Kate Inglis

My fellow Maritime girl.  She writes books (real ones).  She takes  pictures (fantastic ones).  She takes care of rude pink-shirt-wearing guys in bar lines (you had to be there).  For sheer talent with words, Kate brings me to my knees every single time.

Plus – she’s the only one on this list I’ll get to drink with this month.  That automatically gives her extra points.

*Scar*

Oh Kate – wise woman, teacher and friend –  thank you.  From a mama determined to break this pointless cycle of self-loathing, thank you.

Try, every step: thank you. Every scent and stretch and touch and yank and knock and growl: thank you.

Jen Lemen

I am a certified Jen Lemen stalker.  I am not afraid to admit it.

*How To Fall In Love, A Beginners Guide*

Remember what I just told you about loving too much?  From the woman who makes me fall in love over and over and over again – with her words, with her art, with her soul.  Erase the page.  Yes!

Let yourself be overcome by the miracle of it, that you stumbled on something divine in human form, and took it all the way into your heart. Go ahead, be ridiculous. Let the smallest thing mean everything. Forget about being rational and classifying this experience in any particular category. You’ll miss out on something amazing if you do that, and trust me, you don’t want to miss it.

Danielle LaPorte

As someone pretty sharp said to me recently – “what a way with conversational deep speak”!  She’s the queen of get to the point/look you straight in the eye/white hot truth.  She talks, people listen.  At least I do.

*loving your doubts: alert, humble and hungry*

This snapped me awake.  You mean my doubts are not something to hide from?  Not a reason to shy away from experience?  Boom.  I’m a new woman.

You can be deeply certain, and slightly doubtful.
You can be scared, and really, really ready.
You can give it your all, and then give it over to God.

Love your doubts. Stay awake.

Julie Peters

This found me on facebook.  And say what you will about me….I know truth when I read it.

*Why Lying Broken in a Pile on Your Bedroom Floor is a Good Idea*

The concept of broken and whole has been playing through my mind and my writing frequently over the past few months.  We are all intrinsically broken, and every last one of us utterly whole.  This piece gave me a new goddess to keep close when i explore my own brokenness and give thanks for how many times I’ve been given the opportunity to put myself back together.

It means nothing unless we can keep on breaking apart and putting ourselves together again as many times as we need to. We are already “never not broken.” We were never a consistent, limited whole. In our brokenness, we are unlimited. And that means we are amazing.

Ronna Detrick

Somedays you stumble across a blog, and then accidentally lose the rest of your day.  Uh huh.  Don’t pretend you don’t know EXACTLY what I’m talking about.  When i found Ronna, I’m pretty sure I lost an entire weekend.  For reals.

*Ready or Not [or: why it doesn’t really matter]*

And this post?  If you need to be reminded of your  own wild woman.   If you need to take a leap.  If you need that heart pounding faith in your own glorious self…read this.  Empowered by every last word.

You can trust yourself. You will know when it’s time. You will let go, rise up, speak out, and soar in glorious, glistening beauty and power. Wild and extravagant. I promise.