A couple of questions this week: Who is making your choices? Who or what do you think is going to save you? It’s pretty clear to me that conscious “I” didn’t start making my choices until about a year and a half ago. It’s hard to pin down who/what was making my choices before that, and…… Continue reading Your power

I googled “anti-climax after milestone” because I wanted to see if my feelings were normal. Turns out, they are. Everyone who offered wisdom and advice on exams told me I would feel a sense of great anti-climax after they were over. I didn’t really believe them. I thought, how could that be possible after completing…… Continue reading Post-milestone blues

One of the major questions that seems to circulate unanswered is how to make love last. Many of us don’t have good models, and we’re just sort of making it up as we go. I used to worry a lot about love. What even is love? I fully subscribed to the Disney, happily-ever-after version. After…… Continue reading Love in a time of insecurity

Move slowly through the days. Rushing only increases feelings of panic. Self-compassion, self-compassion, self-compassion. It’s okay you didn’t have a great teaching day the day after your exam. It’s okay you’ve felt empty and sad inside ever since exam day. It’s okay you’ve had chocolate cake every night since exam day. You are okay. Your…… Continue reading Exam month survival guide

Did you see this article by Alexandra Schwartz in the most recent issue of The New Yorker? In the print version, it’s called “Resolutions,” but I think the digital version’s title is much more apt: “Improving Ourselves to Death.” It’s about obsessive self-improvement and how it’s a reflection of our current economic and cultural priorities and beliefs.…… Continue reading Too much optimization

I wanted to write a quick New Year post just to check in and say hello. In December, I became a certified coach but I haven’t had much time to celebrate that milestone because I’m so involved in preparing for the next big milestone–exams! They begin five weeks from today and I am endlessly reading…… Continue reading A new year, a continuation

At the end of the year, I like to reflect and look forward. I used Sharon’s Annual Letter idea this year, and the realizations I had were varied and meaningful. Rather than sharing some of these intensely personal nuggets, I thought I would compile some of the material I used throughout the year that guided…… Continue reading That’s a wrap

Nearly every morning, a certain woman in our community comes running out of her house with her face white and her overcoat flapping wildly. She cries out, “Emergency, emergency,” and one of us runs to her and holds her until her fears are calmed. We know she is making it up; nothing has really happened…… Continue reading Fear

I finished my coaching coursework, and in so doing, I had to create a coaching philosophy statement. It is only a draft and will probably evolve as the years pass, but I thought I’d share what I came up with in my initial attempt: I believe that everyone wants to live a good life, and…… Continue reading Coaching philosophy