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Let me tell you something about being unbothered: it is not a personality trait I was born with. Oh no. Younger me could have won Olympic gold medals in overthinking, people-pleasing, and replaying conversations in my head at 2:00 a.m. I cared about what everyone thought. I wanted everyone to understand me. I felt the need to explain myself, defend myself, and occasionally prepare closing arguments for situations nobody else was even thinking about. Needless to say, it was ex

There comes a point in adulthood when buying gifts gets downright tricky. Remember being a kid when every birthday and Christmas came with a mile-long wish list? Those days are gone. Most of us have reached that magical stage of life where if we really want something, we just go ahead and buy it ourselves. Need new shoes? Click. Want a new gadget? Ordered. Craving that ridiculous kitchen appliance you'll use twice? It's already in your cart. So lately, I've become a big belie

There’s something magical about choosing a new path later in life. Not because it’s easy, not because it’s expected, but because it keeps your mind sharp, your spirit awake, and your sense of purpose refreshed. When you step into a new role after decades of experience, you’re not starting from scratch — you’re starting from wisdom. For almost 21 years, I was happy and content in my career. I flourished. I built relationships. I found purpose. And then one day, a new opportuni

Where did this summer go? One minute we were wandering through festivals, licking melting Bomb Pops, and debating whether pickles should be banned from humanity, and the next minute kids are marching back into classrooms with fresh notebooks and that “new year, new me” energy. And since every month this year has carried our theme of keep, August is stepping up with a gentle nudge: This month, we keep learning. Not just school learning — though bless those teachers and those s

There’s a particular kind of irony that comes with work travel. You get sent to these vibrant, buzzing cities — places with history, personality, food you can’t get at home, shops you’ve never wandered through, and neighborhoods that practically beg you to explore — and then you spend the entire time trapped in a training room with recycled air, a stack of handouts and homework. For years, that has annoyed me more than I care to admit. I’d land in a cool town I’d never visite

A man voices his thoughts and he’s “assertive,” “strong,” “leadership material.” A woman does the same thing and suddenly she’s “too much,” “opinionated,” or my personal favorite—“intimidating.” No, sweetheart. She’s not intimidating. You’re just not used to women who don’t whisper their brilliance. When a Woman Is Driven A man with ambition is “going places.” A woman with ambition is “a lot.” Why? Because she’s not waiting for permission slips or applause. She’s not sitting

You know how people talk about kismet, serendipity, synchronicity like they’re magical woodland creatures that appear only to the chosen few? No ma’am. They’re more like skittish cats: they show up when you’re out in the world making noise, moving around, rattling the treat bag of possibility. If you want more “OMG you won’t believe what just happened” moments, you’ve got to be somewhere for something to actually happen. Put Yourself Out There (Yes, Even When You’d Rather Not

A new month means a new “keep” article. This one might be the most necessary of them all: keep persevering. Because here’s the truth nobody likes to say out loud — not everyone is going to like you. Not everyone is going to clap for you. And sometimes, without you even realizing it, you’ll find yourself standing in someone’s way. Not because of anything you did, but because of what they didn’t do. Some people don’t outgrow middle‑school behavior; they just learn how to dress

Listen… summertime rolled up like, “Hey girl, you ready?” and I said, “Absolutely not, but let’s go anyway.” And just like that, festival season kicked open the door and dragged me outside with my sunglasses, my people, and my questionable snack choices. Weekend One: The Great Asheville Pickle Extravaganza Yes, I went to a pickle festival. No, I will not be taking questions at this time. My daughter loves pickles with the kind of passion usually reserved for soulmates and tax

Let’s talk about overthinking — that Olympic sport none of us signed up for, yet somehow we’re all competing in like it’s the finals in Paris. If there were medals for lying awake at 2 a.m. replaying conversations from 2014, I’d be polishing yours right now. But recently, I stumbled across something athletes use to recover from setbacks without spiraling into a puddle of self‑doubt. And listen… if professional athletes can use this to bounce back from missing a game‑winning s

(Because adulthood is basically one long scavenger hunt where the prize is… more tasks.) Some days it feels like everyone is busy doing something. Some are working on themselves — journaling, meditating, drinking water like it’s their job. Some are working on school — writing papers at 2 a.m. and pretending that’s “part of the process.” Some are working on their jobs, their families, their retirements, their hobbies, their sanity, their skincare routines, their sourdough star

Some of us were raised on “treat people the way you want to be treated.” Lovely. Wholesome. Very PBS Kids. But adulthood has taught us a few things: Some people don’t deserve front-row seats to your kindness. Some people don’t even deserve the cheap seats. And some people need to be escorted out of the theater entirely because they keep talking during the show. Kindness is powerful — but it’s not a group project. You don’t have to carry the whole emotional load while someone

Please be patient with me — I’m from the 1900s. Not 1900, but the 1900s. And not to brag, but I was alive when you could slam a phone down to make a point. A real receiver. A real cord. A real “thunk” when I slammed it down. It was glorious. As women in our 50s, 60s and on, we’ve lived through a lot. We’ve earned every laugh line, every story, and yes… every moment of “now what was I saying?” So here are a few things our generation would love to share with the next. 1. Memor

Summer is allegedly “right around the corner,” though in East Tennessee that means absolutely nothing. One minute I’m sweating like I’m in a Tennessee Williams play, the next I’m curled under my heated blanket questioning my life choices. But while the weather can’t commit, I can — to sprucing up my summer wardrobe without spending a fortune or undoing all the decluttering I’ve been doing like a responsible adult. And the secret? Accessories. The unsung heroes. The outfit whi

A Light‑Hearted Look at My Family Health History (and Why I’m Not Doomed) Let’s talk about genetics — that mysterious deck of cards we’re all dealt at birth. Some people get a royal flush. Some get a pair of threes and a dream. And some of us get… well… a mixed bag with a few jokers thrown in for flair. In my case, both of my parents were medical professionals. You’d think that would mean I grew up in a house where people sprinted toward preventative care like it was a Black

Lately I’ve been knee‑deep in the Great Clean‑Out of 2026 — the annual ritual where I stare at objects I haven’t used in years and try to convince myself that letting go of them does not mean I’m betraying my ancestors. If you’re a sentimental soul like me, you understand: some items aren’t just items. They’re tiny emotional landmines wrapped in dust. But here’s the funny thing: for someone who attaches meaning to everything, I’ve never actually been a collector of anything.

Women of a certain mature age carry a quiet archive of courtesies—small, beautiful habits that once stitched communities together. We learned them from mothers and grandmothers who believed that kindness wasn’t something you felt, it was something you did . In my closet sit two hat boxes filled with handwritten notes. Real mail. Stamps, envelopes, ink smudges, the whole thing. I used to wait for letters the way kids now wait for text notifications. And to this day, nothing de

If you’ve watched even five minutes of TV lately, you’ve probably heard the name Nancy Guthrie . She’s the 84‑year‑old Arizona woman — and mother of Today show co‑anchor Savannah Guthrie — who vanished from her home on February 1, 2026. As of this writing, she’s still missing, and the nation is collectively holding its breath. There are theories. There is speculation. What there isn’t is much evidence. The one thing everyone seems to agree on? Nancy did not leave her home

Luck gets talked about like it’s some sparkly cosmic accident — a rainbow, a rabbit’s foot, a leprechaun with a clipboard choosing favorites. Cute. But when you peel back the glitter, luck is really a story we tell about how people move through the world. And the people who seem “lucky”? They’re usually doing three things: Staying open — not clenched, not fearful, not convinced the worst is coming. Staying prepared — so when the door cracks open, they don’t trip over their

Some people greet the sunrise like Disney woodland creatures. Others come alive at midnight like caffeinated raccoons. And then there are those of us who fall squarely—proudly—into the midday pigeon category. Not early, not late… just perfectly functional somewhere between “second cup of coffee” and “is it too early for pajamas?” Which is exactly why the annual spring forward feels like a personal attack. When One Hour Feels Like a Whole Personality Shift Every year, I tell