Hope – Page 7 – Melissa Schlies

Marriage is Awesome

In the months following our wedding, people used to ask Tony how he liked being married. Usually this was from guys he knew through business or from church. And he would always answer with these three words: “Marriage is awesome.” To which, these men, who were older or had been married longer, would reply, “Just wait.” Or, “Sure it is, now.” As if with enough time I, his Cinderella, was going to turn into the wicked step mother. Or, to use the Little Mermaid example, he would discover he had married Ursula, not Ariel. That everything was wonderful because we [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-05-02T20:33:53+00:00May 6th, 2019|Categories: Health, Hope, Marriage, Relationships, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Love Learn Lead May 2, 2019

Friends, it’s May. Can you believe it? It feels like just yesterday we were talking about beginning 2019 strong, and here we are now, almost half way through. I hope wherever you are, your year is going better than expected. And if it’s not, you are finding strength for the journey. Today, is a big day. For the first time in the life of this blog, we are doing a series entirely on Marriage. Beginning with this post, we are going talk about wedded bliss for the next four weeks. But, before I begin I have to admit something: I [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-05-01T13:40:10+00:00May 2nd, 2019|Categories: Health, Hope, Lead, Leadership, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Marriage, Relationships, Uncategorized|2 Comments

What Holds Us Back: The Fear of Criticism

"What will people think?” Sometimes, what is holding us back is as simple as these four little words. Seconded only by “What will people say?” The power that these two small questions have is incalculable. Because, no matter where we were born, what our family was like, or where we went to school, we all know the sting of criticism. And it is our natural response to try to avoid the pain. Only what happens when the thing you know you’re meant to do, the thing you should do, or the thing you can’t stop dreaming about—could put you in [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-04-18T14:50:53+00:00April 22nd, 2019|Categories: Anxiety, Calling, Change, Courage, Failure, Fear, Freedom, Hope, Making Decisions, perseverance, Rejection, Success, Uncategorized|4 Comments

Five Ways I Manage Anxiety

In celebration of her fortieth birthday, last month author Sarah Bessey shared forty important things she’s learned in her life. One thing she said that struck me was this: “Being a responsible adult is the most underrated form of self-care.” Then she went on to explain by listing all the “boring” tasks of adulting like going to bed at a decent time, exercising, keeping a budget, etc. Sometimes, the greatest thing we can do for ourselves is to live a more disciplined and routine life. To commit to practices that don’t necessarily bring us the most joy, but in the big [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-04-11T13:27:54+00:00April 11th, 2019|Categories: Anxiety, Courage, Fear, Food, Habit Making, Health, Hope, Lead, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Routines, Uncategorized|Comments Off

What Holds Us Back: Anxiety

For me, it feels like someone has reached in and grabbed my heart. I can’t breath very well, and panic fills my insides. From what I’ve heard, for others, their palms get sweaty, their mind races, they even start shaking. All their worries spill over from their emotions into their physical body. There’s little control and it takes a lot to calm down. Anxiety For many of us it is a constant hum in our day to day lives. It’s stress on caffeine. Though some of us have found a way to bring it down to a decaf level—it’s still [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-04-03T19:37:48+00:00April 8th, 2019|Categories: Anxiety, Courage, Fear, Hope, Mental Health, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Love Learn Lead April 4, 2019

If January is the time for new resolutions, April is the month to pick them up again, and take action. Spring is here. The weather is better. The darkness of winter is over. And though there may be April showers, there is no time like the present to work toward those goals that won’t leave you alone. You know, those goals that slip into your thoughts when you’re driving in your car. The ones that give you a tinge of shame when something in a conversation reminds you of how far you have to go to accomplish them. Or the [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-03-25T20:16:17+00:00April 4th, 2019|Categories: Change, Courage, Fear, Hope, Lead, Leadership, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, perseverance, Success, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Learn: That Weird Place In The Middle

It may surprise you to learn, I was unhappy to find myself working at a university bookstore after graduating college. As you might know, I love books. I was an English major. And, one of my favorite things to do is to wander the aisles of a bookstore with a cup of coffee in my hand. For me it’s pretty close to heaven. So why wasn’t I happy? Well, for one, shelving text books isn’t the same as reading a fantastic novel. Retail is hard work. But more than anything, my unhappiness wasn’t about where I was, it was about [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-03-06T20:57:55+00:00March 14th, 2019|Categories: Calling, Character, Faith, gratitude, Hope, Lead, Leadership, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, perseverance, Uncategorized, Waiting|Comments Off

A Cold & Broken Hallelujah

The train moved through the dark subway tunnels of Boston, before entering Park Street Station. This was my stop. I got off the train and made my way to the stairs. Rather than heading up to fresh air, and the sun setting on Park Street Church, I descended further to where I’d catch the Red Line Train. As I reached the bottom of the steps, on the platform between the tracks, I saw a man playing a white electric guitar. Crooning into a microphone, he stood with a small amp at his side. An open guitar case lay at his [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-03-01T16:41:24+00:00March 4th, 2019|Categories: Calling, Character, Courage, Hope, perseverance, Uncategorized, Waiting|Comments Off

Being a Grown-Up

Perhaps I watched too many Disney movies as a kid, but I used to believe that if I did all the right things, my life wouldn’t be hard. As if pain only comes to those who get into trouble. As if struggle is a choice. But then, I found myself pursuing a career with little room for women. I found a lump and thought I might have cancer at twenty-three. When I finally got a job in my career field, I moved to another state and learned that beginning a new life in a new town isn’t so easy. And [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-01-31T22:43:24+00:00February 11th, 2019|Categories: Adulting, Courage, Failure, gratitude, Hope, perseverance, Purpose, Rejection, Success, Uncategorized|2 Comments

Adulting 101

When you were a kid, and people used to ask you who you wanted to be when you grew up, do you remember what you’d say? Did you say you wanted to be a fireman or a doctor? Or did you say you wanted to be a mom or a dad because your parents were just that cool? Better yet— Does any of your old answers match up with who you are today? When I was nine I remember saying I wanted to be a fashion designer. Something must have changed though, because I went on to wear mostly jeans [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-01-31T16:09:12+00:00February 4th, 2019|Categories: Adulting, Anxiety, Balance, Courage, Hope, Identity, Success, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Marriage is Awesome

Love Learn Lead May 2, 2019

What Holds Us Back: The Fear of Criticism

Five Ways I Manage Anxiety

What Holds Us Back: Anxiety

Love Learn Lead April 4, 2019

Learn: That Weird Place In The Middle

A Cold & Broken Hallelujah

Being a Grown-Up

Adulting 101

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