Crowdsourcing

By: Gabriela Yareliz “Forget what your mom thought was important for you. To hell with what your first boss said you should be. Get really clear on being the person YOU approve of and want to be.” Tara Schuster I have this syndrome where I often react adversely to what other people think, but IContinue reading “Crowdsourcing”

Pruning

By: Gabriela Yareliz One thing I am really bad at is pruning plants. I mean who prunes them when they grow in the wild, right? But apparently, animals do. They nibble at twigs and leaves, and the wind helps blow off what is dead. For household plants and garden plants, you must prune. And it’sContinue reading “Pruning”

Collective

By: Gabriela Yareliz The events of the past few months– actually days– need to be acknowledged. Every day, we collectively live out history. Listen, I tried to get something at the bank today and couldn’t because of the Microsoft system meltdown. People can’t get out of Milwaukee because of grounded flights. Every day is aContinue reading “Collective”

The Slap Heard Around the World

By: Gabriela Yareliz #GifleMacron is trending. It was the slap heard around the world. My jaw almost hit the floor, last night, when I saw the video of the French President being slapped on his tour to “take the pulse” of the nation before next year’s presidential election. Mission accomplished? Twitter in on fire withContinue reading “The Slap Heard Around the World”

Freedom

By: Gabriela Yareliz “Deep down we all know that freedom is a choice, yet so many of us don’t feel that truth.” Beth Kempton, Freedom Seeker: Live More. Worry Less. Do What You Love. This season is made for reflection. As the year 2020 was ending yesterday, I saw an overview of the year thatContinue reading “Freedom”

A Gift is Arriving

By: Gabriela Yareliz One can’t help but wonder where 2021 will take us. Many of us are still tracking 2020 packages and wondering where the time went, this holiday season. Time was a finicky thing, this year. I am always fascinated by the passage of time. When it feels fast; when it feels slow. TheContinue reading “A Gift is Arriving”

Erwin McManus: The Futurist

By: Gabriela Yareliz Erwin McManus is one of my favorite thought leaders. He is a pastor, philosopher, writer and futurist. I identify so much with how he communicates Jesus and authentic faith living. Born in El Salvador, McManus has overcome so much. Christ found him, and since then, he has dedicated his life to sharingContinue reading “Erwin McManus: The Futurist”

The Strength for Some Madness

By: Gabriela Yareliz My boyfriend is very gifted and artistic— it really shines when it comes to food. He makes things that are so delicious but also knows how to present them on a plate. He can make sparkling water next-level, you know what I mean? He found this show on Netflix called Chef’s TableContinue reading “The Strength for Some Madness”

A Lesson on Father’s Day

By: Gabriela Yareliz Father’s Day and Mother’s Day are often avoided by people who have experienced childhood trauma. Some people have experienced pain caused by one or both parents, so they distance themselves from the holiday and deeper yet, from the person it celebrates. Father’s Day isn’t a holiday I like to embrace. Sometimes, itContinue reading “A Lesson on Father’s Day”

An Uncomfortable Topic

By: Gabriela Yareliz A scene keeps playing over and over again, in my head. Summer of 2009, I visited France and did a stage with the French government. We were living in a small French mariner village. I gathered with young people from around the world (whom I love— friends for life), and what weContinue reading “An Uncomfortable Topic”