-
Continue reading →: Extending Grace Inward: The Forgotten Art of Self-CompassionToday, I’m thinking about the importance of being able to extend grace not only to others, but to ourselves as well. I was in a room full of educators for a professional development meeting a couple of days ago and we were asked to reflect on our recent job performance.…
-
Continue reading →: The Freedom in Understanding: Their Actions Reflect Them, Not YouAn ex told me a few days ago that our relationship “wasn’t right” for him. That there was “something better” out there for him than what we had. That our relationship taught him what he was looking for in a “marriage partner” and I didn’t measure up. Now that he…
-
Continue reading →: Trust Your Gut: A Solo Traveler’s Essential Safety Lesson at Ghost RanchThis past weekend, I had a lesson in the golden rule of solo travel: “if the vibes are off, get the f–k out.” On Wednesday, I flew into Denver, rented a car, and made a 6-hour trek south the the site of Ghost Ranch. Just outside Abiquiu, New Mexico, the…
-
Continue reading →: The Mountains and Me: A Love AffairI first ran away to the mountains when I was 21. I graduated college a semester early, and was unwilling to go home, but lacked the funds to live anywhere on my own for the months between graduation and Teach For America institute, which wasn’t until June. The summer before,…
-
Continue reading →: Topophilia: Embracing the Places That Shape UsFor many reasons, where we are from impacts the kind of people we are more than any of us would like to admit. I’m from a small town in the Hudson Valley, just north of New York City, called Poughkeepsie. The land had been home to Native Americans (primarily Wappinger…
-
Continue reading →: The Quiet Peace of ForgivenessNo, I don’t look back in anger, do you? A lyric from the new Djo song ‘Fly.’ I’ve been listening on repeat to the album all week, sullenly walking the streets of New York, trying to pretend I’m still cool even as there’s tears quietly sliding down my face. The…
-
Continue reading →: The Quiet Power of Platonic LoveI’ve been out on the road a lot lately, leaning into my nomadic instincts, running around from one city full of friends to the next. I suppose in some way I’m trying to find myself. And in others I’m trying to escape the sadness that comes from a closing chapter. …
-
Continue reading →: Why I TravelIt’s rainy and cold in New York today and I feel the desire to be somewhere else come on slowly. Work is getting overwhelming and so are the emotions that accompany the changing of the seasons. An instinctive feeling begins to form in my gut to let me know it’s…
-
Continue reading →: Solo Desert Hiking: What’s in my Bag?Disclaimer: When you purchase through links on this page, we may earn an affiliate commission. Are you planning a solo desert hiking trip in the American Southwest? Before heading into the sun-drenched landscape for days of exploration and reflection, make sure you’re properly equipped. As a seasoned desert hiker preparing…
-
Continue reading →: The Pursuit of Enough: On ‘Chasing Something’ in this LifeI was recently told, by someone I thought I respected, that it seemed like I wasn’t “chasing something.” This inspired reflection. First, of course, the obvious: What am I supposed to be chasing? I have lived most of my life in ‘survival mode’ for a litany of reasons that don’t…
Hello,
I’m Grace
Welcome to Fat Louie Diaries, my little corner of the internet dedicated to sharing my experiences, learnings, passions, and recs. Here, I invite you to join me on a journey of growth, evolution, and joy. Let’s get started!
