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How to Shut Up Your Inner Critic so Your Daughter Will Know How

How to Shut Up Your Inner Critic so Your Daughter Will Know How

"I'm not good at that." It started with small, little snippets of self-doubt.  I should have noticed.  I should have stopped it sooner.  I'm her mother, after all….unfortunately, I'm also really gifted in the art of negative self-talk.  Maybe I missed it because what should have been a red flag has been given a space on my shelf, a narrative I frequently read and accept as normal.    It took flares of anger, where self-hate spewed out of my sweet girl like a volcano I assumed was dormant.  I was shocked.  I argued back--NOTHING you are saying about yourself is...

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What I Learned from Painting my Fifteen-Year-Old Son’s Nursery

What I Learned from Painting my Fifteen-Year-Old Son’s Nursery

How do you freeze time without stifling growth? Isn't that every parent's question? How do you cling to every unique piece of their childhood yet avoid stunting the very thing you have invested your whole heart into nurturing? For me, it was just a room….and also, it was a fork in the road, and I knew what was at stake with my choice. I had some ideas, but they finally came together one afternoon while hanging out with my insanely talented photographer friend, Neely. We shared hopes and fears about how we felt our life, family, and businesses shifting. Her...

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Here goes nothing...

Here goes nothing...

What is the ace you keep up your sleeve?  What is the one thing (or is it even multiple things) you secretly hold on to?  Your safety net, your just in case?  I think there are many reasons we guard these pieces for ourselves. For me, I am facing the reality head on that I have spent years clinging to my ace because I am afraid that playing it will reveal that my hand isn’t actually good enough.

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Rethinking Worry: What if it's a Spiritual Gift?

I'm not one to worry or overthink things. Can I be honest? Is it safe to share raw truth? I can be kind of critical of people who are. If you are in my days and minutes, and you are a worrier, you probably aren't shocked at this confession. I've rolled my eyes at you, and I've made jokes. They aren't mean; they are trying to be funny, but also... I don't have a lot of patience with worry. A couple of years ago, we adopted the world's perfect dog. He is so sweet and gentle. His one problem is...

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That Time I Almost Hated the World's Biggest Canvas...

That Time I Almost Hated the World's Biggest Canvas...

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it. It was the largest canvas commission of my career. So big that you can't purchase pre-stretched canvases that size. I would have to build it. Totally not intimidating at all... I had learned how to do that in a scene painting class once, in theory, at least. Fifteen years ago.... what could possibly go wrong?  Bless my heart. I researched and talked to people. I worried and planned. Once we finally built the giant, painting it would be my sweet spot—or so I thought. Generally, by the time...

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