought you’d be when you grew up (as ...
When we have arrived at the question, the answer is already near. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson If you are like me, dear reader, you are constantly in search mode. Whether it’s seeking ways to improve your life, learning hacks to maximize your effectiveness and manage your work day, or hunting for the answers to any number of ...
Everyone seems to be questing for the ever-elusive state of balance. Books and courses and gurus abound, with ways for you to do more while maintaining work-life balance. We'll I'm calling bullsh*t on balance. Balance is like perfection—an idealized state, not attainable, and one of those things that make us feel like we are never quite right or whole without it. The quest for balance is a total set-up and we suffer in our zeal to reach this illusory state. Tell me—how many times ...
