MARISA DONNELLY

Regulate your nervous system. I remind myself of this as I slide into the driver’s seat of my car, take a deep breath before I turn on the ignition. I’ve spent the better part of a year teaching myself this—to breathe slowly and intentionally, to quiet my mind, to remember that in any given situation, there are so many things I cannot control. And it’s futile trying to.The funny thing about…

If you’re a parent, regardless of how big your family is, what age(s) your kids are, or how much you have going on. . . running a home can be stressful. However, if you have systems in place, it doesn’t have to be! When you approach it in the right way, you will find that crossing off items on your home ‘To Do’ list is actually possible. Here are some ways to make it happen! Continue reading…

Whether you’re looking to start a business, have owned your biz for many years and are hoping to strengthen it, or are launching a brick-and-mortar aspect of your business somewhere along the path, building your physical business presence is very important for long-term success. Strong communication, confidence, and progress in the digital space are important; however, your success is often…

Talking about Autism in children can be an incredibly sensitive topic for many reasons. Here are some thoughts & resources to ponder.

Talking about Autism in children can be an incredibly sensitive topic for many reasons. To be clear, my intent with this article is NOT to (1) cause alarm or fear, (2) attempt to diagnose a child, (3) create any misconceptions or misunderstandings about the subtleties or nuances of Autism nor assume that all people’s behaviors manifest similarly (because they don’t), and finally (4) attempt to…

Mamas are always busy! From appointments and to-dos, to homework and field trip permission forms. . . the list goes on! You need a space to organize everything, and what’s better than a custom Momish Spiral Notebook?! (Nothing). Covers with soft-touch coating Cover weight: 10.38 oz/yd² (352 g/m²) Page weight: 2.62 oz/yd² (89 g/m²) Metal wire-o binding 140 dotted pages US fulfilled notebooks…

If you’re a parent or stepparent, one of the biggest questions you’re often asked is some variation of the following: How do you do it all? Or, How do you balance? While (most of the time) these questions are coming from a good place, there’s often a secret, behind-the-scenes question that’s left unsaid: What do you have to sacrifice along the way? Continue reading Navigating Professional Growth…

Don't Apologize For Putting Yourself First

I have about six people in my circle. Six people that I can truly count on to love me, accept me, and fight for me. Six people whom I can trust with my heart and soul. I used to have a bigger circle. I used to be less guarded, less hardened by life. I used to be the girl who put everyone else’s needs ahead of her own and apologized when I was forced to take care of myself. I was codependent. A…

How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18 You gave your heart to someone who you thought you’d spend forever with. That special one, who fulfilled your every dream. But, then you find out, that sometimes dreams don’t work out like you thought they would. All you’re left with is the painful memories. Or, maybe you had to say goodbye to someone…

Confessions of a Girl Who Cares 'Too Much'

This is a story of a girl who cares too much. A girl who has a larger than life heart. A girl who longs to help, to console, to love others. A girl who is vulnerable, emotional, empathetic, and strong. A girl who falls too hard and loves too much, and has occasionally loved the wrong people. This girl puts her needs aside for everyone else, and continues to let people in – though she has been…

Despite Your Cracks, You’re Not Broken

“What if our brokenness, our cracks, all water a trail of flowers that we didn’t even know exist? Or water a trail of flowers that we were too blind to appreciate?” I once heard a story about a woman who had two buckets. Every day she would fill them up and go water all of the flowers in her garden. One of the buckets looked absolutely perfect—shiny, strong, and didn’t have a single crack in it.…

We live in a world that's saturated with work culture, 'busy vibes,' and hustle porn. Here are some practical tips for staying productive.

We live in a world that’s saturated with work culture, ‘busy vibes,’ and hustle porn. And if I’m being honest, I fell victim to this (for years!). Blame the perfectionism in me, blame my desire to do and be everything, blame the inner critic that has always driven me to be better than yesterday, but I was sucked in. I became obsessed with the idea of productivity and staying productive as a…

I will admit that I don't know everything about how to raise healthy children (especially in this crazy world!), but I do know that if you try to be the best parent you can be, your child will inevitably benefit.

When I was younger, I thought parenting was all about love. And yes, it is. But there’s so much more. Being a parent is about providing a safe, stable, and supportive home. It’s about teaching good habits, instilling a strong worth ethic, and creating positive self-talk so that your child(ren) grow up with empathy, confidence, and self-love. I will admit that I don’t know everything about how to…

One of the best ways you can support a loved one with a disability is to focus on the 'cans' rather than the 'can nots'.

Learning how to support a loved one with a disability can be challenging, not because of the individual’s limitations, but because knowing exactly how to be there or what to do can feel overwhelming. As a ‘bonus mom’ of a stepson with learning disabilities and neurological/muscular difficulties, I’ve often found myself navigating the back and forth of doing “too much” vs. not doing enough, or…

There are many ways to help your child cope with big life changes, but everything starts with empathy.

Life is filled with changes. From relocating your home to starting at a new school, losing a loved one to having your first heartbreak—we all will, inevitably, go through shifts in our lives (both good and bad). However, learning how to move through those changes can be challenging, especially when you’re young. This is why it’s so incredibly important for parents to guide their children if and…

7 Work-From-Home Solutions For Pet Lovers

We are officially in the work-from-home ‘era,’ where more people are figuring out ways to balance their careers and home life simultaneously than ever before. For some, this means navigating childcare/children while attempting to attend Zoom calls. And for others, this means creating new routines for furry friends. As a mama (of both a human and dogs), I’ve been juggling both—in addition to…