It started with a hot pocket. — Alan died in our home when he was 39 and I was 12. It happened in the bedroom adjacent to mine. That night, I woke up to our dog barking and my mom screaming. His body was on the floor as I gathered my dog into my room and shut…

Decision fatigue and anxiety plague small and big decisions — I woke up this morning like any other morning. To my daughter yelling “mama” in her room while I prepare coffee. I lazily walk to her room and her energy demands my attention immediately. It’s adorable and usually makes me smile. …

Nonprofits can drive innovation, instead of being directed by it. — It’s only been within the last decade that nonprofits have shifted from communications to marketing departments. Some still only have comms teams leading their marketing efforts. We’re starting to see more revenue positions replace traditional development officers, but as time carries on, market demand will force both private sector companies…

Past, present, and future — no matter what, parenting is hard. — Instagram mom’s like to remind us to be present with our children. Don’t worry about the dishes. Don’t worry about the mess. Don’t worry so much, just be in the present moment with your child. That’s what matters most. Thanks for the reminder, @perfectmom. But they don’t tell us parenthood…

Intensive parenting has strained both parents and children. — Vacations as a kid were magical. There were a few annual Lancaster County trips, where my dad and stepmom would take us 45 minutes outside of New Jersey and we’d get so excited by the horse-and-buggies, the fresh bread, and the miles and miles of farmland. And then there were…

As I was in the midst of planning lunches, brushing my 2-year-old’s hair, thinking about emails, and choosing the outfit I would wear today, the thought popped into my head that my daughter won’t know my dad and stepmom, her grandparents. My daughter has exceptionally loving grandparents in her life…

A women’s intuition may not help. — I couldn’t take it anymore. Something needed to change. I was desperate to stop dieting. WeightWatchers, MyFitnessPal, Noom, Whole30, The Special K Diet, and lots and lots of calorie counting led me to fear my life would be an endless yo-yo of diets and binges. I stumbled upon The Fuck…

I’m moving from the city to the country, and I’m nervous. — When we bought our little home on Lunar Drive in Austin, it was dull, brown, and a little scary — like an old piece of chocolate from last Halloween. The interior was confusing. Whatever trends that existed through the decades, the house tried to keep up but couldn’t. …

Does the trick most marketers boast about really help? — I saw it again. This time on LinkedIn. It was another content marketer promising that repurposing content across mediums saved folks more time and energy. And as I sat in the doctor’s office, waiting for my name to be called from behind the boring beige door, I wondered if repurposing…