People often express amazement (or shake their heads at how insane I am) when I get up early before whatever events are happening to squeeze in a run, but for me the run is part of the trip. I find such amazing things on early morning runs.
Read MoreIn case the term is new to you, body doubling refers to being on a call (usually a video call) with someone else in a different location where both of you are doing a task. I’ve tried body doubling with other writers, and it works! I’ll break down what I’ve found most effective.
Read MoreI am writing the advice I would have liked to give my past self. Unfortunately, it’s incredibly nuanced because this is a barometer I do believe you have to develop through experience. My younger self would have really enjoyed a roadmap though. She would have liked bullet points and a direction. So I will try to give you a rough one.
Read MoreIf you practice any art long enough, you’ll eventually have to fight through a period of time where you feel creatively tapped out. You’ll wonder, “Is that it? Maybe I blew my wad and it’ll never come back. Never be fun again.” Don’t worry, it’s not, you didn’t, and it will.
Read MoreThere is a reason that we dive for our old favorites when we’re stressed or depressed.
Read MoreIf you’ve watched any of my social media content in the past few years, you’ve likely seen a couple videos from my treadmill desk. Depending on how long we’ve been connected, you may or may not know that I was a full time personal trainer and fitness instructor for a decade before the pandemic. I still get lots of health and fitness questions and several about my treadmill desk, so I thought I’d extoll the virtues and answer most frequent questions here.
Read MoreIt’s a common misconception that introverts are shrinking violets who cannot bear a conversation with strangers and extroverts are loud mouths who must be the center of attention. Obviously this isn’t the case or no one would be able to handle being around anyone. We all know we’re on a spectrum, but it has less to do with how you interact with people and more to do with how you recharge afterward.
Read MoreWe all go through those stretches of time where life seems to have decided to toss challenges at us faster than we can gracefully deal with them. The temptation to just lay down in the middle of the dodgeball court and take the hits until they stop coming is real, but that wouldn’t be productive.
Read MoreWhen should you force yourself to write when you’re not feeling like it and when are you doing more harm than good?
Read MoreI was recently asked who motivates me when I am having a tough time putting one foot in front of the other, or have an overwhelming about of choices on my to do list. The short answer, is that I think it’s largely still me. But I’ll elaborate.
Read MoreI think it’s important to just keep showing up. Even though the outcome of showing up cannot be controlled. The one thing I can continue to do is my best. Even on the days when my best feels like a big fat failure, it’s what I can give. So I’ll keep on giving it. And I hope you will too.
Read MoreAt the beginning of November, I posted an entry detailing my decision to participate in my first NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), a writing ‘contest’ held every November. It’s free and the goal is to get to 50,000 words by the end of the month. Now that it’s over, here are my takeaways.
Read MoreThis year a writing group that I’m a part of decided to enter NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) as a group. It couldn’t have happened at a worse time for me.
Read MoreNo matter how organized or on top of things one is, there will come a day, a week, maybe even a month, where you feel like your scrambling and barely keeping your head above water. Often when we’re overwhelmed, we freeze or procrastinate (or choose your own less-than-desirable panic reaction) and forget the easiest way out: start small.
Read MoreIn positive psychology, a flow state, also known colloquially as being in the zone, is the mental state in which a person performing some activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. In essence, flow is characterized by the complete absorption in what one does, and a resulting transformation in one's sense of time. - From Wikipedia
Read MoreI searched all over the internet for information on this injury. Yes, I wanted answers and medically backed references that what I was doing in therapy was correct. But I also wanted to know that it was going to work. I wanted hope. I joined Facebook groups, I watched TikTok videos, I was insane and obsessed, y’all. But I’m putting this out there because I know someone else is probably doing the same right now and I’ll put this out there in case it helps. A lot of getting past this injury is mental.
Read MoreI attended my first writers conference in 2019 and you better believe I was all over the internet looking for tips on ‘How to Conference.’ Having just come off of a conference where I had an absolute blast and wasn’t stressed about anything, I thought I’d throw this up for everyone out there who might be frantically Googling, like I did in the Before Times.
Read MoreWhen you’re rising in a new skill, I think the toughest place to be is often that intermediate area. That middle-of-the-climb spot where you’re no longer a novice, but not yet great. I feel that this spot is the most frustrating and yet often the spot where we give ourselves the least amount of grace.
Read MoreSince the start of spring, I have been forced into patience. I have been forced to go slower, more mindfully, in every passion in my life. I will hope that it is not forever, but I will try to learn.
Read MoreSometimes I’ve had all I can take from the news. And I realize that it’s a privilege to be able to turn it off for a second, but I also believe it’s okay to take a break if you need to. As much as we would like it if there were, there’s no physical dragon we can all run out a slay.
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