Over a decade after losing my brother to suicide, I still wonder “Why him?” and grieve for what could have been. We need to be allowed those times, too. We need to say “Let me be angry.” “Let me have this pain.” “Let me find my way through it.” We must be allowed to be real and human. There is always work to be done.

These November affirmations are my tribute to a time of sacred intent and a token of my growing fondness for the journey that links all things. These affirmations are small decisions to carry on with the meaningful and often demanding work you feel called to do. To stay true to the process. To trust in what we love.

“The word blessing evokes a sense of warmth and protection; it suggests that no life is alone or unreachable.” As this Irish poet shows us, a blessing for transitions (of many kinds) can hold us, guide us, and show us that we don't have to go it alone. We are meant to help and be helped along the way.

Our wedding vows are an ode to the power of love, and friendship, and hope. Because that's how we make it through the difficult things. Our special day, like all I ever share here in writing, was a celebration of how far we’ve all come, and who we've chosen to become. I hope our wedding vows make you feel something.

The older I get, the more I feel that home is the place where your heart goes to rest. When you grieve the loss of someone you love, it can be hard to find that sense of home – because that someone you love was, in a way, your home. This grief poem is about rediscovering that sense of home again, right where you stand.

What if life is actually everything happening all at once, not compartmentalized and controlled but fluid and full, each task wed to another, each sadness and delight related? This poem is about that sense of wonderment and appreciation. Being in awe of everything is a kind of therapy, an active participation in life.

Letting yourself not just navigate this season, but seeing yourself as inherently part of that process is a radical way of looking at life. It changes almost, if not every single thing. It's a way to find your footing in the world and in this moment, a matter of forgiving yourself and the past enough to move forward.

Before anything else, it’s okay to admit you’re not perfect or good all the time. It’s okay to admit that some days, weeks, and seasons are much harder than others. Hiccups are part of life. So are you. When you feel as volatile as a storm, try using these affirmations for mood swings. So you can get on with your life.