Two weeks ago, my job became a soft-casualty of Covid-19. I say soft because of the many, many people who came down with the virus and lost much more than me. Me, I got laid off unexpectedly. From one day to another, my executive salary disappeared. Like millions of Americans who live...

Today, my nails tell the tale of the One animal we are - a collective of humans within a surreal chapter of life. Look at them. Look at us. Growing. Changing. Shedding our polish. Unbecoming. Becoming real. Below the hard, shiny shell - showing the world who we are. Transparent and vulnerable....

I am writing to you wrapped in blankets, cradled on a hammock under pine trees, in the middle of an East Texas forest.  The air is chill, the sky is deep blue and my cellphone has zero bars. Zero. It’s bliss. You have permission to mildly hate me.

I brought myself to a retreat in the...

I have to confess—I am feeling a bit off this Sunday morning as I write this. I over-indulged last night, and my body is feeling the effects. As my alarm went off at 7 am, I had a moment of panic as I realized my head hurt and my body felt a little off. Had I drank last night?

In the...

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. This guide is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If your symptoms are acute, call 911.   

As we step out of addiction, we all go through moments where we feel a deep craving for the substance/behavior that was the...

The first time I got sober in 2009, my idea of “recovery” only pertained to my drinking. I didn’t see any other issue to personally recover from, other than the very clear toxic relationship I had with Cabernet (and Merlot, Chardonnay, Stella and all that gang). So long as I...

I am one of the lucky ones. One of the VERY lucky ones.

First, because at 43, I have a mother who is the compass of my soul. Second, because I have an amazing mom who always loved me, lifted me up, and put me first. Perhaps she should have put herself first in many occasions, but at least I can...

For most people, there’s something terrifying about the words I use to describe myself.  Every time I say “I’m sober”, or a “I’m a recovered alcoholic”, or even “I’m in recovery” there’s a beat of silence - as a mild...

Thanksgiving has always made me feel like an outsider, a foreigner enjoying somebody else's holiday. Having grown in Mexico, my Mother made a turkey for my dad's birthday (which happens on or around Turkey Day), but it was always accompanied with tamales and tequila. My Mother would let us...

How do we turn frustration into gratitude?

How do we grow spiritually?

How do we make the best of a bad situation?

How do we learn to live life on life's terms?

I grew up with a father who loved to “show the world” to his children. Travel and new experiences were a part of what he...