I knelt alongside the shards of broken glass now strewn across my kitchen floor when it happened. That tight wad of stress, knotted in my stomach, suddenly became undone. My brain, clenched in fight-or-flight, finally released its tight grip. My body said softly to me, “Enough.” It gently nudged me while I was on my […]
The Hawaii Life: One Year in
It’s beyond hard to believe we moved to Hawaii over a year ago. One year of gentle waves, coqui frogs, mild (and not-so-mild) earthquakes, a volcanic eruption and, you know, adjusting to life 4,500 miles away from our former home, in the middle of a pandemic–one that your husband is on the frontlines of–and also, […]
Talking Story: The Art of Storytelling
I used to perform commercials in the mirror as a kid. Usually during my bedtime routine and usually to the annoyance of one of my parents. Perhaps as an act to avoid bedtime? Who? Me? Who knows. “Brushing your teeth can help make them sparkly. Plus, your dentist will be happy with you.” “Did you […]
Mean Doesn’t Win.
“All I ask is one thing, and I’m asking this particularly of young people that watch: Please do not be cynical. I hate cynicism. For the record, it’s my least favorite quality — it doesn’t lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard […]
I Will No Longer Bond over Hating Our Bodies.
It’s one of our earliest connections and conversations as women. One that carries on until our very last breath. The pointing, poking and pulling at portions of our bodies that we don’t like. Summer camps. Sports camps. Sleepovers. At lunch. At recess. On the bus. In cars. In dorm rooms. At parties. Over holidays. At […]
9 People Share Their Daily Pandemic Schedules
One of the best things I’ve discovered from running Not Your Average Gal is that we are far more alike than different. Since being somewhat socially isolated for nearly a year can often lead us to believe we’re doing things alone or differently, I wanted to ask people to share what their daily schedules look […]