Starting Lines, LLC

There's no elegant way to say it: the world (and especially the digital realm) is a pretty hateful place. A place where far too many people go to fight. Whether you're fighting for your opinions or fighting against those of others, you're giving your energy to resistance of some sort.

My therapist shared the quote "Being angry is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die" and I see and feel the truth in that. You can't experience freedom or joy if you're spending all of your time and energy in anger, in fear, in a dark pit of worry.

If you're feeling deprived of joy, take a look at what you may be carrying in abundance. It if isn't serving you, it's time to let it go.

It is becoming increasingly more difficult to spend time in the digital universe without being overwhelmed by messages of anger, fear, judgement, and aggression. What you spend your time on and how you spend your energy are personal powers that you can either use to launch forward, or allow to hold you back.

How you choose to occupy your time and energy says a lot about you. Who do you want to be?

In the short amount of time I've spent in 2022, I've come to realize this year is all about leaning in and learning to be OK with change. I describe myself as many things, but flexible isn't one of them. The first week of the new year has thrown more curveballs than I've been able to catch and the more I'm kept on my toes, the more I realize the potential of growth in every unexpected turn. Here's to a year of embracing change and learning from it.

Whether you realize it or not, the narrative you tell yourself holds a great deal of weight. From productivity at work to motivation and energy in your daily routine, how we think trickles down into all areas of our lives.

In comes affirmations -- Whether you believe in their power or not, rehearsing words of encouragement over time can drive habit change and incite positive shifts professionally, emotionally, relationally, and more.

Below are several simple affirmations to practice for a better tomorrow.

Brené Brown famously described life paralysis as "all the opportunities we miss because we're too afraid to put anything out in the world that could be imperfect."

When we stay small and live in fear of failing, we're inevitably living in a state of comfortable inactivity. Our goals and dreams won't pursue themselves until we're willing to throw away perfectionism and stand face-to-face with the possibility of judgement, criticism, and rejection.

You can choose to be simply in this world, or a part of it. What will you decide?

"If you didn't post it, did it really happen?"

Yes. It did. And you can still be proud of whatever the moment was and what it meant, but be careful that you're doing and living for YOU -- not an expectation that you feel has been set for you.

We live in a digital age where comparison is impossible to escape. Which damages our self-esteem and exacerbates feelings of loneliness and inferiority. But remember, your life does not need public assessment. Live it for you.

Say it with me.

Unpopular opinion: You don't owe anyone anything.

As a woman, I have spent a great deal of my life believing that it's my responsibility to inform, support, encourage, entrust, and engage with everyone I meet.

Why is this?

Why do we feel the need to give our time and energy to people who don't respect our boundaries? Why do we feel the need to graciously smile and thank the complete stranger who makes a comment about our appearance in public? Why do we feel the need to give an explanation about ANYTHING at all?

You don't owe anyone anything - your time, your energy, your money, your space, your stories, your heart, your body, your thoughts. Your only responsibility is to do what is best for YOU.