I have to instill in myself what my parents could not—I have to know that I’m safe, no matter who is in or out of my life.
Category: Empowerment
Speak Up When It Hurts: How a Stoic Learned to Share Her Pain
I reasoned that in an unsafe world, expressing pain would expose a vulnerable weakness that others could exploit. It seemed wiser to keep it all to myself.
Showing Up, Being Seen, and Commanding Respect: Lessons from Skunk
Animal totems are rarely what you expect. They’re usually a bit quirky, they show up randomly, and they may or may not be an animal you'd want to encounter.
The Other Trinity: Porn, Men, and Me
There are times when I’ve felt like porn was the third party in the relationship. Sometimes it served as the backdrop for what he and I were doing on the main stage. Other times, it was more like a mistress that he felt like he needed to conceal.
Why It’s Harder to Say Yes
I realized that setting boundaries and having a strong stance is only half the equation. It will get you to a place of neutrality. But what deserves an authentic, soul-fired yes? What do you want now that you've made some space?
Healing the Father Wound: My Journey from Rage to Reconciliation
I remember the seething, white-hot rage I felt inside. I wanted to burn shit down or blow it up and leave a trail of ashes behind me. I had finally connected the dots between a father who was emotionally absent and impossible to please and the men I had attracted into my life. Guess what?… Continue reading Healing the Father Wound: My Journey from Rage to Reconciliation
Good Fences: How to Set Healthy Boundaries and Maintain Your Sanity
Fences show you exactly where a boundary lies. There is no mistaking when and how it has been crossed. It’s frustrating sometimes that our emotional boundaries aren’t always so visible or accessible.
Goddesses Don’t Wear Bras
Friends, it’s hotter than Brigid’s forge in lower Alabama, so I’ve been going sans bra as much as possible. It’s ridiculous to be layered when atmospheric conditions are at rain forest levels. If it would not result in arrest, I’d probably go around naked through the Dog Days of summer. Since public nudity isn’t… Continue reading Goddesses Don’t Wear Bras
The Receipts We Carry
Cleaning out my purse is a weekly ritual for me, because I can’t stand digging through unnecessary items to reach the one thing I need (usually, it’s my car keys). Receipts tend to accumulate more than anything else. I buy something and shove the receipt down in my purse, as I’m grabbing the handles… Continue reading The Receipts We Carry
Freeing Our Feminine Voices
Can you recall the exact moment when someone stripped you of your voice? How did that one incident affect your self-expression and creativity? What did you do to heal yourself?