Hi! I'm Terri

I always thought self-righteous meant someone else — smug, certain, intolerant. Turns out the word fit me too, just not the way I expected. Here's the verdict I didn't see coming, and two practices that loosen its grip.

I just added a summer home. It's called Wired for Growth and it lives on Substack. Here's your invitation to be there from the beginning.

One hard season doesn't define someone's true colors. Let's think differently about what we think we know about others — and ourselves.

Wayne Dyer said it best: don't pole-vault over mouse turds. If you're a driven person who overthinks, overanalyzes, and still can't find the starting line, this one's for you.

I thought free classes were a no-brainer. Turns out free isn't free — and dropping out was the best decision I made all year.

A two-minute Toastmasters speech changed how I think about do-overs. Here's what I realized when I finally stopped wishing I could go back.

My coach said something about FOMO that stopped me cold — and I haven't thought about it the same way since. Here's what I learned, plus what happened when I put it to the test in South Africa.

Not all discomfort leads to growth — some just leads to depletion. Here's how to tell the difference between a productive stretch and an energy drain.

I used to be so proud of not yelling at my kids. But I realized—not yelling didn't make me calm. It just made me a tightly wound spring. My kids could feel every ounce of that frustration I was trying to push down. Because you can't fake energy.

The sentences you repeat shape what your brain believes is possible. Learn how simple phrase swaps can open the door to action, growth, and new results.

What happens when we start hating people for hating? A reflection on protest, politics, and how thinking differently might be the only way out of our growing divide.

I've never been a "big sinner," so the word repentance always felt confusing—until I discovered what it actually means. Turns out, I've been repenting daily for years without realizing it. Here's how changing your thinking is the truest form of repentance.

If the word “goals” makes you uncomfortable, you’re not alone. Here’s a gentler, nervous-system-friendly way to make progress—without pressure, perfectionism, or yearly overwhelm.

Holiday gatherings can turn shared memories into debates. This post explores how perspective—not being right—can bring more peace and connection this season.

When I got anxious, I didn’t reach for food—I reached for the mop. I had no idea I was cleaning my way around the truth God was trying to show me.

Truth doesn’t force itself on us—it waits. When I finally stopped resisting what was true about me, I found more peace, freedom, and curiosity than I ever expected.

Siblings raised in the same home can still see life in completely different ways. Here’s why — and how curiosity can change the game.

Ever feel like you’ve lost touch with who you really are? This post dives into how we pile on layers of false labels—and how to uncover the masterpiece beneath them.

People-pleasing isn’t kindness—it’s self-abandonment. Here’s how to break free, set boundaries, and build real connection without fear.

Ever feel like being liked is running your life? I learned a lot about this from peaches 🍑—and how people pleasing can steal your energy.

Ever get stuck in that endless loop of: “Should I? Shouldn’t I? What if I regret it?” You weigh every angle. You draft mental pros and...

Struggling to carry all your burdens alone? Discover how I stopped trying to fix everything myself and started walking with Jesus.

Struggling to carry all your burdens alone? Discover how I stopped trying to fix everything myself and started walking with Jesus.

The other day in church, I was stumbling through the harmony line of a hymn (no surprise there). I’ve never been much of a songbird—my...

I didn’t even realize I did this until a few years ago. Someone in my family would casually mention something they wanted—maybe a new...

Image credit: Sydney Fielding Let’s talk about a sneaky source of unnecessary suffering: judging your past self for what you didn’t know at the time. It sounds obvious, right? But we do it all the time. We say things like: “I should’ve known better.” “Why was I so impatient?” “What kind of mom reacts like that?!” And we pile on the shame after we’ve gained new information—information we didn’t have access to in the moment. Here’s what I want to offer: What if the on

I used to wish I could go back. Back to the body I used to have. Back to the ease in certain relationships. Back to the “good old days.”...

Now, be honest — how many of you wanted to correct the title of this blog post to “I Am Well,” thanks to your well-meaning third grade...

If you’ve spent your life cheering everyone else on, clearing obstacles, and basically running your own one-person pit crew for the...

What do you call someone who can go from 0 to 60 in 2.3 seconds meeting everyone else's demands — often before they even ask? Someone so busy making sure the world keeps spinning that she forgets she’s the one getting dizzy? Answer: Probably you. It’s a funny (but not-so-funny) thing we do. We tell ourselves it’s just who we are—helpful, reliable, productive. We take pride in it. Until we don’t. Until we’re exhausted, resentful, and wondering why no one is taking care o

We’ve all been there: standing at the crossroads, paralyzed by the endless possibilities. Whether it’s picking out a new outfit, deciding...

There’s a moment I wish I could take back. It started as lighthearted teasing, but before I knew it, my words had turned sharp. What was...

Setting boundaries isn’t about controlling others. It’s about defining what you will and won’t tolerate and taking action to protect your...

"When you argue with reality, you lose, but only 100% of the time." ~ Byron Katie I love this quote, but let’s be honest—it...

I didn’t make it. I set a goal for 100 intentional, deep-listening conversations by the end of 2024—and fell miserably short. In the...

Does the word “goal” make you cringe a little? It used to for me. The word drummed up methods and expectations that didn’t feel right for...

Confession time. I stink at asking for what I want. I’ve also been guilty of expecting others to be mind readers, although I didn’t...

Can you think of a powerful, side-effect-free remedy for both stress and pain—and it’s something you already have access to? There are...

What happens when we decide to put that manual down and accept people as they are? Spoiler alert: it feels amazing… eventually. In my...

Ever catch yourself thinking, “They should know better” or “He shouldn’t act like that”? That, my friend, is the sound of your manual...

If my kids see this, they’ll likely question my honesty about the title. And I get it. When I first heard the concept of B- work, I...

All-or-nothing thinking is sneaky —it can creep into our daily lives, shaping how we perceive not just ourselves but also our beliefs...

Have you ever spent hours mentally rehearsing the perfect response to a misunderstanding? Or found yourself drained from defending your...

It’s fascinating to be in midlife and still discovering new things about myself. I recently completed a program that focused on personal...

Ever had a friend like Rachel who claims to be “besties” with someone, but you know it’s not mutual? Truth bomb: Relationships are shaped...

Emotions shape every decision we make and every action we take-or avoid. Today, we wrap up our enlightening series on emotions with a...

I’ve had my fair share of shunning emotions, and my initial attempts at processing them were just as rocky. If you’re an analytical...

Can avoiding emotions lead to addiction? This is a question many of us might not have considered, but it's an important one to explore....

Have you ever had someone criticize something you said or did, and you immediately snapped back with a reason or excuse? Maybe you even...

A major cost of shunning emotions is a lack of peace. Think of a toddler pulling on your leg for attention, a colleague pushing for a...