The 6 Pillars of Self Esteem

When I was younger, I used to look to others, mostly men, to rescue me. I was convinced that, if left to my own devices, I would make some horrible mistake and screw up my life permanently.  I had no idea who I was, what I wanted or needed, or how I felt about much of...

The Words I Wish I’d Heard Upon Graduating From College

I love this time of year.  All those motivating commencement speeches cropping up on the Internet.  I can’t remember a single word that was said when I graduated with my B.S. in 1985.  I do, however, remember the commencement speech at Harvard when I received my...

Are You Hiding in Your Closet?

So, imagine my surprise when I came across this TedX Talk by Ash Beckman, a lovely woman I met at the Breadloaf Writers’ Conference a few years back.  At the time, she was working on composing this very story. At the time, I didn’t understand her...

Shock and Awe

This week I was asked an interview question that really got me thinking: “Much of your writing is deeply personal and provocative; some of it seems almost intended to shock. Is there a cost for being so forthright?” A lot of us who choose to write memoir or personal...