Lisa Jakub's Blog, page 2

Yes, it’s weird, but I actually love it: public speaking

I enjoy making intense faces and doing awkward things with my hands.

Even though it makes very little sense for someone who is 93% introverted with an unreasonably strong attachment to sweatpants – I actually love doing public events.

I adore meeting you all and discussing really important things:

How we decide to define success for ourselves.
How we deal with anxiety/depression/panic attacks and ditch the stigma.
How we rewrite the script for our lives and find some joy even in the midst...

The sergeant and the wren: it’s about the little things

My badge reads:

Lisa: experienced cat socializer

It has paw print stickers all over it.

I expected to walk dogs when I started volunteering once a week at the no-kill shelter. I saw myself as firmly Team Dog. But they needed help with the cats so I went to help with the cats.

I soon found that I had a knack with the…um…”difficult” cats. The ones who take a chunk out of your arm if you make eye contact. The abused, traumatized, aggressivefelines. For some reason, I can touch the cats no one el...

Perspective shift: a weekend with history

At the Martin Luther King, Jr memorial in Washington, DC

A couple of months ago I went to Washington, D.C. with my husband. It was his birthday and we spent the weekend eating too much, drinking over-priced cocktails and walking around the city.

I’m Canadian but I have lived in the US for the last twenty years and I now have my Americancitizenship as well. I love this country, and I see the problems.And the problems have been overwhelming me lately. The divisiveness, the name-calling, the hat...

Upcoming event in NY!

Hey, New Yorkers! I’ll be doing a public event at Mohawk College in Utica on October 27th and I’d love to see you there.

I’ll be talking about my experience with mood disorders and the tools that help make life a little easier as an introvert who struggles with anxiety, depression, and a panic disorder.

But it’s gonna be FUN, I promise!

You can get tickets here.

My top 10 (anti-fairy tale) relationship tips

We recently passed the twenty-year anniversary of the day my husband and I met. Our eyes met across a room and I knew immediately that I would spend the rest of my life with him.

Except that’s not at all what happened.

Actually, if you ask him about the evening we met, he’ll tell you that his first impression of me was that I looked very young and very scared. (He’s right. I was 17, and we were out with a bunch of people at a crowded movie opening. See: introvert.)

And if you ask me about th...

Meditation for People Who Can’t Meditate: an audio guide

“Meditation suffers from a towering PR problem.”

-Dan Harris, 10% Happier

People tell meall the time that they can’t meditate — they tried it and their mindsare spinning wildly and they can’t stop their thoughts.

I’m sorry to break this to you because I’m sure you are an absolutely delightful person: but your brain is notspecial. It’s not.

That is what everyone’s brain does. It’s yourbrain’s job to always look for problems. That’s how it has kept you alive.

Saying you can’t meditate because...

New online memoir writing class starting soon!

Hey all,

I’m starting up my online writing class again and I would love for you to join me! The class is starting to fill up already, so I wanted to make sure that you guys had a chance to sign up if you were interested.

This class is for everyone – from those with no writing experience to professional writers.We’ll read great work, workshop pieces, explore ways to get the most from your creative process and have a super fun time. I’ll give you feedback and help you shape your story. (Don’t...

What do you say?

“You have great hair.”

I was puttingdown my yoga mat at the studio. I turned to the woman who had spoken to me, she was sitting on the floor, stretching. I had never met her before.

“Pardon me?” I asked.

“You have great hair.”

My hair had been up in a ponytail all morning because I had been writing – fighting, really – a troublesome section of my new book and so now that my hair was out long, ithad that weird kink in the middle where I had securedthe elastic too tight. As I was writing, I had...

Mostly I write but sometimes I say the words out loud

Hey all,

I wanted to share this clip from a talk I did in June – all about anxiety, depression and panic attacks. Even thoughI don’t entirely love living with these things – I love talking about this stuff. It makes me feel less alone, it reduces the social stigma around mental health and above all, it reminds me thathealing is possible when we can connect and laugh and say to each other oh my God, I totally know what you mean.

Hope you enjoy this short clip. (I have been doing more talks lat...

Authentic creativity at Hippocamp: a whole fancy PowerPoint talk

I’m super excited about theHippocamp nonfiction writers conference in Lancaster, PA this weekend! I’ll be giving a talk about how to find your own unique creativity: how to refine it, own it, and how to make sure you never get blocked from it. I’ve got PowerPoint slides full of embarrassing old photos, helpful tips and cartoons. It’s gonna be fun.

There are still some tickets to the conference available, so come hang out and talk about wordswith me and a whole bunch of extraordinary writers....