Many of you know that although I LOVE to celebrate, I'm not a big fan of obligatory celebration. What I mean is, I want us all to feel as though we have permission to be genuinely +uniquely who we are — even in the midst of cultural rituals and traditions that may not align with our own va...
read moreWow. It's been a hard week in the world, hasn't it? In the face of so much fear and violence, the response I have is the one that I always have: we must continue to send pinpricks of light to everyone we meet. We must be kinder than ever. We must give generously of ourselves, even when we feel...
read moreHey all. I was delighted to be a guest blogger last week for an amazing organization, Project Happiness. If you don't know them, please check out their website and find them on Facebook. They are full of joy + inspiration. I really think you'll resonate with their upbeat ways. I'd love it i...
read moreSometimes we forget to open the gates. We plant ourselves in the faded blue armchair, bowl of chips in our lap, and gaze bleary-eyed at the TV screen. We mimeograph ourselves for each new scene. We scroll through Instagram, eyes glazing over their weddings, their puppies, their daughters, thei...
read moreI want to talk about money. For a long time, I've left money out of the conversation about celebration and gift giving. It's likely that the only context you've heard me talk about money is in my "spend less; give more" campaigns in which I encourage folks to make gifts or create experiences fo...
read moreIf you haven't seen the documentary about Bill Cunningham, you should. But I'm giving you a l'il spoiler alert — I'm about to tell you my favorite quote from the movie: "Those who seek beauty are sure to find it." (Oh, Bill. Thank you.) This post is not about Bill Cunningham. But his words...
read moreRecently I've talked to a lot of people who are having a hard time. They're in pain, feeling grief, worried about a loved one, or are just-plain-exhausted. What do we do for ourselves + each other when we're in this place? I happened across a short poem by Naomi Shihab Nye which seems to be a...
read moreI turn 51 this week. And, as I've done for the three years, I want to celebrate by sending notes of kindness to strangers. I love the feeling of connection + community this practice brings me. It has taught me that I don't ever have to feel alone. I can always connect to someone by sending love...
read moreYesterday I sent out an email to my subscriber list telling you about a book of fill-in-the-blank appreciations that I love. It was a simple email that I'd drafted up on Wednesday and had hoped to send that day. But I got busy and didn't do it. When I realized I hadn't sent it, I quickly added ...
read moreIf you've been hanging around me for a while, you've heard me say these three words a lot: say it now. I seem to have been born with a bee in my bonnet about this. And the li'l bee was buzzing again this week. (Though I was wearing a cloche rather than a bonnet!) Here's what happened. My frie...
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