Sweat was pouring down my face — my body’s tearful response to being expected to work out in a 105-degree room. To my left and to my right, a room full of other sweat-stained individuals contorted their bodies into one strange pose after another. It was the same 26 poses every class but no matter how much I seemed to “know what was coming” — there were always moments where I questioned my sanity for having returned to the mat.

As I willed my body to keep moving, Chae, my favorite instructor, made a simple provocation to her students.

“What…

I didn’t know who the rising country star, Morgan Wallen, was until three days ago. My best friend sent me a screenshot of a Facebook post from someone we went to high school with. I’ll call her Amber. Amber wrote “2020 has done enough. You WILL NOT TAKE MORGAN WALLEN #myn**a.”

Yes, she used that hashtag. No, she did not use asterisks.

As I googled, I learned Morgan came under fire when TMZ leaked a video of him pulling up to his Tennessee home with a group of friends. He is heard shouting to a friend, “Hey, take care of…

Most writers feel a gnaw to write; an impulse to put words to life’s curiosities; ironic happenings; and collective experiences.

But sharing our writing with the world can wage an emotional toll on us. And doing so without the promise of financial gain causes many writers to either keep the best of their work tucked away or the most interesting of their stories unwritten.

This is not because writers write to become rich. Yet, it’s natural to wonder, “why bother?” if you’re not seeing financial inroads or a quickly growing audience.

If you find yourself struggling to keep writing and…

Every time I read or hear “find your niche” I lose another ounce of entrepreneurial verve.

And there is no shortage of when this advice is offered. Whether it’s about which creative endeavor to choose, which business idea to pursue, or how to “win” on social media — going deep in a chosen area is extolled over going wide.

That is not to say I disagree with the advice. After working in Marketing for a decade, I understand there is pressure to sum up who you are and what you offer in a concise way.

My issue is that I…

At the end of 2019, I decided I had too much of corporate America.

Too many days spent in back-to-back meetings.

Too many presentations to get stakeholders to “buy-in” to something that some exec had already “strongly suggested” that my team do.

Too many hours beholden to work I cared little about.

As a result, I did not let my casual interest in writing become an active player in my life.

And so, after a years-worth of deliberation, I left corporate to figure out how to, well, “be a creative.”

But what does being a creative even mean?

I describe…

I have a group of seven close girlfriends, six of which — including myself — are single. As an educated, attractive, and good-natured lot — we occasionally joke that our crew must’ve been cursed.

(Because, despite loving our lives, it is still natural for a group of 30-something year-old singles who desire marriage and kids to think singledom is some sort of supernatural evil afflicted on those mistaken as witches or serpents.)

While said in jest, the idea of being cursed illustrates a deep-seated vulnerability for many single women. …

After the 2020 Experiment threw many of my plans out the window — I decided to steer clear of making 2021 New Year’s resolutions. However, if not resolutions, then what?

The answer I’ve found is — vision boards.

A vision board is a collage of images, words, and other creative elements that encompass the feelings and dreams you wish to create. By moving your desires from your mind to material form, you get clearer on your intentions. …

Save at least six months’ worth of money.

Start the business on the side.

Have a fool-proof plan.

There are many creatives and entrepreneurs who, on stages or the internet, tell us how to properly prepare to quit our jobs. Saddled with hindsight, these individuals’ advice espouses the “shoulds” of a leap well-planned and not the “dids” of how their own journey panned out.

One year ago, I left corporate America to pursue my path towards freedom and creative bliss. …