On Motherhood and Not Being a Mom and the Gift of Getting to Choose

*Photo of my nieces a few months ago. They’re amazing. And exhausting. And I adore them. “Choose well. Your choice is brief, and yet endless.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe I grew up in a culture that assumed motherhood would be a part of my future. Having kids wasn’t a choice I could one day make for myself, it was …

Let’s Change the Conversation About Bodies. Because They’re a Whole Lot More Interesting Than We’re Making Them Out To Be. (Also: This Post Might Talk About Sex. Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You.)

“I think the reward for conformity is that everyone likes you except yourself.”  ~Rita Mae Brown On Sunday of this week, I got on a scale for the first time in at least six years. And for the first time in almost a decade, I actually looked at the number that appeared when I did. This, you guys, was a …

You Are Not Going To Be Eaten By Tigers. I Promise.

“There is no such thing as a weird human being. It’s just that some human beings require more understanding than others.” ~Tom Robbins You are not going to be eaten by tigers.   A dear friend of mine offered this little gem to me during a particularly challenging bout of anxiety recently. I am not going to be eaten by …

Let’s Redefine Failure. Because It Matters How Much Fun You Had Getting Here.

“Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.” ~Truman Capote Last year around this time, I laid out a variety of goals for myself to tackle in the coming year, having some lofty ideas about just what was possible during 2013. Some of these goals I just barely reached, some I totally destroyed (in a good way), but many …