Dear Brené, As I’ve rumbled with shame, identity, criticism and nostalgia I see that I’ve cut off parts of my true self, silenced parts. In being the name of being tough and strong and resilient I’ve created emotional orphans. If you’re not living wholeheartedly you forget how to really be yourself. Being vulnerable and recognizing that I […]
Dear Brené, As I dive into Rising Strong my life is being edited to pieces. The story is getting more convoluted and messy—more a *SFD than a polished piece of work. In my head there’s this idealized version of my life. Sort of like the website It’s Like They Know Us. https://www.facebook.com/itsliketheyknowus?fref=ts But in real life […]
For the last three weeks, Jodie, Amanda and I have been having a conversation in our online book club. The conversation has been challenging and rewarding. From Rumbling With the Dark Side, to being an Emotional Ninja to The Reckoning we’ve all been through an emotional tumble dryer. Our lives have been shaken, stirred and shifted […]
Dear Brené, I hope you don’t mind me calling you Brené. I’ve never met you in person, but I’ve read your books and watched your TED talks and feel like I know you. In Rising Strong you give voice to so many things I feel, but haven’t been able to articulate. You’ve given me a language […]
What if money was no object? What would you do? Doing what you desire, becoming a master of it and then making money from it makes sense. Doing something you hate to perpetuate that life journey doesn’t make any sense. If money is the only goal then life is pretty empty and pointless. I often […]
‘Bella Donna!’ A man says as he approaches and thrusts his smiling face in front of mine with a quick glance up and down. If this happened in my home city, I’d be worried. If anyone invades your personal space and makes some comment, you’d feel threatened. Here, in Florence, it’s a part of the […]
When you’ve written your list of 100 Things, I need to let you know that there is a rule—a non-negotiable rule. As one item is crossed off, it has to be replaced with something new. That way, you will never feel like your life is over, and you always have one hundred […]
After months of preparation, last Sunday I did my first TEDx talk— The List. Over the next few days I’ll share some quotes from the talk. I hope you enjoy them. Do you ever feel as if life is more like a spectator sport than a game you’re actively involved in? Do you find yourself […]
It’s been a busy couple of weeks and I’ve had to take a break from writing my blog, breaking my commitment to write every day. I’ve been overwhelmed as I’ve been editing one novel, writing another one and also preparing to speak at a TEDx event in San Francisco next week. Something’s […]
