We talk a lot about resilience. About pushing through. About staying strong when life throws you into chaos. But we don’t always talk about what happens after the storm calms down. When the world goes quiet and you finally have space to feel i…
The weight of silence What struck me most about my conversation with Michael Allison was how much he had carried without ever being asked how he was really doing. From childhood abuse to a VBIED explosion in Iraq, Michael didn’t just survive …
Living with Half the Story When Lisa Sugarman was ten years old, she was told her father died of a heart attack. It was a painful truth to carry, but one that allowed her to grieve and eventually move forward. For 35 years, that version of her stor…
When Parenthood Doesn’t Go as Planned I’ve talked to a lot of people about the moments that reshape everything. Those forks in the road when life suddenly feels unfamiliar. Talking with Jennifer Celeste Briggs reminded me that sometimes…
What Happens When You Finally Choose Yourself? Ryan Hennessey didn’t set out to leave teaching. Like a lot of us, he was doing what he thought he was supposed to do. Showing up. Caring deeply. Pouring himself into a career that once felt like…
When Life Splits in Two Some moments change everything. Donna Kendrick’s life-altering shift came the day she lost her husband to suicide. One minute, she was preparing for a casual night out. The next, she was standing in a new house, realiz…
When the Future Disappears in an Instant It wasn’t a shouting match. It wasn’t a courtroom. It was sushi. A quiet moment at a familiar restaurant. And a handshake. That was the moment Mikelann Valterra’s marriage ended. Not with …
When a Dream Doesn’t Fit Anymore There’s this idea we all grow up with – that if we start something early enough and push hard enough, we’ll end up exactly where we’re supposed to be. But what happens when that place n…
Seeing People Isn't Always Easy — But It's Always Worth It When Adam Erwin boarded a plane shortly after 9/11, he was filled with the kind of fear many of us still remember from that time. It was his first flight since the attacks, and every …
When Life Splits Into “Before” and “After” There’s a moment Tony Stewart will never forget. His wife picked up the phone, listened quietly, and then looked up and said, “I have tumors in my lungs and spine.&rdquo…
We all know the script: go to school, get a degree, find a good job, buy a house. It's the path many of us are encouraged to follow, often without questioning if it truly fits. But what if that script never felt right to begin with? In this article…
The Day Ian Fee Chose Himself Over Alcohol For three decades, Ian Fee believed that alcohol was his superpower. It helped him network, entertain, and keep the party going. He could walk into any room, light it up, and leave with new clients and new…
Growing Up Without the Words Leyla King grew up in Texas surrounded by warmth, family, faith, and tradition. Sunday feasts with dozens of cousins, strong matriarchs in the kitchen, and a deep connection to her Christian upbringing were the …
When Laura DeKraker Lang-Ree’s three-year-old daughter whispered, “It hurts everywhere, Mama,” she had no idea those would be the words that shattered her world. But in that quiet moment, everything changed. What followed was a dia…
Burnout Doesn’t Always Announce Itself If you’ve ever taken on too much and told yourself, “I’ve got this,” you’re in good company. That was Andrew Lang’s default for years – saying yes, staying late,…
The journey through a life-threatening illness is one that can shake us to our very core. It's a path that challenges our resilience, redefines our priorities, and often leaves us forever changed. Recently, I had the privilege of speaking with Vanes…
Life has a way of throwing unexpected curveballs our way, doesn't it? One moment we're cruising along, thinking we've got it all figured out, and the next, we're faced with a challenge that shakes us to our core. These moments, these life shifts, ca…
Life has a way of presenting us with unexpected challenges that can shake us to our core. For Emily Holland, her journey of self-discovery and transformation began with a simple decision to reevaluate her relationship with alcohol. Her story is a po…
Guilt is a powerful emotion that can keep us tethered to toxic relationships long after we've recognized the need to leave. It's a complex web of feelings, often intertwined with shame, fear, and a misplaced sense of responsibility. I recent…
Life has a way of throwing unexpected challenges our way, doesn't it? Sometimes, these challenges can feel overwhelming, leaving us wondering how we'll ever find our way through. As we learn from Carol Look's story, within these struggles lies the p…
Life has a way of throwing curveballs at us, doesn't it? One moment we're cruising along, thinking we've got it all figured out, and the next, we're faced with a challenge that shakes us to our core. These moments, these life shifts, can be incredib…
Have you ever felt like you're living on autopilot, chasing success and financial security without truly considering what brings you joy and fulfillment? I recently had the privilege of sitting down with Ofer Niv, a remarkable individual whose journ…
The power of storytelling is undeniable. It has the ability to heal, connect, and transform lives in ways we often can't imagine. I recently had the privilege of speaking with Susan Lieu, a remarkable Vietnamese American playwright, performer, and a…
Life has a way of surprising us, doesn't it? We often think we have it all figured out, only to find ourselves on an unexpected journey that challenges everything we thought we knew. This was certainly true for Trystan Reese, a remarkable individual…
