Last week, I went to dinner with a dear friend who’s been navigating life after a long-term relationship ended six months ago. Between bites of pasta and sips of wine, she looked up and asked, “How do I let go?”
Her voice was steady, but her eyes carried the weight of something deeper—grief. Not...
I was watching Mad Men the other night, and I couldn’t take my eyes off Don Draper. He’s magnetic—sharp suits, smooth words, a mind that dances through pitches like poetry. But beneath all that charm is a man emotionally locked down. He seduces a room but can’t sit still in his own feelings. And ...
Personal Story: When Giving Became a One-Way Street
A few years ago, I was in a relationship with someone who seemed to genuinely care about me. He admired my drive, my ambition, and especially my ability to give—emotionally, mentally, even logistically. I supported him through career changes, p...
We’re sold a version of confidence that’s all noise.
It’s the influencer who mocks others for clout. The CEO who threatens instead of inspires. The reality show contestant who dominates the room with bravado.
But that’s not confidence — it’s performance.
Real confidence isn’t about being the l...
Inspired by Unknown Number: The High School Catfish
I watched Unknown Number on Hulu expecting a typical true crime unraveling. What I didn’t expect was to feel gutted.
A mother. Her own daughter. A year-long campaign of anonymous harassment. And the twist? The stalker wasn’t a stranger. It was...
It starts with a kiss in the rain. Think The Notebook, Titanic, or Twilight. Hollywood has taught us that love is dramatic, all-consuming, and destined. We’re told that when it’s “real,” it defies logic, overcomes all odds, and feels like fireworks every day.
But here’s the truth: those stories ...
The Storm That Cleared My Path
About 5 years ago, I lost three things: a job I thought I’d retire from, a friendship I thought was forever, and a relationship I thought was “the one.”
I didn’t see it coming. I felt like I was being stripped bare. I kept asking, Why is everything falling apart? ...
Every day, the headlines scream. War. Division. Disaster. Another tragedy. Another scandal. Another reason to feel unsafe.
The news cycle has become a relentless reel of heartbreak — and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, hopeless, even numb. We scroll through chaos, absorbing fear like secondhand s...
The Story: When Shadow Work Became a Trend
If you’ve scrolled TikTok lately, you’ve seen it: candle-lit journal sessions, moody captions about “meeting your shadow,” and creators whispering affirmations like spells. Shadow Work is trending—but for many of us, it’s not a trend. It’s survival. It...
Healing is often framed as a personal triumph. But what happens when your growth unsettles the people around you?
It’s a question many survivors, advocates, and therapists wrestle with: Why do some people pull away when we start to thrive? Why does becoming more whole sometimes lead to relationa...
“I didn’t lose my softness. I chose to carry it through the fire.”--Leslie Noble
The Chipped Teacup
There was a woman I once worked with who kept a chipped teacup on her desk. Not tucked away—displayed. She told me it had cracked during a fight with someone she loved. She’d thrown it, then r...
During martial arts class, one of the dojo instructors paused to explain how energy—Chi—can be used to exert force, redirect momentum, and stabilize the body. He wasn’t being mystical. He was describing something real, something felt. And I realized: he was confirming what I’ve known through Reik...
