Being true to yourself sometimes means letting others down — Zeke has a friend coming for a sleepover. This is a common occurrence, no big deal. However, when I mentioned that this sleepover would be a screen-free evening, doom and gloom filled the air. It surprised me. Recently we’ve cut way back on screen time, and it’s been lovely. Initially…

Most of us never do — I like to wake up early. Before 5:00 is best, when the air is a smudge away from nighttime. It feels sacred, undiscovered. I go outside, yawning and stumbling on leftover dreams. The dog glows with happiness at being alive and moving. All the edges are soft. I walk down…

Anger is energy with a message, and it’s talking to you — For years, I was known in my friend group as “the calm one.” I took this label as a compliment because it meant I was stable. I could handle stress well. I could use a well-modulated voice and carefully chosen words in a conflict. I could articulate rather than emote. …

Our world isn’t perfect. Our work won’t be perfect. — There is a difference between striving for excellence and striving for perfection. The first is attainable, gratifying, and healthy. The second is unattainable, frustrating, and neurotic. It is also a terrible waste of time. – Edwin Bliss Imperfect progress realized is better than perfection imagined. A perfectly imagined work of…

I didn’t become this fierce to make your life easier. — I know you do your best. I’m not writing this to blame you, disparage you, or judge you. We are all in different places. I have no issue with that. I have a big issue with this: you think I should use my strength to pull you up to this…

An illustrated guide to getting your art into the world — We have three distinct roles as creative beings: consumer, curator, and creator. (These roles apply to areas other than creativity, of course. But let’s focus.) Each is important. To reject the role of consumer because you’re focused on creativity is as deadly as rejecting the role of creator because you’re…

These are my rules for being a prolific writer even if life is crazy, time is limited, and nothing’s simple. — A few years ago, when my four children were all under the age of 7, I did some crazy stuff for writing time. I woke up early. Like, before dawn early. Then I would sit at my desk and try to write intelligent things. I did write, but it wasn’t…