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It’s the people who make the experiences stand out

There is no doubt about it — I’ve entered a new season of my life. Funny how a few years back I started thinking about making some of the changes I have recently made. It began with those little internal whispers we all get. The “I want to.” The “I need to.” The “I probably should.” But wanting and doing are two very different things. I think a lot of us get stuck in that space for far longer than we should. We know something needs to change. We know we’re being nudged. We know we’re outgrowing a habit, a routine, a relationship with something or maybe even a ...

The true heartbeat of America

There is nothing more ironic than a writer sitting in front of a blinking cursor with absolutely nothing to say. Or maybe not nothing to say, but too much. Too many thoughts trying to organize themselves into something meaningful. Too much pressure to make it timely, impactful, thoughtful, relevant. And believe it or not, that’s exactly what happened to me with this article. This one. Right here. For a very long time, I couldn’t write it. I kept thinking maybe it was because I wanted it to somehow connect to the Fourth of July weekend and the celebration of 250 years of ...

Is the weekend effect a real thing?

Have you ever wondered about the days of the week and how they would feel if they had feelings? No? Well, I have. It all started on a regular Monday morning where I caught myself still smiling because of the day before. Otherwise, let’s face it, Monday would probably hold every single feeling that Mondays are accused of having. You know the ones I’m talking about. The eye roll says it all before the coffee even hits your system. But this Monday felt different. Or maybe I just paid more attention. This Monday was coming off a productive, relaxing, fun, detoxing kind of ...

Two things can be true at the same time

There’s something I keep coming back to lately. It’s not new, not groundbreaking, not something you haven’t heard before. But it’s landing differently now. Heavier and more real. Two things can be true at the same time. We say it casually, almost like a throwaway line. Of course they can. We live it every day in the simplest ways. You can want the steak and the pasta. You can love staying in and still crave a night out. You can be structured and creative, responsible and spontaneous. None of that feels complicated. But emotions? That’s where it gets messy. Because ...

Try to put ordinary moments at the top of the pile

I was doing laundry the other day — yes, this is where we are now, folks. Riveting stuff happening over here. And I couldn’t help but think about how, just a year ago, I was days away from boarding a plane, heading overseas, alone, chasing something bigger than my everyday routine. Funny how life has a way of rerouting you. Grounding you. Sometimes gently, sometimes not so gently. And yet…here I am. Doing laundry. And oddly enough, loving the fact that I can. There was a time not too long ago when even the simplest tasks felt out of reach. So the ability to stand there, ...

The 7 p.m. identity crisis that comes with the season

I’ve realized something about myself. I am, unapologetically, a 7 p.m. girl in a 9 p.m. world. In the winter, this works in my favor. The sun clocks out at 5 p.m., and suddenly my entire personality feels validated. Dinner? Done. Shower? Taken. Comfy clothes? On. By 7 p.m., I’m curled up on my couch in what I lovingly refer to as my “for my household eyes only” attire — reading, answering emails, maybe watching something that requires very little emotional commitment — and it all feels… right. Natural. Seasonal. Even responsible. But now? Now it’s 7 p.m., the sun ...