Category: Life

As I write this, 3,686,854 Instagram posts include #liveyourbestlife. We’ve exhausted a beautiful phrase so that it has lost its meaning. So, what the hell does “live your best life” really mean?

I say “really” because I would like to focus on the word “real.” Real life. Not the aspirational life splattered across social media channels, where we see:

• The party, not the hangover.
• The tropical destination, not the mosquito bites.
• The catalog-worthy work-from-home space, not the job they hate doing.

During this introspective year, “live your best life” is a phrase I’ve been personally investigating. Here’s what I found out.

Continue reading “What the Hell Does Live Your Best Life Really Mean?” →

2020 is a nightmare. 2020 is a bad year. 2020 is a mess. 2020 is a disaster. 2020 is a crazy year. 2020 is a dumpster fire. 2020 is canceled. These were the search results that came up a few months ago when I searched for “2020 is…”

My most recent “2020 is…” search gets us all into the Halloween spirit—a T-Shirt that shows a ghost in various poses framed by the phrase “2020 is BOO sheet.” (I fully acknowledge that this is both clever and funny.)

The 2020 tarring and feathering continues with the countless memes being applauded and shared on social media, all spreading the same dark humor. I’m not immune to the allure of these memes. I’ve shared some, I’ve liked some, I’ve chuckled over most of them. 

Everyone is labeling 2020 to try and understand the pain and confusion they have felt. Labels make something identifiable, organized…able to be compartmentalized. Humor is one of our favorite defense mechanisms, so it works especially well as we smile and slap a label on 2020. 

Continue reading “Why 2020 is Absolutely Worth Salvaging” →

Changes have happened all around us this year—we’re observing them and living them. The harsh closed signs, endless commercial spaces for lease, and out-of-work artists, musicians, servers, retailers, teachers, and flight attendants with nowhere to go. Many of us had to change our life direction this year, whether we liked it or not. We feel lost and maybe we feel found as well.

If you are changing directions with your job, your business, and/or your passion, today I’m sharing three difficult steps that have worked for me this year. I say “difficult” because none of them are easy steps to take.

It’s probably more like 300 steps rather than 3 steps by the time you work through everything. Anyway, I hope this helps if you’re in limbo right now.

Continue reading “Change Your Life Direction in 3 Difficult Steps” →

I stepped into the Lyft car and paused mid-air, hovering above the grey upholstered backseat. I had one foot in, one foot out. My driver was a man, well past his golden years. An internal debate struck up, making a legitimate point: Is it safe to ride with this old dude? Or, should I cancel and find a new driver?

I was already late to ballet class—if I got another driver, there was no way I would make it on time. The heavy February drizzle slid off my hood, dampening the interior of the car. It smelled like wet carpet and Old Spice. For some reason, that comforting combo ended the internal debate and I decided to ride with the old dude.

A few awkward wet boot squeaks later, followed by the slam of the door, my ass was parked in the car. “Hu…hi,” I managed to say finally. “I’m Britt.”

He smiled at me in the rearview mirror, with twinkling mischievous blue eyes that very much reminded me of my dad. “Hi, Britt. I’m 87 years old.”

Continue reading “Life Lessons From an 87-Year-Old Lyft Driver” →

It was a lazily romantic summer morning…slow and steamy. I sipped my oat milk latte, sitting angled toward Mr. H on the park bench in front of the cerulean lake. Time stood still as we gazed at each other while gentle waves lapped against the shore.

Suddenly a black mass came gliding toward me, zig-zagging through the sky at an incredible speed. It crashed into my face with a buzzing thud, hitting somewhere between my left ear and my cheek. Then, it was gone.

I clutched the side of my face, feeling violated but unsure by what. “What the hell just happened?”

The symphonic park sounds commenced, joined by a new sound from Mr. H…uncontrollable laughter. “Dragonflies. Fucking.”

We died laughing. It turned out that horny dragonflies were exactly what we needed.

Continue reading “Reflections After Mating Dragonflies Crashed Into My Face” →