Hi, I’m Carie. I write for myself, and others, about navigating these times.
Words I highlighted today
It’s rough out there. But if you’re here and reading this — I have zero doubt that you’re here for a reason, you’re here with a purpose, and you were built for these times.
On surrender
Today I reflected on a way I learned to create new patterns in my life as it relates to anxiety, sharing a simple practice I started 10+ years ago. I also included some links as to what science says about this God Box practice. And, read to the end, because once again the universe humbled me today, giving me a situation that’s largely out of my control. Simple practices, but dang it — never easy.
I did a thing
Once upon a time, I typed these words on my website: Please text or email — my brain connects only to my typing fingers.
So, the fact that I verbally shared my story this afternoon is a big deal.
Promise, kept
Keeping promises to others is easy. Keeping promises you make to yourself — well, I’m learning and growing and doing a much better job of it. But today it made me grumpy. ;)
Carie B Was Here
I’m not afraid of failure. The proof? I still try to take pics of the moon.
I already wrote today
I wrote this morning but have no energy to share it. So here are some moments I noticed during the last few months of the year.
Choices
2025 showed us, again, just how much the world needs our best selves to show up. The world is counting on us to do so. We express our best selves when we find harmony in our own experiences. When we are constantly acting out life from an extreme stress response, we create more chaos.
Some thoughts on ways we might choose to show up, a little differently.
How do you catch an elephant?
I told a crass joke at Grandma’s memorial. My family put me up to doing it right after she died. I thought it would be hilarious so I agreed. I didn’t think too much about it. Until, of course, I ascended the steps and stood behind the pulpit of a church where I spent my formative years and had second thoughts.
Tribute to my grandmama
My grandma died on Nov. 26, 2025. Today, our family is celebrating her life. Here’s something I wrote about her a few years ago, about Why I Write. It’s largely becaue of her!
Still here
To keep a promise you make to yourself is so healing. And, so hard. I’ve spent a lot of life toggling between holding myself with kid’s gloves and dishing out tough love.
I’m (still) learning.
To Do
Today my creative energy went toward a video I created for my friend, to confess how I shipped her Christmas gift to my own address. She said I get to be a Kentucky fan now because the blue suits me (but I can’t get a paw print tramp stamp until they win the national championship DANG IT).
So I’m sharing a To Do list I wrote on this day in 2023.
A Planet to Remember (a Santa story)
Behold! My first published story circa 1986. I was in 5th grade. Funny how aliens & Care Bears remain super on brand for me as an adult.
Favorite Blonde
There, in the middle of an end cap display of room temperature prebiotic sodas was a single can of beer:
The moral of the story? What you seek you shall find. But you might find it where you least expect it.
It takes all kinds
One afternoon, I walked out of a trampoline park with a friend.
We both walked out and exclaimed some variation on the themes of Oh My Gawd.
I was surprised to learn that she’d exclaimed due to a pile of trash in the middle of the parking lot. My eyes were distracted by a beautiful sunset.
Without her, I’d have for sure stepped in someone’s leftover McDonald’s.
Without me, she’d have missed a glorious Colorado sunset.
We need each other. Don’t forget that.
TL/DR: You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be
Life can be so funny. You can feel so far out of alignment from where your ego mind believes you ought to be. Things can be so quiet in life, for days, months, even years. You can be on the brink of losing faith, of believing you’ve taken far too many wrong turns to even consider that you’re still on your highest and best path, then WHAM.
You find yourself at a Starbucks, far from home, and the universe reminds you that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.