If you’ve ever wondered, “What do I DO with my tiny stories?” this is one way of using them! I recorded “What’s a Legacy Box?” on my podcast, Intentional Documentary, in 2018. The episode gave some context advocating for legacy boxes and a lot of people have been inspired to create a Legacy Box since […]

Preface Before I tell you about your kids’ storyline and our young lumberjack, please think about your own unique gifts and talents for a moment. Make a short list. When did you discover them? How did you discover them? Who encouraged you to explore your interests? Was it your parents? School? A friend? Or did […]

Levi’s had one of those rough & extra wild mornings today. We made a plan as he ate breakfast and took his medication: 1. Turn a movie or music on the iPad and clean your room a bit. (There’s choking hazards for Tripp, our dog, on the floor—popped balloons from big sister’s birthday).  2. Then, […]

I have to share a story from the book, Chasing Daylight: How My Forthcoming Death Transformed My Life by Eugene O’Kelly. Eugene O’Kelley (Gene in the book) was living his life as a corporate guy in a big time accounting firm. He was in his early fifties and in wonderful health, until he wasn’t. Somewhat out of the blue, doctors […]

The most meaningful pictures of your life aren’t about the pictures. They’re about the stories within the pictures.  How do I know this? Why listen to me? I’ve spent the past 6 years dissecting the stories within the work of photographers from around the world and have published over 300 recorded stories on this very […]

2021 is your year for meaningful connection. A whole year dedicated to small acts of making others feel seen, loved, and valued. All year long, people say to you, “You made my day! 🥰”  How does THAT goal feel? Think about it:  By the end of the 2021, alongside cultivating your other goals and plans […]

When my daughter was born in 2011, a friend suggested I do a 365 project for the first year of her life. Meaning, make one photo a day of our world until she turns one. Brilliant! I’d never picked up the camera before, but had a small DSLR camera and knew how to push the […]

You’re making stories in your home everyday. Even if this home is an “in-between” home on your way to your next home, there’s tiny stories everywhere that give this season (this home!) meaning. Here’s an exercise to unearth the stories about a past home or your current home: Write a letter to the next occupant […]

Is there anything better than receiving mail? 💌 Especially when it’s unexpected & more than a “love, X” on a Hallmark card? In an effort to be better on sending mail, I created a mail station. Wanna see? There’s so many times where the intention was there, but I didn’t have the materials (the card, […]

In 2002, I returned to Camp Copneconic’s 6th grade camp program as a volunteer high school camp counselor. For 5 days of crisp, Michigan October days, we were free from school and led small groups of 6th graders to and from their camp classes. On the cusp of graduating and “starting my life,” I was in total awe of the […]