Social Media Distancing

My daughter has been out of school and we have been sheltering-in-place for 7 weeks.  We have at least a month more to “quédate en casa” here in Baja California Sur. In March, I returned to social media to connect with loved ones and keep up with quickly evolving news during the pandemic. Now, I…

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The Miracle of Community

With each COVID-related blow to our sense of normalcy, I contract.  First, it was the acknowledgement that Dave might be away working at the hospital indefinitely; then the school closings; then the news of the California shelter-in-place; then our own shelter-in-place here in Baja. Today, the men who are building our house next door arrive…

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I Am Not Nervous Eating

Those who have known me for a while know that I’ve been outspoken about my long battle with eating disorders stemming from adolescent trauma, insecurity and experiences as a competitive swimmer. Back on social media now because of COVID, I was scrolling through my feed the other day and noticed a lot of posts about…

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WOW: The White Dress

The slit in the thick silk curtain spreads, and the glisten of a satin skirt leads her towards the mirror that is framed in whitewashed wood carved with floral detail in front of us. Shoulders softened down and slightly back, she glides up onto the circular wooden platform before the mirror.  A small crystal chandelier…

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What’s It Like Being Social Media Free?

  6 months ago, I deactivated my Facebook and Instagram accounts. When I deleted those icons from my phone, I felt two worlds evaporate into thin air. Literally, an entire existence, way of being, set of rituals, and rhythms were gone at the swipe on a screen. I thought I might miss the experience of…

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WOW: A Father’s Tribute

Wonder : a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable. This week’s experience of wonder came when I read a father’s tribute to his preemie son who had just left this world for heaven. Callen Jeremiah Rooney was born at 22 weeks. Although I am not currently on…

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The Loneliness in Conformity

True belonging is not passive. It’s not the belonging that comes with just joining a group. It’s not fitting in or pretending or selling out because it’s safer. It’s a practice that requires us to be vulnerable, get uncomfortable, and learn how to be present with people without sacrificing who we are. We want true…

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From the Aftermath of “Edie”

Growing up, I was one of those girls who people thought had it easy. I learned at an early age to strive for goals, achieve, and measure people’s value (including my own) on material things. I was rewarded well for the efforts I put on this outward success, and yet, they left “Edie” brewing. “Edie”(pronounced…

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Choosing Love on Valentine’s Day

When I started on the path of choosing love almost a decade ago, one of the first questions I set out to answer was this: Can you truly love another if you don’t love yourself? I was genuinely puzzled by this question, but over time, I’ve come to understand that we can’t give what we…

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Fear & Surfing: Part 3 – Love Wins!

stephanie armstrong | life coach

“Have the courage to trust love one more time and always one more time.” – Maya Angelou I have come to know this surf spot well over the past few months. As the dirt road slopes down towards the beach, I can pretty quickly tell what the conditions are going to be like. Today, as…

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