The truth is, we can feel lonely even when standing in a crowded room full of familiar, friendly faces. 

What I’ve learned is that sometimes loneliness is not about our proximity to people. It’s about feeling alone in our feelings. When we feel like we’re alone, we’re less inclined to tell anyone how we’re feeling, which makes us feel even more alone in our feelings—trapping us in an endless cycle of loneliness. 

I call this the Loneliness Loop. 

Can you use your social media for good? Instead of giving up and deleting your apps altogether, here are some ways I've found to make it a healthier, more positive space. 

This is just a glimpse into the highlight reel of my inner critic these past few weeks. And let me tell you—she’s ruthless. 

Would I ever say this to a friend? Of course not. So why do I let her talk to me this way? 

I’m not the first to reflect on the profound impact our pets can have on us, and I most certainly won’t be the last. But as my dog, Bentley, gets older, I find myself thinking more and more about the lessons he’s taught me and the ways he’s impacted my life. I find myself both wishing he’d slow down and worrying he’s slowing down all at the same time.

I can think back to a handful of moments in my life when I’ve felt that same uncertainty—a yearning to “reinvent” myself, to rediscover or redefine who I was.

I had a sense of what my word was for this year, but I was having a hard time putting it into one word. So, naturally, I asked my friend Chat GPT to help me.

The transition into a new year is a natural invitation to pause, reflect, and honor the year we’re leaving behind.

2024 was amazing, and hard, and beautiful … and hard. (Yes, I said “hard” twice. Not a typo.) Through it all, I found myself holding tightly to the things that kept me steady amidst the highs and lows.

If you just try harder, want it more or dig deeper, you’ll get there. That’s the narrative we’ve been sold, but your success in reaching your goals does not come down to willpower alone.

If finding community feels hard lately, you are not alone.

This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot recently. We live in a world where community can feel like something we know exists but is unreachable to us. And if you’ve felt that, I want you to know—it’s not just you.

Recently someone I knew passed away, and the news stopped me in my tracks. For a moment, the world stopped.

While I watch friends celebrate with family PJs photos and Elf of the Shelf, I’m afraid my husband would not put on matching PJs with me, and our pup, Bentley, may just eat that little Elf.

If I could go back and talk to the version of me who felt lost, here’s what I’d say…