What makes you fall in love with a city? With a house? With a neighborhood? What’s the difference - key differences - between simply living somewhere and actually feeling like you belong there? I’ve moved A LOT in my life. Multiple cities/states and many, many apartments... so maybe that’s why my sense of ‘home’ is a rather elusive thing. Chicagco does actually feel very much like home to me: the vibe of the people is great, I love the lake, there’s always something to do, th

Although the media coverage of BLM protests has disappeared the need for action, justice, and community support has not. Not at all. This isn’t a moment, a trend, or a fad. This is a demand for change. Change that’s long, long overdue. So for today’s blog, I simply want to encourage you to stay informed. Stay strong. And to be a part of making the world a safe, equal, and encouraging place for everyone to live. Black Lives Matter. Today. Tomorrow. Forever. From YWCA: 10 Thing

I find it hard to allow myself to be happy. When that deep-in- your-chest peaceful happiness takes a hold of me, I enjoy it for only a short while before fear sets in and ruins it. Fear that my happiness will be false, short-lived, or end up hurting me in the long run. Guilt hits me, of ‘how dare I be happy when others are hurting’. I sink into the assumption that if I am happy, riding high on life, at peace, etc etc, that that only means that eventually I will crash. That I

So I feel like many of you are aware that I’ve been planning a big Europe trip for the end of the year. That I’ve been working toward emotional and mental health. And that I’ve been very focused on being the best version of myself that I can possibly be. All with the point of accepting my life, living as fully as I can, loving myself, and feeling at peace — truly whole — within my existence. Not an easy thing at all. Well, not at all unlike many of you... my life has been tur

Although I haven’t asked many people-- everyone that I have asked has confirmed that we all, and I mean ALL, go through a “what’s wrong with me?” period in our life (sometimes more than one...). If you’re reading this... I guarantee at some point or another you googled the causes of depression, you took an online quiz to see if you had social anxiety or autism, you dug through Webmd for symptoms of PTSD, or used an online psychologist chat to find out just how truly “messed u

I don't understand how there's still so much hatred in the world. Just the other day, I was sitting on the patio of my favorite little coffee shop - which, mind you, is off of a quiet neighborhood street in a notoriously progressive area of Chicago... when I heard a ton of angry honking. I understand road rage happens, but this seemingly innocent mishap of communication on the road turned into vulgar gesturing and yelling. The exchange escalated into one driver yelling raci

With great power comes great responsibility. The news lately has just plain been breaking my heart. Burberry coming out with a clothing line utilizing a noose as fashion? Actor Jussie Smollett faking a hate crime? Shootings. Side affects of global warming. Sex scandals. Shameful politics. Come on! What is happening?! For as long as man has been seeking power - which is forever - we as a people have understood that taking on a noteworthy role, having influence over people,

We don't turn off our brains entirely while watching a movie or reading a book. There's just no way. Always there is lesson to be subconsciously learned, a message to be conveyed, an experience to be identified with. So, my question then is, your favorite (book or movie) is your favorite... why? Not because of the grandeur, the magic and mystery, not because of the happy ending, or dreamy character. I don't care for those favorites. I'm talking about the real reasons. The rea