Carli Brezinka

Without adversity, we can’t become who we’re meant to be. Who our loved ones need us to be. It stretches us out of our old self and into the new. It expands our edges and transforms us from the inside out.

Turns out this self-development work is not for the faint of heart. It takes grit and determination, patience and vulnerability. It’s not uncommon to want to quit and revert to the old you, the safe you, the surface level you. In the world of self-development, we call this “playing small.”

“I spent a lot of years trying to outrun or outsmart vulnerability by making things certain and definite, black and white, good and bad. My inability to lean into the discomfort limited the fullness of those important experiences that are wrought with uncertainty: Love, belonging, trust, joy and creativity to name a few.” -Brené Brown

So, what are you listening to? Your head or your heart? How do you make decisions when it comes to the important stuff? When it comes to love, forgiveness, grace, or taking a leap of faith? What lens do you choose to look through? Is your pride the one calling the shots? Does your ego drive your life? Is it fear that keeps you playing small? Or, is it love?

When God so clearly tells you to do something, you do it. Here’s to a life fully-lived, not merely lived-through.

Brené Brown says it like this: “When we have the courage to walk into our story and own it, we get to write the ending. And when we don’t own our stories of setbacks and hurt—they own us.”

I will never know why some things happen, life is mysterious like that, but what I’m finding to be true is this: the best thing to hold onto in this beautiful, broken, sometimes overwhelming world, is each other. 

On behalf of my brother and I, I want to thank each and every one of you who came out to celebrate our dad. You all know he’s bummed he’s missing the party... 

As Zooey Deschanel said, "I'm a person who gets better with practice. Getting older is awesome because you get more practice." I can relate - big time. Here are 6 things I would tell my younger, doe-eyed, slightly immature, naive self.

I want to give my time, counsel and attention to the people I’ve chosen to walk beside. 100% of it, not just 10% because I’m busy running around like a chicken with my head cut off doing things that won’t reeeally matter in the end.

This break up is going to teach you things about yourself that you would have never learned otherwise. When you come out of this, you won't be the same person you were walking in. There's a method to the madness. It's quite beautiful, really.

Summer is over and just like that, we're onto a new chapter, a new season. Summer '17 is one I won't forget. A summer of reevaluating, restructuring and reprioritizing. 

“Somebody ought to tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit every minute of every day. Do it, I say, whatever you want to do, do it now.” — Michael Landon

I recently conducted a little bedroom makeover and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. I wanted simplicity and to clean out the clutter. 

In the midst of our five-dollar lattes, keeping up with the Kardashians and updating our Facebook statuses, we tend to forget what’s really important.

Some of the greatest, most life-shaping things I’ve experienced have come from earth-shattering, ground-breaking, I-did-not-plan-for-this type of change. I’m what you could call a champion of change. I encourage it. I’m energized by it. I embrace it.

Today was the last straw. Today I decided to change the way I've been living.

One thing I'm trying to do this year is take time at the end of each month to reflect on the last thirty-some days. I'm often running from one event to the next and let me tell you, it can be mind-numbing. This monthly diary is my way of putting it all down on paper.

A recipe that has become a staple at my Christmas parities is my Cranberry Lime Rum Punch. It's fresh, festive and super easy to make. And since I just so happen to be in a cheery mood, I thought I'd share it with you all.

I was out to dinner with some girlfriends when I got the text: "We need to talk." Which is honestly the worst sentence ever. 

Whether you're throwing a backyard party or bringing a dish meant to impress your mother-in-law, this recipe is perfect. It's refreshing, crisp and the combination of sweet and salty is hard to beat.

In efforts to celebrate International Women's Day, here are some funny/brave/wise words from today's leading comedic ladies. From Miss Poehler to the hilarious Mindy, prepare to laugh (and learn).

Luxury, to me, has always been more of a feeling and less about status. Luxury, to me, has always been accompanied by moments that remind me just how blessed I am.

I thank God He didn’t give me the things I thought I wanted– needed, even. That house, that guy, that job.

The thought of throwing a party can be a little overwhelming but don't worry sweet girl, we’re here to help.

As women we’re asked to be independent but selfless, sexy but well-behaved, family-focused but career-driven, strong but nurturing. A real life cellulite-fighting Betty Crocker who is clothed with strength, dignity and Christian Louboutin pumps.

The best kind of people are always the friends that feel more like family. Jobs change, relationships end and sometimes the place we call home isn’t always the same, but none of that really matters when the people do.

Maybe you’re not a big coffee drinker or hit snooze a dozen times. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are 5 ways to start your morning.

What I like best about his words is the light they shine on a situation. They serve as the silver lining, the realization of a blessing you didn't know you had until you were saying goodbye.

In todayʼs world of status updates and tweeting from across the table, we donʼt always realize the significance of a moment until we scroll past it on our newsfeed.