When it’s Still Tough: The Season After a Challenging Season

It seems there is a lot written about navigating the truly tough times of illnesses, injuries, and other challenging moments. However, there is less written about the season that follows the difficult one. There seems to be an unwritten rule that this season should be exclusively full of joy, gratitude, and celebration. And, in a lot of ways, it is! However, when less comfortable emotions, such as anxiety and fear linger at the party, it can feel disappointing. It can also feel lonely. Because, it is really tough to explain that your life is full of good news and gratitude, but you are still feeling a bit terrible.

Surprised by the Unexpected

Several weeks ago, while visiting my parents in rural Minnesota, I braved the morning’s subzero temperatures with the goal of capturing a photo of the beautiful sun dogs that surrounded the sunrise. Despite the face-numbing cold, I enjoyed the peaceful outdoors and listening to the birds and squirrels moving audibly over the crisp, frozen leaves. …

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Creativity for the Journey

This past school year, I had the opportunity to volunteer in my son’s classroom working with students to review spelling words and math problems. I felt confident my previous experience volunteering in classrooms and homeschooling my own kids would be an asset, and I resolved to ensure each student I worked with during my one-on-one …

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June Reflections

I enjoyed soaking up the start of summer with some extra time to spend with my family as well as additional time to relax. I found myself reading more, laughing more, and even sleeping more soundly.  In the blink of an eye, the month was over.  As I transitioned into July, I thought about a reflection practice that I learned from a favorite author of mine, Emily P. Freeman.