Author Archives: amandab714

For a long time, I imagined that my story wasn’t worth telling.  Nothing major has happened, I’d tell myself.  Let the people who’ve overcome real hurdles, faced serious challenges, or slain major dragons be the ones to write the true … Continue reading →

A while back a friend of mine gave me a suggestion for a project she thought I’d do great with.  She gave me the genre.  She gave me the topic.  I took it and ran.  When I finished that novel, … Continue reading →

“No man is happy who does not think himself so.” — Publilius Syrus   via The Happiness Project, Moment of Happiness

I’d known my whole life about the strange coincidence involving the yahrzeits of my two grandmothers.  They died on the same day, ten years apart.  As the years went by, many more members of our family passed on the “18th.”  … Continue reading →

Here is an audio blog I just posted on my other site: The Thrivivalist – a site for those who want to live in a state of thriving, not just surviving.   It’s a reflection on how I came upon … Continue reading →

I had a lot of internal dialogue yesterday.  I have not yet, “made all the stadiums rock.”  A chorus of angels isn’t singing in glorious harmony because I am attempting to do all these things that I want to do. … Continue reading →

In 2006, a man named Colin Beavan initiated a challenge for himself and his small family. He endeavored to live in New York City with no net environmental impact.  He created a blog chronicling his attempt.  And the blog became a book…and … Continue reading →

It all started with an image of myself walking down the street in the middle of the day.  That was the sort of life I wanted.  I wanted my time to be my own.  I wanted to be the master … Continue reading →

In February, I was committed to inquiry. Why are there things in my life that make me less than happy?  And why are they still in my life?  Why are they making me unhappy?  And why can’t I seem to … Continue reading →