I took myself to a solo lunch the other day. As I sat there waiting for my food, I played a little game with myself. In this game, I would observe the people around me, and whenever someone inspired me, I’d create a story for them. I’d decide where they were from, how long they’d lived in the area, what their dreams and aspirations might be, what their concerns might be, and how they were connected to the restaurant I was in. Of course, it was all made up in my head. The point of the exercise was to remind myself that other people have their own thoughts and emotions…
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People want certainty. It’s human to want to label and compartmentalize things in our minds so we can feel safe. If we meet someone new, we might call them a friend. Upon trying a new restaurant, we decide if we like it or not. When we go to a new place, we’ll find ways to describe it in relation to places we’ve been. A lot of times, when we make a new decision or feel a new pull, we tend to rush to define it. Whether we’re taking up a new hobby or meeting a potential partner, it’s easy to want to label and categorize our experience quickly. The thing…
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When I was in sixth grade, I was bullied pretty severely. It happened on a daily basis, and it eroded everything about my self-esteem. My bully was an eleven-year-old boy who called me names and encouraged the other kids to taunt me. Many of them would join in. At that time, I didn’t know what to do or what to say, so I did my best to ignore it. By ignoring it, however, that meant he got away with more and more. This went on for the whole school year and eventually became normalized by the kids in my class. I don’t remember most of what was said, but I…
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So many of us feel like we should be going to the gym. Maybe we want to go, maybe we have health goals – but simply getting started can be tough. Our fitness journey, like any other, will have ups and downs. That’s normal. What’s more important is our mindset behind exercise, and the awareness of how we want to show up for ourselves. Personally, I exercise not just for my body, but for my mind – probably 90% of the reason I move my body is for my mental health. Whether it’s yoga, Pilates, lifting weights, swimming, or even walking, movement helps regulate my nervous system, ease anxiety, and…
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Abuse is not something that’s easy to write about, I want to be sure I am compassionate to those who have and are experiencing abuse. Abuse comes in a lot of different forms, happens to different degrees and can be experienced by anyone. As such, this particular perspective might only apply to a few folks specifically, and that’s okay – please use this information at your discretion. Being a survivor of domestic abuse growing up, this insight comes from my own experience both at home and in other environments. My hope is that you might find the following concepts to be helpful and empowering. Consider the signs listed below and…
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Life keeps going; so do you. So many times in life we are presented with trying situations. Challenges that might make us feel alone, or small, or scared. These little “tests” ask us to be strong, to remember our boundaries, and to stay true to who we are – just like the values Rosie stands for. I remember times in my life when I felt challenged and tried. These are times where the concept of life moving on – whether I was actively participating or not – kept showing up for me. For me, both the ideas of not giving up, and that life keeps going on are intertwined. No…
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How to Have Difficult Conversations with Honesty, Empathy, and Emotional Intelligence I have learned a few things throughout my roughly ten years of working in sales. After talking with lots of people from different ages, ethnicities, backgrounds – you name it – the biggest takeaway has been this: you can say anything to anyone, you just have to say it the right way. It’s a mindset that’s guided me through conversations both big and small, uncomfortable and necessary. Whether it’s setting boundaries, expressing needs, or offering feedback, this principle has shown me how to communicate in a way that is effective for both me and the other person. The context…
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I’m not sure who all can relate to this, but for most of my life I assumed that just because someone was being nice to me – that also meant they were my friend. People are nice to other people for all kinds of reasons, and unfortunately no, it doesn’t make you friends. Sometimes someone might be nice to you as a way to manipulate you, use you to manipulate someone else, or they might just be nice to you because they are nice to everyone. Just because someone is pleasant to be around doesn’t mean the two of you have a connection. It doesn’t make them trustworthy and it…
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I recently had a cancer scare. I went to my primary care doctor who did an exam, found a lump and recommended that I get a mammogram immediately. I felt like I had been smacked in the face by an invisible person. The following day, at the earliest available appointment, I had my mammogram and an ultrasound. The radiologist didn’t find anything benign or suspicious – the lump turned out to be a cyst. While those are very much bullet points from those three days – what I want to talk about is what I learned from that experience. I know there are many rosie readers who have had similar…
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I used to be really afraid of ghosts. Sounds at night (or even during the day), weird vibes, things moving that shouldn’t – any of it would creep me out immediately. I never wanted to watch scary movies. And I could tell you a few stories about some unexplainable events in my childhood home. I had always just assumed everyone else was afraid of spirits too – especially since you can’t see them. It’s a prime example of fear of the unknown. Plus, based on the messages I was receiving from others, it seemed like most people felt the same way I did. Then one day, I was watching a…
