When you set out to begin articulating the vision, mission, and purpose of your non-profit, business, or organization, it will inevitably feel daunting. These words tend to be thrown around haphazardly and interchanged without much thought. When, in fact, they describe and point to very specific aspects of your organization. While related, they each need to be addressed singularly at first. So, let’s begin —

The Why — Choosing a Mission that Matters

The first step you will take on this journey is to articulate your mission. The mission of your organization should address exactly why you are trying to accomplish it. Many times people will get caught…

Last week Representative Meng (D-NY) wrote a letter to President Biden urging his administration to take executive action to end period poverty, which refers to some people’s inability to afford menstrual health products such as tampons and pads. This past year has brought about unprecedented public health and economic crisis that has exacerbated already existing disparities and injustices. And still, people continue to menstruate.

People who menstruate have no control over when, where, or how they menstruate. Each month the federal and state government receives millions of dollars in taxes from period products, which are, in many states, deemed as…

You, and only you, are responsible for your own emotions. When your heart is aching and you are waiting for someone else to heal it, you will realize that you are the only person that can give yourself the closure you so desperately desire. Walking down that rainy street in some New York City borough and having the grace to let someone go, to close a door completely, to be willing to break your own heart — this will be a small but life-altering lesson.

There is such a thing as a relationship with steaming hot chemistry and absolutely zero…

Imagine stepping into the tub and the water begins to speckle your feet. Slowly as the water falls down your arms, belly, thighs, and calves, you notice the near blistering sensation of the freezing water. Maybe you let out a little wail or an entire scream, or you burst into ridiculous laughter. You shake your body and allow the cold water to fall all around you as you breathe deeply and wait for the minute to pass. So, why on earth would anyone want to take a cold shower to start their day? Well —

1. It Reduces Anxiety and Depression

In the early days of…

Somewhere along the way, someone offered me this sage piece of advice — when you go to a man’s house for the first time, check his bookshelf to get a better read on him; making sure to take note of the state of this bookshelf. Is it color-coordinated? Organized using the Dewy Decimal system? Are the spines cracked? Is there a stained and clearly overused copy of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? Are pages ripped and dog-eared? God forbid, he has too much Hemingway, any amount of Bukowski, or says things like “Lolita is my favorite book.”

Armed…

A few weeks back when I was mindlessly scrolling through Instagram (a habit I am at all times trying to curtail as my screen time notification continues to mock me), I noticed some hubbub about tequila. More specifically, I had noticed a covert social media campaign that was underway — Kylie Jenner posting subtle hits about something coming, some “new-new,” and what lingered in the background of these immaculately well-lit photos was a bottle of alcohol that…didn’t exist. That is — it was a label no one had ever seen before. …

For as long as I can remember, the topic of menstruation has been a “women’s issue.” Despite the ever-expanding conversation around periods, people continue to slip each other tampons as if they are trading contraband. As periods have begun to be destigmatized through marketing and messaging, we have made one major mistake — We have continued to exclusively frame menstruation as something that only happens to women.

If we are going to politically position ourselves as progressive and inclusive of all identities, then we must acknowledge that: 1) not all women menstruate, and 2) not all people who menstruate are…

Travel. Svalbard. Northern Europe.

1. Polar Bears or People?

Perhaps the most exciting, endearing, and possibly dangerous fact depending on your general feelings toward bears and carnivorous animals — Svalbard (the northern Norweigan archipelago) has more polar bears than people.

The polar bear population in the Svalbard archipelago is around 3,000. The human population lands just around 2,300. Polar bears sightings are very common, which is why —

2. You Gotta Pack Heat

And while it is freezing on Svalbard, and you need to dress warm — you also need to carry a gun. …