Category Archives: Empowerment

Don’t Call Her Helen

Posted on March 18, 2014 by bonnevivantelife

My daughter told me people in school, students and teachers alike, call her Helen. Which would be fine, except for the fact that her name is not Helen. La Chica’s name is actually four syllables and doesn’t start with an … Continue reading →

Posted in Empowerment, Parenting | Tagged Asians look alike, mistaken identity, racial stereotypes, racism, they all look the same | 6 Comments

Fifty Shades of Truth

Posted on March 13, 2014 by bonnevivantelife

I’ve heard there’s 50 shades of Grey. But someone once pointed out to me there are actually over 260-something shades of Grey. That’s a lot of space between Black and White. I used to love living in Black and White. … Continue reading →

Posted in Empowerment, Meditation, Mindfulness, Running | Tagged 50 shades of grey, ambiguity, black or white thinking, shades of gray | 7 Comments

Just Say No

Posted on March 10, 2014 by bonnevivantelife

La Chica: If someone asks me to marry him, and I don’t want to, how do I say no nicely without being rude? Me: How about “No thank you?” La Chica: Why didn’t you say that? Indeed, why didn’t I? … Continue reading →

Posted in Dating, Empowerment, Meditation, Mindfulness, Parenting, Relationships | Tagged Just Say No, maintaining boundaries, taking a stand | Leave a comment

My Greatest Fear

Posted on February 28, 2014 by bonnevivantelife

Glennon Doyle Melton’s Our Sacred Scared series inspired me to really examine my greatest fears. What’s my greatest fear? I don’t know. I’ve had many. They were all great (and not in a good-great way, but a big-great way). They … Continue reading →

Posted in Empowerment, Meditation, Mindfulness | Tagged enough, Glennon Doyle Melton, greatest fear, inadequacy, insecurities, mindfulness | 11 Comments

Put the Armor Down, Be Vulnerable, & Marinate

Posted on February 23, 2014 by bonnevivantelife

An old, trusted friend asked about details of how my last relationship ended. We talked about it, and it was clear that I was still having difficulty with it, and the loss; I was still hurting. And I admitted that … Continue reading →

Posted in Dating, Empowerment, Meditation, Mindfulness, Relationships | Tagged authentic, authenticity, brave, courage, hope, relationships, resilience, second chance, vulnerability, vulnerable | 8 Comments

Sharing But Not Embarrassing

Posted on February 19, 2014 by bonnevivantelife

I have had several friends tell me lately they are surprised I share as much of myself as I do through my writing. They know me to be a fiercely private person with firm boundaries and trust issues. So the … Continue reading →

Posted in Empowerment, Meditation, Mindfulness | Tagged brave, courage, disclosure, helping others, shame, sharing, truth, writing | 27 Comments

Direct Reflections

Posted on February 5, 2014 by bonnevivantelife

We have a hard time taking things at face value. We pile on secondary stories and create so much meaning about things, behaviors, and choices. We forget that each of us comes from a different place and perspective in life, … Continue reading →

Posted in Empowerment, Meditation, Mindfulness, Parenting | Tagged assumptions, judgments, shame, societal pressures, worthiness | 9 Comments

Is Anywhere Safe?

Posted on January 25, 2014 by bonnevivantelife

There was a shooting in the mall two miles down the street from my house today. Chaos ensued. It was a Saturday morning, families everywhere. Facebook and Twitter lit up, texts were flying, everyone worried about loved ones. Some friends … Continue reading →

Posted in Empowerment, Meditation, Mindfulness, Parenting | Tagged coping skills, gun control, gun rights, mall shooting, resiliency, The Mall in Columbia | 8 Comments

What’s Wrong With You?

Posted on January 21, 2014 by bonnevivantelife

There seems to be a recent movement against striving for perfection, and instead embracing who we are. I love this idea. What I don’t like is how it’s being framed in much of the media. I’m bombarded by articles with … Continue reading →

Posted in Empowerment, Meditation, Mindfulness | Tagged flaws, imperfections, love yourself, self-acceptance | 9 Comments

The Weight of the World

Posted on January 9, 2014 by bonnevivantelife

Happy anniversary to me! One year. It’s been a year since I’ve stepped on a scale. It’s been 365 days of not being chained to numbers. It’s been 365 days of not defining my self, my worth, my character, my … Continue reading →

Posted in Empowerment, Health Issues | Tagged body image, numbers on a scale, scale, sense of self, weighing yourself, weight | 4 Comments