Lessons

Lessons From Regret: Do It Anyway (A Poem)

In the months before my mom died she fell in love with a poem. This poem was called “Do It Anyway.” She asked if I would find a way to paint it up on her bedroom wall, and I told her that I would. I thought it sounded nice and totally planned on it, but of course life was busy…and I didn’t get to it. This was one of the many things that haunted me after her death. Here’s how I moved past this regret and remind myself to “do it anyway.”

Showing Up Flawed: How to Train Your Brain and Ditch Perfectionism

You do not have to be ready, an expert, or always be sure in order to share yourself or your ideas with the world. Imperfect selves and work are how we get to be the people (and have the lives) that we want. You’re going to get things wrong sometimes. You’re going to stumble, screw up, or just generally look like an amateur. I am too, and that’s the only really brave way to live life. By showing up anyway. But how do we actually do that?

What Firing My Life Coach Taught Me About Trust

My work with this coach was challenging, transformative, and led to shifts in thinking I’d been building toward my entire life. But when she crossed a boundary I was forced to end our coaching relationship - and here’s what I learned.

What Rehab Taught Me About Surviving a Pandemic

Watching life turn upside down has reminded me of another time my world crashed down around me: going to rehab for drug addiction.

Though I’m the first to admit that dumpster fire was entirely my own doing, I can’t help but see some clear parallels between surviving that burn and this one.

Dare I say it, but rehab prepared me for this. And in case it can aid you to, I’d like to share a few parallels I’ve observed.

Ditch the Poopy Polar Express: How Watching Your Thoughts can Help the Post-Holiday Blues

Here we are the day after Christmas (still smack dab in the middle of Hanukkah) and I don’t think I’m alone in having an “ugh” feeling.

Grief, Dogs, and Babies: What a Farting Dog Taught Me About Missing My Mom

My mom called me the night that she died.

She left me a voicemail and said she was looking forward to seeing me, and asked what time would I be over?

When I checked it from a coffee shop that night, I rolled my eyes: why did she think I was coming over?

Live the Life You Should Live: AKA Ditch the Crapball

I spent a lot of time trying to negotiate with my past.

“Maybe if I’d gone to college when everyone else did…”

“Maybe if I’d gone on more auditions in LA…”

“Maybe if I’d turned down the Vicodin Rx that kickstarted my addiction…”

Let's Talk About Death, Baby

We are ALL going to die.

You, me, Donald Trump, Beyonce, beloved Fluffy, that insta-influencer you follow, your neighbor who’s always jogging the neighborhood with her baby…even Justin Bieber. I KNOW. So what does that mean to you? Read on.

These are NOT the Best Years of Your Life

People looooove to tell you that “these are the best years of your life” when you’ve just had a baby.

They also tell you that it “goes by so fast, cherish every moment,” and yada yada insert well-meaning advice and nostalgia that basically makes me start to panic here.

What Being a Bad Comedian Taught Me About Confidence

Improvising for laughs came pretty naturally to me. I’d been shoving cupcakes in my face for the amusement of others since grade school.

I liked the spontaneity, the brashness, and the permission to be as weird as I wanted with a bunch of other weirdos.

But my improv career was over almost as soon as it began, because something killed it.