Mermaids on Land: A Visit to Cassadaga
I’ve lived in the Central Florida area for more than 30 years and ever since I was in high school I remember people talking about...
Search
Vanessa May
- May 19, 2021
- 2 min
Enough is Enough with Sexual Violence
I am sitting on the back porch. It is an unusual mid-May afternoon in Florida. It is windy and cooler. My friends think the pandemic has...
230
Vanessa May
- May 12, 2021
- 2 min
Paying Attention To How Others Make You Feel
About a year ago, I met up with a friend I had not seen in almost a decade. We grabbed a drink and some appetizers at a chilled wine bar....
220
Vanessa May
- Apr 28, 2021
- 3 min
People Pleasing Checklist - What's Your Rating?
I am a big Taylor Swift fan. When her Miss Americana movie came out in 2020, I was ready. I didn’t expect to watch such an intimate...
190
Vanessa May
- Apr 15, 2021
- 4 min
7 Steps On How To Find Your Purpose
When I was about 9 years old, I started designing dresses after school. I started bringing them to class and showing my classmates. One...
110
Vanessa May
- Mar 24, 2021
- 2 min
When Expectations Rob Your Happiness
One of the hardest questions Buddha asked is, what makes you the happiest? Oftentimes the things that make us the happiest are the things...
330
Vanessa May
- Mar 11, 2021
- 3 min
Is It Good Advice? Or Someone Controlling You?
I am pretty good at my job. I have many years of experience and I make decisions based on knowledge, data and instinct. I was in a...
110
Vanessa May
- Feb 17, 2021
- 3 min
People Reflect What They Feel Inside
I had just gotten home from a long business trip. It had been weeks of being on the go. Multiple cities and different continents. The...
170
Vanessa May
- Feb 2, 2021
- 3 min
Reaching Out When It's Been a While
I met up with my friend and confided to him about a tough situation I was dealing with. I share with him my plans and he clearly...
90
Vanessa May
- Jan 20, 2021
- 3 min
When The Voices Scream, Quiet Your Mind
It’s early. The house is quiet and I am getting a head start on the day. Like always there is so much to do and there seems to be so...
110
Vanessa May
- Jan 5, 2021
- 2 min
Self-Criticism Is Toxic And Will Rob Your Mental Strength
Here I was, signing divorce papers again. It wasn’t my first rodeo, but the stakes were higher. I was trying to be brave and on the...
130
Vanessa May
- Dec 23, 2020
- 3 min
Stop Giving Your Time Away - It's The One Thing You Can't Buy
I was chatting with a friend about dating. He thinks I should open some online profiles to see what kinds of guys I meet. Online dating...
232
Vanessa May
- Dec 7, 2020
- 3 min
We Attract The Love We Think We Deserve
I like to find interesting quotes on Pinterest, and one night I found, “we accept the love we think we deserve.” I had gone through a...
552
Vanessa May
- Dec 1, 2020
- 3 min
The Strength in Asking for Help
I lay on the sidewalk not knowing if I could move. Lilo was startled, her leash tangled between both our legs. I could hear the cars...
180
Vanessa May
- Nov 24, 2020
- 3 min
When Shared Custody Leaves You Alone For The Holidays
I wake up at 5am and start getting my hiking gear ready. I take a deep breath knowing I am pushing myself to the limit today - both...
190
Vanessa May
- Nov 11, 2020
- 2 min
Sunsets are proof that endings can be beautiful
The airline attendant made the last call to board the flight out of NY Laguardia to Orlando. I was heading home after three days in the...
210
Vanessa May
- Nov 7, 2020
- 3 min
I went to bed feeling grateful my daughter had white skin
Four years ago I went to bed feeling grateful my daughter had white skin and that she looked like the poster image of an “All American”...
200
Vanessa May
- Oct 29, 2020
- 3 min
Every Action Ripples Across The Universe
One of my favorite stories is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. I cry every time I read it to my daughter and I once gifted it to my...
170
Vanessa May
- Oct 11, 2020
- 3 min
Teaching My Daughter About Feminism
One of my daughter's favorite shirts is a pink t-shirt with "Feminist Like Mom" printed on the front. I always want to empower her, I...
542
Vanessa May
- Sep 18, 2020
- 2 min
Comparison Will Leave You In Fear
I was sneaking in a spin workout between work and afternoon activities with my daughter. I sat sweating and thinking about topics for my...
383