The Power of Addition

I spent the last several days reflecting on my most recent lap around the sun, and thinking about what I want from this next rotation. So often, I feel like I, we, come into a new year making resolutions about what we are going to do less of, but this year I realized, I want...

Is this what thriving feels like?

As I sit on my couch in the quiet of my tiny duplex, in my tiny new town, reflecting on the last year of my life, and then the year before that, and the one before that, and... I am realizing why this year feels different. For the first year, in several years, I am...

Why generosity works (for me)

I was first introduced to the idea of generosity as a boost for mental health a few years ago when I trained to be a Sources of Strength mentor. The foundation of Sources of Strength is their "SOS Wheel" This was the first time that I learned that were was scientific evidence for the idea...

Not Your Franken-beauty

Not Your Franken-beauty - by Bree ErvinTW: body image, self-harm, eating disorders I look in the mirror and start to pickmyself apart. I am too muchand too littlenot enoughabundantly full. If only I could keep my ankles,but with her calves;my hands and shoulders,those biceps and forearms;my thighs, her ass;that flat stomach,with those round hips;that nose,...

Week whatever – Outrunning my brain

Hahahaha - so, it turns out I am terrible at routines. I know this, and yet I keep trying. So... I was doing well with the whole daily wake up, work out with yoga or punching bag or whatever thing and running 3 days a week with my crew - until the time change. That...

Finding my place in the American Dream

Two days ago, I asked twitter which book I should read next; When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele, Better, not Bitter: Living on Purpose in the Pursuit of Racial Justice by Yusef Salaam of the Exonerated Five, or The Nine: The True Story of...

Mourning Light

by Bree Ervin I woke up this morningsadbroken hearted.Angry at the world.Tired of individuals taking the falltaking the credit for systemsbuilt over centuriesbuilt over bodiesbuilt on oppressionof the manyfor the benefitof the fewalready at the topof the game.Their game built on the backson the boneson the sweatand the soulsof the people deemeduseful(expendable )essential(disposable)mere fodder for...

Week 6 and 7 – What I’ve learned about my anxiety

So, Week 6 - I did ALL THE THINGS, and did them well. On Monday I ran 5K with my squad. On Tuesday I rode my bike 10 miles to work in the freezing cold because it was supposed to be nice in the afternoon. It was nice in the afternoon, but nice came with...

Week 4 and 5 – Do meetings count as exercise?

Monday - attempted Yoga for Courage, but it was too slow moving for my needs, so I threw on my boxing gloves and went a couple rounds with my punching bag. Did a couple sets of pushups and crunches, and tried to get my head ready to face this week, consoled by the knowledge that...

Week 3 – Figuring out what feels good

Yes, I stole my title from Adriene Mishler (AKA Yoga with Adriene) - because, let's face it, that's what this is about, right? Finding what feels good and right for me (or in your case, for you...) That's also the thing that will keep us coming back, and help us improve and push through -...