So I’d just as soon focus on how I made my loved ones feel while I was still here. — Until about a month ago, I’d never had surgery. I’d never even been to the emergency room unless I was accompanying someone else for moral support and to make sure they got there safely. But I knew that was probably going to change when I developed a deep, nagging pain…

But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth having or pursuing. — Everybody grew up on the idea that successful relationships last “until death do you part.” …

Even though it may not always feel that way, it’s a strength, not a weakness. — My brother and I didn’t have the kind of parents who liked doing “kid things” with us when we were still growing up. They were especially averse to sitting through kid-appropriate movies, like cartoons or family films. …

Elevated Living Newsletter: December 2021 — I feel like I’m coming home after falling off the face of the planet and staying off it for a lot longer than I’d like. November of this year was a hectic but wonderful month that found me busier than I can remember being in a long time. Among other…

Elevated Living Newsletter: November 2021 — When I was younger, I liked the idea of the holidays, but the reality of them was another story entirely. …

No, we don’t secretly long to be different. And yes, you actually can “meet someone” sitting on your ass at home. — True story — my extreme introversion once made an extroverted neighbor so uncomfortable that she moved at her earliest convenience. That was new. …

A Story of Caged Hearts and Free Spirits — Most of us prefer to keep our hearts inside our chests, and with good reason. If you always know where yours is, you’re unlikely to misplace it when life gets a little hectic. Since your chest goes with you wherever your travels take you, so does your heart. …

It’s easier to read other people and see what you’re getting into than you think. You just need to know what to look for. — There are many skills I wish I’d developed a lot earlier in life, but the ability to gauge another person’s character is perhaps one of the more important ones. I was far from perfect when I was younger and made plenty of mistakes, but I was a reasonably decent person…

I no longer allow people to tell me the things I want most out of life aren’t impressive enough. You shouldn’t either. — Growing up, I was absolutely fascinated with foreign countries and cultures. Languages, people, food, music — if it had anything whatsoever to do with someplace other than where I was, I was all about it. I’d spend hours and hours devouring books, movies, and documentaries about different places. And I’d…