This is one example of a theme in my life that’s been weaving itself in and out of my motherhood, with origins in my past. This idea that mess, mistakes, process, hard seasons, flaws, and imperfections signify that there is something wrong. And supporting that is deep shame because as hard as I tried...

There are moments, big and small, in my life that have me smiling, feeling encouraged by a sense of healing, greater capacity and depth, that not long ago would have had the opposite effect.

What If We Started With Compassion? Connection doesn’t begin with control. It begins with empathy. The work of connection is acceptance of the human experience, including our own.

For months I’ve been holding myself in this tension, between empathy and the fear of failing them. And then one morning, wisdom whispered something beautiful. She reminded me that my purpose is not to create perfect versions of myself. My purpose is far more poetic, meaningful, and tangible than perfection. Thank goodness...

For most of my life, I believed that change required pushing harder, being different, being “fixed.” I thought something inside me, or in others, needed correction in order to feel whole or connected. That relentless striving left me exhausted, frustrated, and stuck in cycles of shame and judgment.