Every English class that I teach begins with a daily journal prompt on the screen. It is so predictable, in fact, that my beloved students will look to the screen as soon as they enter my room and panic with wide-eyed horror and confusion if a question does not await them. Are we having class? […]
Read More Prove ItA good friend of mine recently entered into a wonderful relationship. His random texted questions are punctuated with the same angst and is-this-okay-ness of the first few months of my relationship with the fiancé. Ah, the honeymoon phase, filled with bliss and confusion. I’ve already written about some of the lies that media tells us […]
Read More Why a Relationship Won’t Fix Your Issues (But…Can)During my nine months of intense character-refining with 10 others near University of Michigan, I was shown many things about myself. One is that I have a terrible habit of interrupting people.
Read More Just ListenI’ve always been a messy goodbye-sayer. Dormitories where I hung my hammock, trailer homes that shook with the morning stroll, a basement bedroom next to an overly active washing machine…sure, I’m a lover of places. But of course, the pain of leaving is evoked by my torn heart strings wound around those lovely people.
Read More Why Good-byes are the Worst (but Not)I remember being less than half my age, driving with the family in my stepdad’s pristine car–and when I say pristine, I mean the full extent of that word. We were going somewhere to do something, the details are long forgotten. But not the moment we arrived at our destination. Somewhere near the backseat, under […]
Read More When It Doesn’t Feel FairMaintaining meaningful relationships amidst anxiety is both extremely difficult and extremely necessary. It’s difficult because when anxious, we often push away those closest and whose care we need the most. It’s necessary because often the only people who can lift our spirits and talk us out of it are those closest to us. I’m running away from that which can help me.
Read More Meaningful Relationships | How to Manage Darker DaysMany are reluctant to express a struggle for fear of being labeled. “I mean, yea I get super worried, my thoughts race, and I can’t function sometimes, but I don’t like, you know…have anxiety.”
Read More How to Manage Darker Days“Girl, I totally feel you. It’s weird how functional I can be with certain things when I’m overwhelmed but completely shut down when it comes to responding to messages or emails…so YES. TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.”
Read More Why I’m on Facebook but Ignoring Your Texts: Anxious ConfessionsObstructed vision of people in the same experience can lead me to believe I am the only one.Experiencing life without meaningful connection can lead to exceptional loneliness, and the devil can use perceived loneliness against us.
Read More Exceptional LonelinessSomeone had the great idea to celebrate being together for a year and a half by doing a strenuous hike. The perpetrator rhymes with rah royfriend.
Read More What We Learned From Hiking a Mountain
