Tina Brown | The Grit and Grace Project

Helping Someone Struggling With Self-Harm

As the issue becomes more prevalent in our culture, there seems to be an increase of knowledge around the topic of self-harm. This is great, but there is always room to grow and learn. One of the most common questions about self-harm is probably: why? A handful of people (oftentimes teenagers) may engage in self-harm for attention. The majority, however, do it because they have so much pain inside that they don’t know how to deal with. Inflicting physical pain seems like the only solution. It provides relief … at least temporarily … and so people become trapped in the cycle. It’s vicious. Regardless of the reason, however, it must be taken seriously. I have been on both sides of this heart-wrenching struggle. As a 17-year-old, I was […]

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Do You Need to Forgive Your Teenage Self?

By Tina Brown / Life & Culture

Have you ever found it easier to feel bad or sad for someone else’s situation than your own? When we are in a tough spot, we tend to justify, make excuses for people who’ve wronged us, or try to make our problem sound “not so bad.” And yet, if someone else told us about the same, terrible thing going on in their life, we would have sincere empathy and tell them how awful it is and that it should have never happened, etc. For me, I think it was just hard to accept and acknowledge the reality of some difficult things that happened in my life in an honest way. It took me a long time to get to the point where I could do this and mean it.

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Hired and Fired, Beginning Again in the Workforce

By Tina Brown / Work & Money

I have a hard time slowing down or doing what most people refer to as “relaxing.” I am working on it and making slow progress, but I have a definite struggle with the “busy complex.” As I was nearing the end of grad school, I felt passionate about doing something where I could combine my counseling degree with being outside. There’s nothing better than the great outdoors to soothe the soul; that was my belief. This changed an ocean full of job opportunities into an extremely shallow pool. I’m sure I was a little naïve, but I quickly learned a lot… After graduation I played around for a while. I was working on that relaxing thing I hadn’t done. I traveled, visiting my best

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New Places You’ll Go!

By Tina Brown / Life & Culture

“You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way!” ― Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You’ll Go! If you haven’t read this in awhile…or ever…I suggest you find a copy ASAP (hint…great graduation present..thanks Aunt Jan). If you are reading this you may be finding yourself in a new place, you’ve already gotten on your way. Or maybe you are in the same place you have been for while, but you need a change or a shift in perspective. Maybe you have moved for reasons that you chose. Or maybe you didn’t have much choice in the matter. Either way – moving is hard – change is hard. I lived in four states

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Every Girl’s Dream

By Tina Brown / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

I came across a post on Facebook recently that read: “Every guy thinks every girl’s dream is to find the perfect guy…pssh. Every girl’s dream is to eat without getting fat.” After a good laugh, I thought yep, pretty true. Eating without getting fat would top my list. I really do love food. But alas that will forever remain a dream; we all know what reality is! When I think about tackling the struggle to be healthy in the area of eating (both physically and mentally) as a woman, two words come to mind: choice and acceptance. You may know some people who can eat whatever they want and not gain an ounce. Chances are, you are not one of those people.

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Apology to Moms Everywhere

By Tina Brown / Relationships

Dear Moms, Let me take a minute to officially apologize for the times I have judged you or your children. I will readily admit I have not always been the most compassionate toward those with screaming children in a complete meltdown at a restaurant or a store. I’m sure I’m not alone. There are plenty of us who have thought, “I would never let my kids do that” or “when I have kids they will be well behaved”. I still have my moments, but this was before I had nieces in the toddler stages. Before I worked with teenage girls who many times seem (emotionally) around age 5. I’m still not a parent, but I feel like now I understand a little

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