Van life certainly has taken some getting used to. For example, earlier this week while brushing my teeth in a State Park bathroom, I glanced down to see what appeared to be a sink full of underwear. And that was the moment I decided to stick to brushing my teeth in the van, which brings […]
Six years ago, I rolled into Seattle in a Porsche with Texas plates. I was wearing flip flops. And I now realize that was a poor choice. When I stopped to pump gas, the look on the gas station attendant’s face said it all: I was indeed a moron. There I was, standing in an inch of […]
I spent the day eating beef jerky in my new van. I’m only sort of kidding. If this is what freedom looks like, then hella I’m livin’ the dream. I won’t lie. I did some crying in there, too, but the much-needed release felt amazing. Grieving…with beef jerky. Being between homes is strange, though. Things […]
It was time. I stood in an empty room while he gathered the last of his things. I was wearing my fuzzy robe. It’s funny to think that a robe could be considered an act of self-care, but it is. Trust me, this particular robe has comforted me through all sorts of unexpected disappointments and […]
I saw another bald eagle today. They’ve been visiting me regularly for months now, circling above me, perched in trees, in my dreams. A symbol of independence and strength, they represent freedom. But freedom always comes with a price. And sometimes, casualties. Last year, we bought a Mercedes Sprinter van that we planned to convert. […]
I really wanted to keep the armoire. For years, it lovingly held things I cherish: family heirlooms, fine china, and other beautiful possessions that brought me joy. Its stoic strength was a source of comfort to me and I wasn’t ready to part with it. I’d lie awake at night envisioning possible Tetris moves, willing […]
My husband and I decided to end our marriage on a Sunday morning while drinking coffee on the living room couch. I sat facing him—expressionless, hair unbrushed, stomach queasy—waiting to hear his intentions…and waiting to share my own. I’d known the man staring back at me since we were eight. We were high school sweethearts […]
Have searched for “self-care ideas” lately? When I first published this article back in 2016, there were roughly 17,900,000 results on Google — today, there are 23,400,000. Can there really be that many more ideas? Probably. Self-care is limitless. By enlisting our creativity, we can come up with endless possibilities for taking good care of ourselves. Once […]
Before I get too far into my rant, let me first say this: Self-care is personal. As a self-care designer and healthcare reform advocate, I’m thrilled to see so many bloggers and journalists reporting on this very important topic. It’s a powerful preventive health tool, and it deserves to spend some time in the spotlight. […]
Let’s be honest. Transitioning to a real food eating style is like trying to spread cold butter on toast. It’s tricky until you warm up to it. But while we inherently know that real food is healthier for us, we’ve become increasingly disconnected from the sources of our food and more reliant on convenience foods. With so many […]