by AnnSheybani | May 12, 2014 | Alcoholic rules, Anne Lamott, Authenticity, connection, Courage, criticism, Cultural Issues, culture shock, dealing with criticism, grace, Honesty, identity, Iran, mistakes, Motivation, risk, Self-acceptance, sex, voice, vulnerability, Writing
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...
by AnnSheybani | Nov 25, 2013 | Betrayal, coaching, Courage, Cultural Issues, grace, guest post, identity, Iran, Life, life transitions, recovery, reinvention, route finding, Sahar Irwin, self-image, Starting Over
As you may know, I love a good Starting Over story. You know the kind: one minute you’re riding high, the next, you’re flat on your back wondering what hit you. What fears prevent you from letting go of your old life? What if they actually happened? ...
by AnnSheybani | Oct 21, 2013 | Authenticity, Betrayal, confrontation, connection, Courage, Cultural Issues, death, divorce, guilt, Honesty, husband, identity, Intimacy, Iran, Life, marriage, mixed marriages, risk, Self love, tension, voice
The summer I came back to the States, the fall I chose never to go back to Iran, I told myself that if I could just get away from my husband’s family, just gain a little control, then all my troubles would magically disappear. I understood that if I refused to go...
by AnnSheybani | Oct 13, 2013 | adventure, Authenticity, Boundaries, coaching, Codependency, Confidence, Daddy Hole, desire, Empty nest syndrome, expectations, extreem dependency, goals, Honesty, identity, Iran, Life, life transitions, marathon, mistakes, mountain climbing, nice girl complex, people pleasing, purpose, reinvention, risk, running, Self love, Starting Over, voice
Once upon a time I was an aimless girl who twisted herself into a little pretzel to win over a man. He was a decent man, with his own complexes and flaws, who led me down the primrose path into the Islamic Republic of Iran. This did not go well. As with any episode in...
by AnnSheybani | Sep 29, 2013 | Confidence, connection, George Sheehan, identity, Iran, Islamic modesty, Life, marathon, reinvention, running, Running to Win
In grade school, I was one of those kids, the kind no one picked for their team. Instead, I lurked on the sidelines with Arlene, a fragile girl with Bambi eyes, and Joanne, a chubby thing with an attitude problem. The trouble with me was that I refused to...
by AnnSheybani | Aug 13, 2013 | 10 Stupid Things WomenDo to Mess Up Their Lives, attachment, choosing a mate, connection, dating, expectations, Honesty, Iran, love, match profile, Match.com, misinterpretation, narcissism, personality disorder, Self love, Somerset Maugham, The Moon and Sixpence
I was talking to a girlfriend the other day and I was reminded of a painful lesson I had to learn, like, 2,347 times. Her lover had informed her that, if he had to choose between her and another, he would not choose her. She, of course, had gotten her feelings hurt....
