The Shadow Hunter

συγχώρεση   Any guesses to what this word is?  (If you read or know Greek, I am super impressed...as this came from the power of Google)  This is  aphesis , which is Greek for  forgiveness.   But here it means something a little different than what you traditionally may think about the word.  Here it literally means: to let go.  To set free.  To liberate. You may be thinking -- um, this all sounds good in theory, but. Let's be serious. Why is it SO freaking hard to let go of something or someone that hurt us?  Often we keep that hurt buried for years and years and every time we think of that person or situation, the only thing we can think of is the hurt they caused us.  It's like an old wound, and the memory of that person scratches it a bit and that pain comes up again, and sometimes you think -- UGH will this never go away?!!  I get it, I truly do. I've been there! Here's the good news.  It can, and will, go away.  And you're left with something new and so much

Over the last several years, I went on a quest to really get to know myself.  And I wrote this particular blog post to let you in on the biggest "secret" I stumbled upon that really has made all the difference.  Want to know what it is? In order to know you, you have to UN-become you first.  Unraveling the old stories.  Taking a deep look at yourself and seeing — wait, is this REALLY me? Or is this just an old story I keep replaying? What do I actually want? You may be wondering — so how do I do THAT?  How do I un-become me? Step one : notice all the things in your life that don’t fit anymore . Like a pair of shoes you once loved, you can step right out of those and into something more comfortable. (But you have to become aware of how much they don’t fit — first!) For me, my first realization was that I was never meant to work in a traditional corporate structure. I never understood performance reviews and wasn’t truly motivated by promotions. Sure, getting a nice title or a

So I recently did something a little bit crazy. I brought a new little creature into my world —   a now 13  week old mini goldendoodle named Sage.   She's been an absolutely wonderful addition* to my life, and now I finally understand why people love their pets so much. They become your world.  (Mostly wonderful...she can also be a tiny baby snapping turtle with veerrrrry sharp white puppy teeth. Waiting for this phase to end. With grace, God willing.) I’m hoping that her name imbues wisdom and clarity to her disposition, and she IS smart — but if any of you that are reading this have ever trained a puppy — my hat goes off to you, my friends. You get all the credit in the world.  It. Is. INTENSE.   It is. WORK.  But it’s so rewarding.   I’ve learned that there are a billion ways you can say your dog's name — Saagge. (Lovingly. When she’s curled on the couch next to me and being the sweetest most adorable thing ever. This is usually post nap).   SAGE. (Get off the couch/screen/