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Do It Afraid: Public Speaking Through Anxiety, Fear and Nerves
“No Fear,” claims the American lifestyle clothing brand. “Fear not,” the preacher says. “Do not be afraid,” Jesus commands. Sounds brave. Courageous. Bold. I want that; I’m guessing you probably do too. Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash But we’re human. And some of us deal with fear. How we deal with fear is the difference between surviving and thriving. One introverted kid says talking to the teacher is too intimidating. Your extroverted self loved your teachers so that doesn’t make any sense to you. Another can barely ask the waiter where the bathroom is. Come on, dude. Waiters don’t bite. For one man it might be…
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8 Sweet Easter Ideas: Fun Gifts for Kids, Teens & Adults
Tired of the same old eggs and chocolate bunnies? Welcome to Easter Twenty-18. It’s time to shake things up a little, amigos. Photo by Kelly Neil on Unsplash From basket stuffers and silly fun, to t-shirts and Christian eggs, I’ve scoured Amazon so you don’t have to drive from store to store looking for this goodness. Click your favorite pics for easy Easter bliss delivered straight to your doormat! Mixed Emotions Jelly Beans Your Personal Flavor Decoder: Happy tastes like refreshing lemon Playful teases the taste buds with sour apple Grumpy sears like sizzling cinnamon Sad envelopes you in berry blue Love warms the soul with orange crush Perfect for…
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I Like it When You Say That. Now Please Stop.
I’m weak, okay? There–I said it. I’d like to think I can handle whatever gets thrown my way, but no. So in an effort to change and grow, I’ve made a list. These random observations have been bothering me lately so I thought I’d bother you with them. In no particular order, I offer you three things I like to hear: Numero Uno: Your Kids Are So Tall! I know—I’ve done it too. Well-intentioned words that sound like compliments, as if the child got that high on the measuring stick based on talent. Besides the fact they already know it, there’s nothing inherently wrong with telling kids they’re tall. The…
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7 Clean Cleaning Songs + 7 Cool Cleaning Solutions
Hosting 23 people for Thanksgiving became a distant memory. Having the parentals in the guest room for Christmas is over and done. Sucking 2018 glitter out of the carpet ended almost a month ago. It’s not spring yet. So why are we talking about clean cleaning songs and cool cleaning solutions? Because maybe you have pets. Or kids. Or both. Or maybe you just want to take care of what God’s given you. Or… perhaps we’re all afraid of each other’s air this month and want to disinfect the heck out of every handle, candle and sandal. Ladies and lads… in order to get your clean on without utter boredom,…
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Mary, Did You Sew? My Questions for the Mother of Jesus
Dear Mary, Is it true you weren’t in a barn when you gave birth? Was it better than what artists always draw? I hope it was better. Smart people who study your era tell us it was probably a cave. That doesn’t sound better. I gave birth in a sterile building, complete with a bed, fire sprinklers and female helpers who tended to my needs until a blurry-eyed man ran in with untied shoes to catch my son so he didn’t touch the ground. And it still hurt like hell-o. I don’t know many young teenage girls who could have done what you did. I see you wrapped in…
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The Secret Society of Christmas Anxiety: How to Calm the Expectations
No pressure, but have you poured your own candles with beeswax from your backyard colony yet? …gotten your hollyhock dipped and your mattress flipped? …added plumbing to your gingerbread house? …drained your hot tub and refilled it with mulled cider, orange slices and cinnamon sticks? Is there a wreath on your grill and a candle on your sill? …gold glitter on your babysitter? …a candy cane on your windowpane? …jingle bells on your dusted shelves? Good tidings, no. Martha Stewart’s still alive and well, but let’s all give an eight-clap to the fact we don’t live in the ‘90s anymore. If she wants to stencil her driveway, God bless…
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How To Hack the Heck Out of Your Thanksgiving Turkey Day
Photo by Gemma Evans on Unsplash No boring twine and brine reminders here. I dug deeper, scoured the sites and compiled a list to make your turkey day a tad easier. Some of these items I own, some I’m buying, and some I’m loving from a distance, but they are definitely mother-in-law approved. Most of us are about to host or join a gathering that begs for planning, cooking and manners, but fear not. You still have time to order these helpful goodies from Amazon and get them way before Aunt Nelda pushes your buttons doorbell. Affiliate Lingo: Purchasing these products costs you nothing extra, but swings a little kickback…
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Need Attention? Please Don’t Spin Like a Record, Baby.
Organizing one college boy and six high school girls into two cars proved simple. Life in 1992 revolved around a manageable amount of activities, so none of us had a problem scheduling a date for the shoot. Three of us sat on the brink of caps and gowns, ready for diplomas but not ready for goodbyes, so our last attempt to commemorate our friendship and seal our bond came in the form of photos. From conservative Mount Hermon to liberal Santa Cruz, we made our way to 701 West Cliff Drive with windows up to protect our amateur makeup and Aqua Net perms. May at the beach didn’t always…
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Top 12 ‘October Days’ w/a Dash of Pumpkin Spice
I scoured the sites and the results are in. Though I probably won’t be trying Pumpkin Spice Deodorant anytime soon, the 26th holds me captive for way too many reasons. Love ‘em or leave ‘em… here are my favorite National October Days, with facts and recipes to boot: This post contains affiliate links, which is just a snazzy way of telling you I receive a small kickback when you buy something based on my recommendations. And if you don’t buy anything? I might not make you pumpkin horchata, but we’ll still be friends. On to the goodies! October 1: Homemade Cookie Day Move over, store-bought. You might look tasty, but when your ingredients…
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‘Adulting’ Just Grew Up. Please Follow Along, Gen Z.
“The kid called the officer a pig. To his face.” “A student challenged me in the middle of class about how my assigned homework was unnecessary.” “A parent told me her son can’t pass P.E. because he has a reading disability.” Wouldn’t you love to see the research that connects Shakespeare to dressing out? ‘To change or not to change: that is the question.’ These real-life examples and similar instances are popping up all over middle and high school campuses. But that shouldn’t cause any old people to murmur, “Dang those teenagers,” while shaking their heads and alphabetizing their VHS tapes. If you’re of a certain age and hold…
