Last Wednesday night I manifested a dream. For years, ever since I became a writing workshop leader, I have felt called to offer a class for stepmoms that would teach them what I have learned through experience: that keeping a journal is an invaluable tool for weathering the often stormy seas of stepmothering. In the service of this dream I became a certified Journal to the Self® facilitator and took various classes through the Therapeutic Writing Institute. I took a curricul

In February I went to a yoga and meditation retreat in the mountains of Costa Rica. When I say “in the mountains,” what I mean is that our retreat center was perched on the side of one, and we were issued bamboo walking sticks upon our arrival to help us navigate the terrain. (Don’t feel sorry for me—the views, the food, and the retreat itself were fabulous!) On one of our hikes, a fellow participant remarked, “Every day you should do something that scares you” (paraphrasing

I don't know about you, but I often find myself at this time of year—the twilight between Christmas and New Year's—wondering where the year went. More specifically, I find my thoughts turning to what I didn't achieve rather than what I did. Perhaps it's the after-effects of all that sugar, the post-Christmas letdown when everyone has gone home, or the early dark of the evenings. Whatever the cause, there is one remedy: to make an inventory of successes and achievements along

This morning when I read the news I was overwhelmed with rage and sorrow. Two more black men—Alton Sterling and Philando Castile—killed by police over minor infractions in the past few days. Five police officers killed by snipers in Dallas at a #BlackLivesMatter protest. Senseless, stupid, bigotry; lethal violence. The worst aspects of our humanity on flagrant display. I wept over it all. I joined Campaign Zero. And then, as writers do, I pulled out my journal. Into its pages

Recently I was discussing the “if money were no object” scenario with a friend, and I remarked, “if money were no object, I would go to a conference, retreat, or training once a month. I love learning and being with my tribe!” It just popped out of my mouth: not world travel, not a life of unadulterated leisure, not a mansion or a personal chef/trainer/housekeeper. Just feeding my brain and my spirit, being inspired and co-creating. I am already living my dream to some degree

There’s nothing like a roof leak to show you where the cracks are—in your home and in your life. On a Monday morning a few weeks ago, we discovered water pouring down our family room walls. There had been a big storm the night before, and it was still raining. We rushed to put out buckets and towels, but the damage had already been done. So for the past few weeks I have been dealing with water and mold (yes, mold can form that quickly) remediation, insurance, roofing, and the