His broad shoulders and towering height had all of the women in the office swooning, but this was dangerous for a succubus. Anna could control her hunger when she wasn’t thinking of it, but today was painful.
Read moreSingle Mom Holiday Survival
My first Christmas after the separation, I wasn’t going to buy anything for myself. My budget was tight. I realized how hard it would be for my kids to see me not have anything to open under the tree. Was I so bad that I didn’t even get coal in my stocking? I’ve learned to love shopping for my own presents. I buy what I want and carefully wrap it. When my kids open their gifts, I open my own, saving one or two for Christmas morning when they’re with their Dad. I’m okay with never smiling through a shitty gift again.
Read moreThe Best Holiday Gifts for New and Expecting Parents
From ways to simplify life around the house to little luxuries for the hectic first year, these are the best gifts for new parents who have everything.
Read moreHelping a Senior Loved One Manage the Financial Decisions That Follow When Their Spouse Passes Away
Losing your spouse is a monumental change at any age, but this can be especially hard for seniors who have built their lives together. With all of the emotional upheaval death brings, there are also practical considerations.
Read moreDear TikTok
Guest Post by Leah Reedy-St. Thomas.
Warrior Dragon Slayer.
Childhood Cancer survivor.
Photographer.
Dancer.
One to watch.
Read moreFinding the Strength to Release Relationships
Bless and Release
Now that I spoil myself lavishly, I understand how small of an effort that is for me. I know how it feels to treat myself this way and I want to do it for those I love. When I get less than my small but constant expressions of love, and I’m willing to give so much more, I can see where I’m wasting my efforts.
Read moreGetting Over an Ex
Modern dating tends to include texting, messaging, and social media. It’s really hard to not stalk social media or hope every text or call is from the only person you really want to hear from. When my kids are home, this is easy. I can get into housework, or yard work, leaving my phone on vibrate in my purse. It takes a huge amount of effort to not search for a profile, hoping to see a smile or what he’s up to.
Read more5 Tips to Shift Out of Struggle
It’s so easy to feel beat up by your emotions. Shifting takes work, and it’s not always easy. It’s certainly worth it and definitely possible. If you feel like you need more than a few tips, ask someone you trust. Ask your doctor. And never stop asking.
Read more8 Tips for Managing Morning Sickness
The first and easiest tip for morning sickness survival is to watch what you eat. It’s really important to be mindful of what you’re eating and how often you’re eating it when morning sickness is part of your daily routine. Laying down right after a large meal isn’t advised. The relaxed muscles that come with pregnancy mean you’re likely to experience acid reflux as well. Spicy and fatty foods will not only increase nausea, but make acid indigestion much more uncomfortable. In this situation, Tums might help, but avoiding acidic and fatty foods is better.
Read moreSimple Ways Expectant Parents Can Save on Pregnancy Expenses
Preparing for a new baby on a tight budget? You’re not alone! Statistics show that saving money is important for most expectant parents. Finding those savings can be simple too, if you know where to look and how to plan. So if you are trying to prepare yourself, your home and your life for pregnancy and a new baby, be sure to use these savvy tips to save and keep your spending under budget.
Read moreReflecting on Post Traumatic Growth
I won’t collapse easily. I won’t always react in ways that are expected. I will find answers when I hit a wall because there is no other option than to adapt and learn. There is no other option but to grow and thrive. And it’s okay if you can’t relate.
Read moreMermaid Tails
If you listen quietly under a full moon, you can hear the call of the ocean. It’s not about luring you to your death as much as a love song to the waves, but it won’t bother a mermaid if you walk out to sea, never to return to land.
Read moreThe Itty Bitty Shitty Committee
Am I good enough?
It’s all about avoiding pain. If it’s pain from rejection for not being good enough, that’s an easy fix. Be better, and have no idea what better looks like because your measure against someone else’s ideal was all wrong. I’m here to tell you, that’s just not true.
Read moreStepping out of Fear
It’s time to make fear your bitch and stop living in it like it’s comfortable.
I keep my secrets so I can’t be broken with them. I keep them as a shield. I can’t be hurt with weapons of my history if no one knows they exist. This also means I don’t allow vulnerability to soften my heart into gentleness and compassion. This is the insidious nature of fear. Instead of being given the opportunity to heal and feel the intense pleasures of love, I step back into the shadow of safety that is a fortress of fear.
Read moreWhy You Should Date the Single Dad
If you’re lucky enough to meet a Girl Dad, he’s going to treat you based on how he wants his little girl treated. He will be more feminist than misogynist. He’s going to want you to be strong and independent. He’ll be happy about stepping in as protector.
Read moreRelearning love
Time to transition into that beautiful butterfly.
My goal is to continue growing, learning and evolving. It’s time to enter that chrysalis and transform. It’s not an immediate change but a process that has been altered with each interaction.
Read moreThe Joy of a Good Breakup
Love is an act of faith. No matter how I’ve been hurt by it before, I know that it’s transformative and healing. I know there’s more good than bad. I’ll jump in again, and just when I’m starting to drown and be taken under, I may get rejected again. But it’s worth it. Every experience has been good enough to risk the bad. I’ve grown because of the many ways I took a chance on love.
Read moreCalibrating Healthy Relationships After Emotional Abuse
I had to learn how to be treated with kindness. I am lucky enough to work with gentlemen. Their natural behavior is kindness, compassion, and empathy. When they extended politeness toward me, I had to learn to accept it. I had to learn how to accept an offer for a drink. I had to learn how it feels to be listened to and valued. My opinions matter at work in a way that I had never experienced at home.
And now I have to learn normal dating patterns in a healthy relationship because what I know has always become emotionally abusive.
Read moreOpening up to Vulnerability
Support doesn’t always look like being bailed out. It can be a listening ear. It can be an embrace that holds you together. It can be unwavering eye contact. There’s so much in being seen as you are, without the weight of how you should be, or what is expected of you.
Read moreHow Working on Your Golf Swing Can Ease Stress
When I hit that sweet spot, there’s the whistle of wind from my wood or iron. I can hear the swoosh of air as I’m accelerating back toward my ball. There’s so much beauty in the sound of hitting a ball. There’s a soft pop. That pop is a perfect hit, and with the right club, my ball lifts up before soaring far.
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