“You are strong, for a girl.” “You did well in that class, for someone not so good at math.” “You look nice in that dress, definitely better than what you wore last time.” Ah, there’s nothing like a well-meaning compliment that runs face first into an insult. I like to give the benefit of the … Read more
The Mondayest of all Mondays is the Monday after vacation. I woke up this morning to that very Monday. I’ve just gotten back from a lovely vacation, refreshed and rested, and then Monday just came and smacked me in the face. Except I love Mondays. Really, I do. I used to hate them, going through … Read more
I love to fly. Like, I really, really love it. Now, if you’re reading this and you have a serious fear of flying, I’m not going to waste your time with tips and tricks, diminish the exquisite immediacy your phobia, or try to negotiate with you about why you are more (so, so much more) … Read more
If you aren’t the hero of your story, it’s just not the right story. I’ve always believed this. So many of us are busy trying to shoehorn ourselves into someone else’s idea of what we should be, who we should be, how we should be. But if you aren’t the hero of your story, it’s … Read more
Fun fact: I’m actually a unicorn. Look, you can see it here, revealed in my shadow. What makes me a unicorn? I give a shit. And, I don’t just give a shit. I give a metric fuck ton of shit. I’m a metric fuck ton shit giver unicorn. I’ve always been an all-in kind of … Read more
Last week I was told that I’m not good enough. Twice. One of those people looked me in the eye and told me that she knew I had work to do, saw my future, believed in me, and sat with me to help me map out how to get there. The other did not. She made it … Read more
When I was held back, I didn’t know it. It’s not abundantly apparent to those of us who believe we are pursuing the right path. Let me explain. I’m out in Denver at a conference for people like me who speak for a living. I was at this same conference this time last year. Holy … Read more
Years ago, I was at a posh little restaurant on the fancy isle of Nantucket. “You’ve got to get their Big Mac! It’s the best thing ever! You won’t believe how much it’s just like a real Big Mac!” implored my friend and island host. And it was. If you had blindfolded me and given … Read more
I’m often asked in the book signing line after I get off stage how I got so comfortable speaking in front of thousands of people, especially when the fear of public speaking surpasses a fear of dying for many. “Speaking in public terrifies me,” they’ll admit. I would argue that it doesn’t. If we speak … Read more
It was first obvious during the 2018 Super Bowl when viewers saw something surprising aside from the Eagles beating the Patriots, the ads were different. Normally funny (and even raunchy) bits made to promote products like beers and cars, the ads in 2018 featured a significant shift to storytelling arcs about ethos for the companies … Read more