Melissa Schlies – Page 11 – Melissa Schlies

On Learning How to Fight Racism as a White Person

Recently someone on twitter asked writers what is one thing they are really good at that their readers may not know. In the moment, I couldn’t think of anything, so I kept scrolling. But later I realized, because of all the words I share, you may not know—I am a really good listener. Listening, for me is like a superpower. Not that I always do it perfectly. But for some reason, there is something about me that makes people feel comfortable sharing information about their lives with me. Especially, if they don’t know me at all. The first time I [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-05-31T20:08:36+00:00June 1st, 2020|Categories: Courage, Fear, Racism|Comments Off

Creativity—Why even Try?

This post was originally slated for March, but then the Pandemic hit. Today, as we begin to open our world back up, it feels like a good time to revisit the topic of Creativity. As now, more than ever, we may need to be creative. A few years ago, Tony and I went to our first Michelin Star restaurant—by accident. We were on our dream trip to Tuscany, and we were late getting back into the town where we were staying. Online, I’d found three possible places for us to eat, but when we went to the first two, there were [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-05-27T12:59:19+00:00May 28th, 2020|Categories: Beauty, Calling, Courage, Creativity, Habit Making, Health, perseverance, Self Care|Comments Off

Remembering Our Warriors on Memorial Day

"Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die.” —G. K. Chesterton Today, in the US, we celebrate all those who have given their lives for our country. Namely, we honor all the men and women in our military who bravely fought to protect us, and never came home. However, this year, our country has fought a war unlike anything our generation has ever known. This year, war has come right up to our doorstep. The enemy, unseen, has inflicted our most vulnerable. It’s infiltrated our most [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-05-24T21:27:52+00:00May 25th, 2020|Categories: Courage, Freedom, grief|Comments Off

Three Screen-less Self Care Practices for the Pandemic Weary

Last week, for the first time in months, I went to see three people I love. There were birthdays and graduations to celebrate, so I dropped off gifts at each of their door steps. We kept our distance. Masks were worn. And—it was harder than I thought it would be. Where I expected my visits to be like little reunions, a sadness hung in the air. We couldn’t hug like we normally do. Almost everything we talked about related to how the virus has changed our lives. And being together—at a distance—was good, but strange. We kept our distance. Masks [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-05-27T12:57:24+00:00May 21st, 2020|Categories: Anxiety, Lead, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Practice, Routines, Self Care, Social Distancing|Comments Off

Are You Too Feeling Pandemic Weary?

Over the past few weeks, Tony and I have begun a new, unintentional ritual. Every morning, just as we sit down to pray before starting our day, I look at him. He looks at me. And we say, “It’s another day.” Then at least one of us (usually me), lets out a rather large sigh. Because it’s one more day of social distancing, one more day of shelter in place, and one more day of not knowing how long this will last. And all of this is getting terribly heavy to carry. The worrying about loved ones, the concern over [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-05-15T18:41:01+00:00May 18th, 2020|Categories: Habit Making, Mental Health, perseverance, Self Care, Social Distancing|Comments Off

To The Class of 2020, & The Lessons We’re All Learning

When the clock strikes Midnight on January 1, 2021, all of us are going to feel like the class of 2020. Collectively, we will feel like we survived the most widespread trial of our time—with all the politics and conspiracies that went with it. And, if we’re in a better place (Lord, we pray), we will feel like we’re graduating from one of the most challenging years of our lives. But right now, in May, academically speaking, the real Class of 2020 deserves their due. As many of you know by now, I was a youth pastor for over seven [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-05-13T23:50:41+00:00May 14th, 2020|Categories: Acceptance, Adulting, Change, Courage, Hope, Lead, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Success|Comments Off

Can We Even Celebrate At a Time Like This?

Last week, I got a text from my dad. When I went to open it, I discovered he had held his phone up to his answering machine and video taped the message his doctor had left that afternoon. Earlier that day, my dad had an MRI, and his doctor had called to give him the results: No further growth. At this time, the tumors in my dad’s brain aren’t showing any growth since his previous MRI. The treatment is working. And as a family, we can all take a deep breath. Soon after listening to his text, I called my [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-05-10T14:58:08+00:00May 11th, 2020|Categories: Fear, gratitude, grief, Hope, perseverance, Social Distancing|Comments Off

On Not Being A Mom on Mother’s Day

In a few days, in the US, we will celebrate the women who gave us life. If we have become moms, we ourselves will be celebrated. Only, if we are women “of a certain age,” who haven’t become moms, these celebrations will most likely bring up some rarely talked about, conflicting emotions. The one’s that make us wonder why somehow we’ve found ourselves outside this component of the circle of life. The sadness that has come from experiencing a separation between us and our sisters and friends who have become moms. And personally, for me, the reminder that I may [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-05-08T18:01:56+00:00May 7th, 2020|Categories: Lead, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Uncategorized|6 Comments

What if You’re a Success, & You Don’t Even Know It?

Two parts boredom and one part hope that someday soon we’ll be moving, had Tony and I cleaning out our room last weekend. And I mean, deep clean. We emptied out our closet, drawers, and my bookcase. But the treasure we found, was a lot closer to the surface. As I am terribly allergic to dust, Tony dismantled the small mountain of stuff on my dresser and dusted everything. Then I came in, wearing my COVID mask, to sort things out. But just as he was finishing, he held up a small piece of hemmed fabric that I’ve had on [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-05-11T13:23:45+00:00May 4th, 2020|Categories: Beauty, Calling, Creativity, Identity, Success|7 Comments

Six Ways to Handle Conflict With Your Spouse—During Quarantine

A few weeks ago, on a Saturday morning, one of us woke up to the other scrolling through their phone. Tony and I said good morning, asked each other how we slept, and then both of us got lost in our socials. For a while our conversation revolved around what we were seeing online. Then both of us put down our phones. We talked about what we wanted to do that day, and a few other things, before stumbling into THE CONVERSATION. No matter what stage of marriage you’re in, every couple has a conversation that needs to be had. [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2020-04-29T23:35:58+00:00April 30th, 2020|Categories: Conflict, Lead, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Marriage, Relationships, Social Distancing|Comments Off

About Melissa Schlies

On Learning How to Fight Racism as a White Person

Creativity—Why even Try?

Remembering Our Warriors on Memorial Day

To The Class of 2020, & The Lessons We’re All Learning

On Not Being A Mom on Mother’s Day

What if You’re a Success, & You Don’t Even Know It?

ABOUT ME

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