Tag Archives: inspiration

8 Little Ways To Deal With This Scary, Awful, Crappy Week

Winona Dimeo-EdigerApril 18, 2013 //
Free Ways To Feel Better
12 free, easy ways to improve your mental health! Read More »
Boston Marathon Bombing
Two explosions occurred near the finish line of the iconic race. Read More »
7 Signs Of Stress
Amanda Seyfried photo
Identify your stress with these 7 signs. Read More »
Find the light

First there was the horrific attack at the Boston Marathon, followed closely by news of multiple poison-laced letters sent to Washington, DC. Yesterday, we saw the Senate ignore the pleas of 90 percent of the population and vote to protect the NRA, and last night, we all watched as a fertilizer plant in Texas erupted in a deadly fireball. Even if you were nowhere near the actual disasters, chances are you’ve felt a great deal of fear, sadness, and confusion in recent days. It’s been a rough week, to say the least. The rest of The Frisky staff and I wanted to put together a list of small ways to help us all get through this intense time. Please feel free to add your own tips in the comment section, and here’s to a calmer weekend… Keep reading »

It’s Time To Cry: High School Brings Prom To Terminally Ill Student’s Hospital Room

Winona Dimeo-EdigerMarch 29, 2013 //
A night to remember

Katelyn Norman, a 14-year-old from Tennessee, suffers from an aggressive form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma. Last weekend, her doctors told her ”it has spread a lot, my cancer, and that it’s the beginning of the end of my days.” Katelyn wrote up a bucket list, which included attending her high school prom, and her school obliged, planning a prom especially for her that was set to take place on Tuesday evening.

Unfortunately, on the way to the dance, Katelyn experienced difficulty breathing and and had to be airlifted back to her room at Tennessee Children’s Hospital. Undeterred by the setback, Katelyn’s school brought prom to her: in a hospital room decorated with streamers, Katelyn’s date gave her a corsage, and she was presented with a “Prom Queen” sash. When Katelyn looked out the window, she saw hundreds of people from her community gathered in a vigil for her. “We just want to give her what she ain’t going to see,” says Katelyn’s mother. “Just try to fulfill what she wants to do, which isn’t much, but it’s something to her.” See a couple more pictures of Katelyn’s special night after the jump… Keep reading »

Love After Cancer
One writer talks about love after cancer. Read More »
Facebook Kidney Donors
A Facebook kidney match program is saving lives. Read More »
Mastectomy Tattoos
breast cancer mastectomy tattoos
Breast cancer survivors ink their stories on their chests. Read More »

10 Ways To Maintain A Long Distance Friendship

Winona Dimeo-EdigerMarch 28, 2013 //
Our LDR Worked
We made an LDR work from Australia to Connecticut. Read More »
Celeb BFFs!
These famous lady friendships warm our hearts. 21 Photos »
BFF Jewelry To Share
Unique ways to wear your friendship. 6 Photos »
I miss her already!

As you know, I’m moving from Portland to Nashville in a couple weeks (gulp). I’ve started selling most of my stuff and getting all the logistics figured out, and everything’s going pretty well so far. There’s one thing, though, that’s been weighing on me since I began the process of relocating my life: I’m freaking out about leaving my best friend, Katelyn.

We met during college at Portland State and have been inseparable ever since. Currently, we see each other at least two or three times a week, and while we’re pretty good at talking on the phone too, the thought of putting thousands of miles between us is daunting to say the least. Since Ami gave me such great advice about moving, I thought I’d ask my Frisky coworkers for advice on how to make a long distance friendship work. It turns out that Jessica, especially, has a lot of experience in this arena, with friends scattered all over the globe. Read on for their top 10 LDF tips, and please share your own experiences and advice in the comments! Keep reading »

Girl Talk: On The Importance Of Being Alone

Winona Dimeo-EdigerJanuary 22, 2013 //
Living Alone Rocks
Seven things you'll miss out on by not living alone at least once! Read More »
Mental Health Days
In praise of mental health days. Read More »
Traveling Alone
Why one woman prefers to travel the world -- solo. Read More »

I work from home, so I spend a lot of time alone. Eight hours a day, actually, and often more than that. I miss having coworkers (especially because my Frisky coworkers are so freakin’ awesome), but my ADD makes it really hard to get anything–especially writing–done anywhere other than a totally controlled, calm environment. When I tell people about my work schedule, they usually say something like, “I can’t believe you spend all day alone. I would go crazy.”

“Thank you,” I say stoically. “It’s hard sometimes, but it’s really good for me.” And then I go back to debating the finer points of gun control with my quesadilla.

Spending so much time alone led me to the logical conclusion that I’m pretty good at being alone. I mean, not everyone can work all by themselves day after day, right? I figured that made me some kind of professional loner. But recently I realized that maybe there’s more to this whole “being alone” thing than the hours you put into it, and maybe I’m still learning how to truly be alone. Keep reading »

Cuba’s Plus-Size Dance Troupe Is Breaking Stereotypes, Opening Minds

Winona Dimeo-EdigerDecember 27, 2012 //
6 Reasons To Take A Dance Class
Seriously, you've gotta try it. Read More »
Lulu The Plus Size Stripper
Lulu the plus size pole dancer
Lulu the plus size stripper is my spirit animal. Read More »
Dance!
This person dances like no one is watching. Watch »
"I needed more opportunities to perform."

Cuban dancer and choreographer Juan Miguel Mas used to belong to a traditional dance troupe, but he rarely made it on stage because of his weight. “I created a character for myself to play, Giant Baby, and that was the first and only time I was allowed on stage,” he says. “I needed more opportunities to perform.” In 1996, he’d decided he’d had enough, and created Danza Voluminosa, a dance troupe especially for people who didn’t fit the mold of traditional dancers. Mas’ goal wasn’t just to use larger people to recreate the same old dance moves; he wanted to “create an aesthetic starting from their bodies that were more soft, more wide.” Keep reading »

8 Ways To Handle The Holiday Blues

Winona Dimeo-EdigerNovember 29, 2012 //
Fave Holiday Movies
Our nine fave holiday films -- what are yours? 10 Photos »
Free Ways To Feel Better
12 free, easy ways to improve your mental health! Read More »
Holiday breakup?
sex
Here's your survival guide. Read More »
I feel you, girl.

The bloating of Thanksgiving and the bloodshed of Black Friday are behind us, and now Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s celebrations are ahead of us. It’s the most joyous time of the year, right? You’re ridiculously happy and emotionally stable right now, aren’t you? Not so much? Yeah, me neither. For one thing, we’re down to about three hours of cold, gray daylight every day. Seriously, yesterday I thought I’d pop out for a walk at the reasonable time of 3:45, but it was already so dark I would have needed one of those spelunking headlamps to safely navigate my neighborhood streets. At the risk of sounding like an emo poem I wrote in 7th grade, constant darkness outside is enough to make me feel constantly dark inside.

Whether it’s family drama, bad weather, relationship problems, financial issues, cabin fever, or some crappy combination of all of the above, a lot of people I know are having a rough time right now. How can you navigate the hyper-joyful holiday seasons when you’re not feeling so merry yourself? Well, here are 8 things to try… Keep reading »

10 Ways To Make Holiday Travel A Little More Fabulous

Winona Dimeo-EdigerNovember 21, 2012 //
Be More Fabulous
25 teeny tiny ways to be more fabulous. Read More »
Dos & Don'ts: Airport Style
What to wear (and what not to wear) to catch a flight. 10 Photos »
Single For The Holidays?
How to survive. Read More »
Ready to go?

The phrase “holiday travel” instantly conjures up images of endless lines, delayed flights, cranky babies, and even crankier adults. We know that taking a trip during the hectic holiday season will never be the easiest endeavor, but there’s no reason you can’t make the experience a bit less hellish, and a bit more fabulous (yes, really!). Here are 10 simple ways to make your holiday journey the best it can be…. Keep reading »

6 Reasons To Take A Dance Class, Like, Right Now

Winona Dimeo-EdigerNovember 13, 2012 //
Dance!
This person dances like no one is watching. Watch »
Celeb Dancers
These famous actors started out as dancers! 10 Photos »
10 Ways To Love Your Body
It's the perfect time to show your bod some love! Read More »
Seriously, try it!

As much as I love to rock out in my car and throw my hands in the air like I just don’t care at concerts, I’ve always operated under the assumption that I can’t dance. I have vaguely fond memories of a brief stint in ballet as a preschooler, but the only other dance experience I’ve had was a tap class in junior high. It took place in a barn (gotta love small towns) and the teacher spent the entire time mocking my technique and trying to get me to join her church’s youth group. I quit after one class, and never really danced again.

That all changed this weekend. My best friend, who also happens to be a dance teacher, put on an introductory dance workshop for people just like me, so I went, and I danced, and I absolutely loved it. Here are six reasons I’m itching to take another dance class, and why I think you should join me… Keep reading »

Watch This: Three Minutes Of Beautiful Inspiration

Winona Dimeo-EdigerOctober 19, 2012 //
You Are Beautiful
Here are 50 reasons why. Read More »
Beautiful "Imperfections"
What quirks set YOU apart? Read More »
10 Ways To Love Your Body
It's the perfect time to show your bod some love! Read More »
"Express yourself. Often, kindly, and without apology."

Feeling down? Struggling with body image issues? Stuck in a cycle of self criticism? Just generally in need of a potent dose of inspiration? Check out this video, “On Real Beauty,” a collection of gorgeous portraits paired with 10 simple, powerful pieces of advice for the beautiful, unique woman you are. [YouTube via Upworthy]

A Well-Deserved Medal For Kicking Cancer’s Ass

Winona Dimeo-EdigerOctober 17, 2012 //
Love After Cancer
One writer talks about love after cancer. Read More »
Celeb Breast Cancer Survivors
Celebrity women who have survived breast cancer. Read More »
Kellie Shaves Her Head
To support a friend undergoing chemotherapy. Beautiful. Read More »
Cancer Wife
cancer wife photo
On being "that young guy with cancer's wife." Read More »

Boing Boing co-editor Xeni Jardin was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and started treatment–a brutal trifecta of chemo, surgery, and radiation–in January. When she finally finished, her friend Michael mentioned that she deserved a medal for her accomplishment. And then he made her one, complete with an inscription declaring her the winner of the “Poison, Cut, Burn Tri.” Jardin was thrilled: “I want to give one to everyone I meet who makes it through to a similarly meaningful milestone in their cancer treatment,” she says. “This is so much better than a pink ribbon.” Keep reading »

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