Published inAbout Me Stories·PinnedMember-onlySurviving a Toxic FriendshipA story of recovery and growth with actionable takeaways — As a child, I became friends with a girl who would be the most abusive person I have encountered, to date, in my life. The mental and sometimes physical abuse started in elementary school. She wanted me to believe I was nothing without her. She succeeded. The Formation of a Toxic Friendship Toxic people unfortunately don’t…Relationships5 min readRelationships5 min read
Published inIn Fitness And In Health·PinnedMember-onlyYour Why Statement Can Be the Key to Weight Loss SuccessHow defining your why can help you stay the course after will power runs out — Every day thousands of people decide to go on a diet. The most recent numbers from the CDC measuring data from 2013–2016 found that 49.1% of adults tried to lose weight within the last 12 months. Let’s sit with that a minute, nearly 1/2 of the US population is trying…Self Improvement4 min readSelf Improvement4 min read
PinnedMember-onlyI’m Not the Wife I Planned To BeHow my vision of marriage evolved — I grew up in a traditional Appalachian household. My dad worked outside the home and my mom was a homemaker. She always kept a clean house and had dinner on the table when dad came in from work. Their setup worked for them. They had three kids, of which I’m…Life Lessons4 min readLife Lessons4 min read
Published inAbout Me Stories·PinnedMember-onlyAbout Me — Dr. Sarah Lyall-NealWife, dog mom, clinical psychologist, writer How do you even get started writing about yourself? As writers, we tend to want to stay behind the scenes letting our work speak for us. Stepping out front, at least for me, requires a degree of vulnerability. When I started planning this piece…About Me4 min readAbout Me4 min read
Published inIn Fitness And In Health·PinnedMember-onlySelf-Care is Vital for Weight LossHow to take control of your relationship with food — As a clinical health psychologist who works in a bariatric clinic, I speak with people who are trying to lose weight on a regular basis. One thing I often hear from my clients is they would like to improve their relationship with food, which is an excellent goal, but not…Health5 min readHealth5 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·Oct 8Member-onlyPoshmark for Beginners: Sourcing5 Tips for Sourcing Inventory for Resale — I started on Poshmark in June of 2023. I have always loved thrifting and decided to turn my hobby into a business. Since June, I have grossed over $1300 on Poshmark. Like many new Poshers, I grabbed myself a coffee and hit the thrift stores wide open to build my…Poshmark4 min readPoshmark4 min read
Published inKnow Thyself, Heal Thyself·Sep 13, 2022Member-onlyDon’t Sweat The Little ThingsWords of wisdom inspired by a couple of little bears — I was newly engaged and walking through an antique store with my mom when I stumbled across a little wedding bears figurine. Laughing, I picked it up and remarked to my mom about how the bears were wearing my wedding colors, blue and pink. I turned the figurine around in…Positivity4 min readPositivity4 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·Aug 9, 2022Member-onlyYou Can Still Afford To Eat Healthy FoodsIf inflation has gotten you down, don’t worry. Healthy eating is not off the table. — I’m not sure when it happened, a few months ago at least, I remember coming home from the grocery store shocked and in disbelief at how much my bill was. I checked the receipt looking for the outrageously priced item that inflated my bill. Unfortunately for me and so many…Healthy Lifestyle3 min readHealthy Lifestyle3 min read
Published inKoinonia·Apr 20, 2022Member-onlyJesus Didn’t Act in HasteWe shouldn’t eitherChristian1 min readChristian1 min read
Published inThe Orange Journal·Apr 11, 2022Member-onlyJumpstart Your Day In One Hour Or LessThe morning routine for non-morning people — If you’ve been around the self-help scene for more than ten minutes you have seen countless articles touting the benefits of getting up ungodly early to start your day. The 5 AM Club anyone? I’ve been sucked into the aesthetically pleasing youtube videos with the soft music playing in the…Morning Routines5 min readMorning Routines5 min read