There are many things I have wanted to do for a long time but haven’t done so, whether it’s because I am scared and I second guess myself, or life simply gets busy and something gets in the way. Fear and self doubt have played a very large role in many aspects of my life. I question, “What if I fail? What if this person doesn’t like me or what I have to say? What if I make myself vulnerable just to get hurt and then regret it?” The list goes on. Fear can be helpful at times, but for me, letting fear play a major role in important choices just leaves me feeling exhausted and steers me away from what I most want to put out into the world.

That same fear is something I’ve seen other people experience as well. As a therapist, I have spent many appointments sitting with clients as they share the most vulnerable parts of themselves and some of their most shameful and painful life experiences. While I have found that it comes naturally for me to offer compassion and patience to others during their times of challenges, finding patience for myself during my own challenges has been difficult. I know that I have the capacity for this self-care, but actually accomplishing this has thus far eluded me.

I’m tired of being afraid. And I’m tired of finding no compassion for myself. I’ve decided to do something about it — to put it all out there despite my fears and despite my vulnerabilities.

Enter: Discovering Steady Ground — a blog about ways to stay rooted in our often hectic and challenging lives. It will contain observations and experiences I’ve had as a mom, wife, therapist, and friend. I am hoping this blog will be an outlet for my own self-care and compassion, as well as a resource to others going through their own life challenges.

It’s hard to say right now exactly where this journey will take me, but I want to thank you for coming along with me on this path as I share and learn from my experiences. I hope that you, too, can use these musings on your own personal journey to discovering steady ground.