When I was younger, I had an uncanny way of escaping discomfort. If the course sounded too difficult, I dropped it. If the relationship became tense, I avoided it. I missed growth opportunities because I preferred comfort. Raise your hand if you’ve learned that the struggle is part of the story, and avoiding it prolongs…… Continue reading The Gift of Hardship
Her words echoed through the secret places of my soul. There was no way she knew her sentiments were the antithesis to the barrage of doubt and deeply rooted insecurity within me. The power of words is widely understood, but I am not sure we always let words heal us. I know without asking that…… Continue reading Two Things CAN be True
As the years go by, I understand the beauty of quiet moments. The undocumented memories you treasure in the recesses of your heart and mind. The walk with your youngest.The time to sip and read.The slowness of watching the birds on the feeder.The strangeness of wondering what day it is. When did we buy into…… Continue reading Treasuring Slow, Quiet Moments
Several years ago, I remember staring at one of my youngest son’s giant, broken Lego sets and secretly hoping to find a way out of “repairing” it. Although I didn’t have a hand in its original creation, I had previously performed emergency surgery. With this particular robot, machine, or {who knows what it was}–parts just…… Continue reading Taking a Closer Look at Ambition
New Book Announcement! It has been a long wait with many twists and turns, but I guess that is to be expected when releasing a book about wisdom. From my editor being placed on a jury to me taking on a new full-time job during the process, we have traversed many roads to get to…… Continue reading Wisdom in the Weeds: Now Available!
One thing I do not write about often is my love for teaching and how I stumbled into the profession. My childhood dream was to be a lawyer. I knew I was good at arguing my point and persuading others, but when I started to analyze the reality of paying for undergrad and law school,…… Continue reading Teaching Beyond the Classroom
You Might Remember In November of 2021, Broken Vessels was released into the world. On one hand it feels like yesterday, and on the other hand it feels like a lifetime ago. Since I had written the study in 2016, a lot of time did pass between the writing and the launching of the published work. It…… Continue reading Book Lovers Needed!
If you have been around here for a minute, you know that words are a big deal to me. The #sowkind movement started because I thought we all had five minutes and the cost of the stamp, and we could invest at least that much in the lives of those around us.I was also guilty…… Continue reading Worth Your Time: Episode Five, The Power of Words
Welcome to life in Texas! When I moved to Texas to student teach in the late nineties, I was surprised at the cultural differences I did not anticipate. Coming from Illinois, I was used to life that was undergirded by grit, a strong work ethic, and resourcefulness. Among the alarm at seeing cars on car…… Continue reading Why Shutting Down is Sometimes Necessary
When we got the news that all our kids would be home for Christmas, we felt deep joy. For anyone who has grown and flown children, you know exactly what this feels like. It is no small feat to gather all your people, so the simple act of being under one roof at the same…… Continue reading Cookie Fail; Humility Win
Alyssa DeLosSantos 