Am I Enough? I Am Enough! This flag banner hangs above my bed as a testament to that idea. I see it when I get up, when I get dressed, when I go to bed. It reminds me to keep believing even when my self-talk...
As a young girl and adolescent I was tall, skinny, and flat-chested. On top of that I was very shy. Scared- of- my- own- shadow shy. As a preacher’s kid I thought everyone was watching me, holding me up to some unclear standard, and then judging...
When I was young, I was told many truths about myself: "Your hair is so thick and curly -- it's not good hair. In fact, I've never seen such unmanageable hair!""Your lips are really huge. You need to keep that in mind when you start wearing...
photo of Kelly Rae courtesy of Andrea Scher I’m not sure why it never occurred to me before, but the biggest thing I’ve learned about myself this year is this: I am a perfectionista. And it sort of sucks. I’m realizing that I go WAY above and...
I've always felt like there were two conflicting sides to me. The practical girl and the dreamer. The go-getter and the nap-lover. The health food junky and the chocolate obsessed. On any given day, I hear myself saying, "I feel both this AND that" or...
I am enough. Even if the people I love are not always happy. Even if I still don’t know how to balance a checkbook or save money or pay my bills on time. Even if I never lose this last twenty pounds. Even if I don’t know what to...
I was having trouble starting this post because, in all honesty, I don’t always feel enough. I’ve often wondered how much easier life would be if I didn’t have chronic perfectionism shadowing my every move, demanding that I measure up to my own (ridiculous) expectations....
A special thanks to Grey Cottage Studios for sharing this image. We're taking the week to be extra kind to ourselves. How? By whispering sweet nothings to ourselves, of course. You heard me right. No matter where we look or how hard we try to get others to...
A note from Tracey: Ever since the very first post here at the Collaborative, I've been asked a lot of questions; a number of which I don't feel qualified to answer. But I am happy to be introducing someone to you who is very qualified and...
Do you ever notice that the shadows you thought you left behind creep back up on you, into you, weave into your muscles and synapses, camp out for the night beneath your shoulder blade or in the hollow of your hope, darkening the space between...