Essence Blog

We’ve been trying to sell my parents’ condo since it went on the market last September. The sale was necessary so my parents could move into an independent apartment in a senior living community, one that offers memory care for my dad when the time comes. It took so much longer than we imagined, and there were times when I feared we wouldn't.

Last week was a finish line. My parents were packed up, moved, and unpacked. The condo finally sold. And we got an offer on the condo within a day of the ...

 I grew up believing that success, approval, and love were tied to “doing your best.” 

Trying your hardest and doing your best was good. If you didn’t, it could mean you were not living up to your potential or, worse, were lazy. 

Can you feel the pressure and harm that living inside this binary caused us? We were either living in fear of being a disappointment and felt the pressure to be enough, or we believed we were already a disappointment and couldn't be enough.

I remember when Eth...

In the past month, I’ve woken up a few times with the pressure of a heavy heart in my chest. I’ve been feeling some anxiousness, grief, and unsettling fear. Some of that is from the big events happening in the world, and some of that concerns people I care about and situations happening in my own life. 

It’s not one thing. But they all pile up. 

Thankfully, I have self-care, spiritual practices, and lots of tools. I know about what to do to support myself,  but I realized I was struggling to d...

Last August, we helped Ethan – our only child – move into his dorm for his first year of college. 

It's a big milestone moment for any kid, but it felt like one of the most significant in my journey as a mother. 

On the one hand, it was exhilarating. 

Ethan embarked on a lengthy college selection process, which involved searching, applying, completing paperwork, attending auditions, facing doubts, experiencing rejection, celebrating acceptance, and enduring a lot of waiting.  By May,  he c...

Have you heard that expression to go all in?  

I've determined that I'm not all in. 

"All in" is a phrase marketers and coaches will use to motivate. I may have even used it myself in the past. 😬 If you go "All in," then you'll...do this, buy this, join this, achieve this...etc. 

But most of the time, I'm just not ALL IN. 

I love my business, but I'm not all in, certainly not "all in" on posting 3x a day on social media and all the other things I should be doing if I was ALL IN. 

I'm not al...

For a while now, I’ve felt hyper-aware of the yin and yang of social media. ☯  It’s a source of entertainment and connection, but it also houses a darker side filled with manipulation, fear-inducing content, and vitriolic exchanges. Even if we agree with the point of view being made, the dehumanization we witness in comment sections can be heartbreaking.💔 

Rather than avoiding it altogether (although breaks are really good), I developed a little practice I use for social media. 

Remember the d...

July marks the mid-way point of the year!🎆

As an education major, I trained in how assessment and review are key pieces of the learning process. It’s how we determine progress (or lack thereof), what needs attention, and if objectives are met and on track.

In my own life, I do reviews and reflection rituals. I’ve shared them with clients to do in your personal life, for your work, and especially for your business if you are an entrepreneur. 

The following review process can be adjusted and si...

I was going to write you a love letter, 💌 but it became a letter of longing. 

I long for time to slow down. I’m not ready for it to be the halfway point of 2023. 

I long for connection and conversation that feels meaningful + warm, + uplifting, even if the topics are heavy and emotional. 

I long for a break from the bad news of corruption, 🚫hate, dysfunction, and destruction that comes at us from all sides.  I long for a respite from the heartbreak of the comment section. 

I long for more ev...

Did you know that, on average, each day, you generate 50,000 words in your private thoughts? 

That's equivalent to a short book or roughly 100 pages.

It's fascinating to think that your brain is constantly writing a book of thoughts (which could become beliefs)  regardless of whether you're aware of it. This is why I work intentionally with my thoughts. Once I realized how much we "speak to ourselves," it prompted an important question. What genre is your thought book? 

Historical Fiction?
A R...

Do you have a graveyard of notebooks hidden away somewhere in your home? Do you keep a journal but rarely revisit the entries? If so, you may be missing out on valuable insights and inspiration.

It's easy to forget the value of our notes and journal entries, but they often contain a wealth of ideas, thoughts, and aha moments that can spark creativity and offer guidance. If you attended a course, workshop, or conference and took notes, go back and read them. If you keep a journal, go back and re...