Blog
My Favorite Christmas Cookie
I have a favorite Christmas cookie.Imagine that you are a nice Jewish Girl from Miami going home for your very first Christmas at the childhood home of a nice Catholic Boy from Cincinnati. Greeting you is your future mother-in-law, and she’s carrying the most delicious cookies you’ve ever tasted: the...
When are You at Your Very Best?
A couple of years ago, I gave a giant keynote to my biggest audience ever. It was one of my first talks back after COVID shut down the world. And, I was recommended to the event planner by a friend whose reputation I would never want to sully. So, you...
Problems vs Puzzles
Do you have problems?I like logistics. I like efficiency. I like maximizing opportunities. In short, I like solving puzzles. But sometimes I am drained by all the small annoying things, and I'm exhausted by the big, overwhelming things. The problems sometimes seem just too hard.This week, I was whining about...
The Burden of Potential vs. The Curse of Knowledge
How's book launch going?It's gone.Done and dusted.Kaput.It's over.Goodnight.I just gave my very last keynote of the book launch. Three months of pedal-to-the-medal, go, go, go.And, y'all, I'm tired. Like, emotionally, mentally, physically -- metaphysically -- tired.It occurred to me to maybe go take a look at this post that I...
The Banana Bread of Exhaustion
This is not your usual banana bread.It’s also not even a good banana bread. It’s the banana bread of exhaustion. Sure, it looks pretty from the outside. But on the inside it has an extra half cup of flour. And in addition to its usual teaspoon of baking powder, it...
Do Not Go Gently Into That Good Night
A little real talk.I was texting with a dear friend this morning and I asked her how she was doing. She replied, “I have more energy for the things I love to do, if that makes sense.”And, oh boy, does it ever.2021 was super rough for me. I almost didn’t...
Is It Time to Change the People Around You?
Should all the people in your life really be in your life?Which of them should be getting a vote about what actually works for you?And how much do you want to bet that the number should be smaller than it actually is?It's that way for me, too.For years I let everyone...
Stay Strong. Stay Awkward. Stay You.
What would you tell your 8-year-old self?Hi, it’s me.Here’s what I would tell this girl:- You are stronger than you know and everyone else is weaker than they let on. Be nice to them, because you have no idea what they are going through. And be nice to yourself too,...
Find Your Family
Who’s in your framily?I found out a few weeks ago that some guy I know in my small corner of the world was talking shit about me. Over the weekend I learned that someone else from my small corner of the world has held a years long grudge against me....
Borrowing Courage to Find Your Own
Have you ever need to find the courage to step so far outside of your comfort zone that you found a different version of yourself?That happened to me this past weekend.I got on stage in front of 5,000 people, my biggest audience of my career, and the crowd was wild....
Are You Getting Too Much Advice?
Asking for advice... It seemed like a good idea at the time, right? But are you getting too much advice?You had a problem, an issue, a confusion, and you said, "You know what? I'll get some advice. I bet Jane can help."And so you asked Jane.But while you were playing...
POTUS, a Plane Crash, and Few Hundred Big Macs
The year was 1994, and I was 23 years old and worth my weight in anxiety and 80s power suits inherited from my mother (the suits, not the anxiety). I was working in the White House after having Wizard of Oz'ed my way into the campaign, the transition team, and...