The other night, my husband asked what I was doing on my phone because tears were rolling down my face. I looked over and told him the truth: “I’m on Instagram watching videos of dogs—some have just 24 hours to be adopted or they’ll be euthanized.” 😭 Usually, when people think about “finding themselves,” they […]

In my last note, I shared how vision boards actually help us achieve our goals. But if today you’re feeling like me—overwhelmed by end-of-year tasks and not even wanting to THINK about new goals—today’s Tea Time isn’t about adding anything new to your to-do list. We’re talking about what can come off the list. Woo! December is already full by […]

My 3-year-old asked to stay home with me this morning. (Usually he goes to Montessori preschool.) It’s tough to get much done when he’s home. He wants me to play with him and pay attention (the nerve! 😜). Part of me wanted to say, “Just go to school,” but another part reminded me, “This is […]

The scene: Woman behind me at the airport, struggling to scan her ticket to board the flight. Airport gate agent: Are you flying Aer Lingus? Woman: Yes Airport gate agent: This is the line for United. …Oh. We’d all been in line for over 20 minutes in Dublin at the flight gate heading to Chicago. […]

Last week I was at a conference for entrepreneurs (look at this beautiful background!)… …and the topic of “balance” came up on the panel. One person said they prefer swapping in the word “harmony” instead of balance. This made me think of a symphony: some notes are louder or last longer; different instruments add their […]

Like it or not, you already have a personal brand. Maybe you’ve been intentional about shaping yours, or maybe it’s something you’ve never even thought about—but either way, people are making up their own story about who you are. (Today’s Tea Time was inspired by this article: “Having a Personal Brand at Work is Key for Introverts.” […]

I asked ChatGPT to write an obituary based on what it knows about me from our conversations. It’s long, but here’s exactly what it said: Nicole Bensen—beloved mother, devoted partner, cherished friend, and spirited mentor—left this world having lived it to the fullest. Known for her magnetic blend of warmth, humor, and grace, Nicole had […]

The woman sitting next to me at a networking event last week shared this story, and I can’t stop thinking about it. When someone died in ancient Egypt, their soul entered the Hall of Two Truths. There, they were asked two questions: That’s it. Not “Did you make your bed every day?” or “Did you hit […]

Hi friend! Last week I shared the story of how I asked the Universe for a business bestie…and then hesitated when I got a coffee invite from someone who checked several of the exact boxes I’d been journaling about. 🙈 If you missed it, you can catch up here. I shared “7 signs your subconscious might be […]

At 16, I was absolutely obsessed with Starship Troopers. Okay, so specifically, I was obsessed with the actor, Casper Van Dien, who played the main character. There was no one who could convince me he wasn’t the “hottest guy ever.” (Or at least in the top three—Chris O’Donnell and Chipper Jones rounded out my list.) Fast forward to […]