Some connections arrive quietly and change us forever. Through loving and losing Rini, and learning to live with the wild, untamed spirit of River, I discovered that love doesn’t always look the way we expect it to. Sometimes it asks us to slow down. Sometimes it asks us to let go. And sometimes it teaches us how to live fully awake, right in the middle of the chaos.

Considering Dry January? A thoughtful perspective on intention, alcohol, and what a break might really be about.

If there’s anything I’ve mastered during my life, it’s the art of being a beginner. Every novice chapter I’ve entered has come with its fair share of frustration, confusion, and humility. But also fun, aliveness, and joy.

When I’m in the midst of those frustrating moments, I catch myself thinking “Why do I keep doing this to myself?!”

But the truth is — I’m not doing it to myself. I’m doing it for myself.

This year I’ve been doing some things differently. For starters, I didn’t set any goals or intentions. No word of the year.