Life feels large lately. Systems lie and tell us we’re not enough. At the same time, I believe we have far more capacity than we tell ourselves. Instead of feeding into the lie, I’m living my values through doing the hardest, best thing of all: Embracing myself. Inaction causes more internal turmoil. Self-esteem comes from…
Tag: living a values-driven life
Goal Progress Report: Celebrating Boundaries
I set 15 goals in 2026, 3 for each of my behavioral values of creating, exploring, learning, moving, and serving. You can explore my 2026 goals here. “Celebrate healthy boundaries” is one of my three service-based goals this year. Creating healthy boundaries is essential, but I did not know how to set them or why…
Intersection: Identity and Community
Welcome to my first reflection on my word for 2026, intersection(s). My intention for setting intersection(s) for my word for the year is to see how my values and habits align, merge, and contradict. In so doing, I (hope to) embrace change, while owning my experiences. As such, I anticipate noodlin’ over questions. For example:…
Word for 2026: Intersection
Ah, January 1st, a rebirth. A return. That’s how intersection feels to me, a return to myself. Easy enough, right? I poured over dictionaries for this word, using my grid notebook to count out each letter, in the hope of finding just the right 10, 11, or 12-letter word/s. While exploring downtown Denver, I found…
Open-Hearted: Easy Energy
I considered many Es for this post, enoughness, essentialism, and enthusiasm, among others. Fortunately, there’s one last E at the end of this open-hearted series. In a sea of transitions, I’ve pondered many questions, opening my heart and home to new possibilities. Such a process of intentional asking and opening my heart to the universe…
Staying Committed: Jeanine
I graduated a week ago, and one way I am existing outside of my head is by volunteering. Instead of spending my days ruthlessly applying to job after job/working part-time jobs I am fortunate to still have, these service hours give me back my time. It’s due in part to my friend and colleague, Jeanine….
Staying Committed: Jessamyn West
In less than a month, I’ll have a few letters after my name. That’s right, soon I will be a master! (Muhaha… or the Doctor’s antagonist? You decide.) I’ll have a master of library and information science, that is. In honor of those little “MLIS” letters, today’s post is about another fellow librarian, Jessamyn West….
Staying Committed: Kaylie
Today, I’m sharing ideas about myself. So, future me (and present you) can reflect on how one individual is staying committed. To craft, to faith, to a budding library and information science career. First, craft. Blending creativity into my daily experiences is NOT hard. If I integrate it… Or at least, not gatekeep myself. For…
Open-Hearted: Embody Exemplars
This week, I learned about top-line behaviors, which are ways of being true, one’s best, and/or embracing the everyday. As I continue to explore open-hearted living as it is my word for the year, I have a ton of top-line eeee behaviors on my heart and mind: Just a few examples of how my word…
Open-Hearted: Presence
Staying grounded in the present takes diligence, day by day, to see, create, and manifest glimmers. I see glimmers as the not-quite opposite of triggers. Glimmers are pockets of joy. Think, the sun shining through an otherwise blustery day. A coupon for a free veggie burger. Spring making a quiet entrance (or sometimes, a loud…