I was a teenager at a girls camp with my church. It was the last night–a night of presentations from the camp leaders. One of the leaders talked about the importance of gratitude. I don’t remember what she said, but I remember the book she handed me–a small notebook with the words “Gratitude Journal” written across the front. nn I took the journal home and let it find a dusty place on the shelf by my bed. I wasn’t sure I’d do anything with it. I had a journal that I was prett

© zakalinka / Adobe Stock Write to heal because it is your right to heal. Writing has power. It is power. It can help us organize our thoughts, increase our memory, tell stories, and heal. Yes, writing is a powerful tool for healing; that’s why I write to heal. I have loved writing since I was little, since before I could manipulate the alphabet to form words on paper. I would pretend to write stories by scribbling squiggly lines on a notepad. Later I would stay in from rece

Faith is a choice. When we choose to have faith, even when we can’t feel God near, we’re better able to cope with the stress and trials of life. I’m going to begin by stating that this is a very vulnerable post, for me. Maybe for you. I don’t know. If you’ve been in my situation before, you might get it. If you know me, you may be surprised by what I am revealing here. I haven’t disclosed a lot about what Scott and I have been going through because I’ve been embarrassed— emb

© tonjung / Adobe Stock Health challenge. Are you ready? It’s called 23 for Divine Me, because in 2023 we’re going to embrace our divine selves through mind, body, and soul. Doesn’t the start of a new year feel fresh and full of possibilities? I think that is why we set new year resolutions. We see 365 days to finally accomplish that desire or achieve that goal. I came into 2023 with hope. It’s been a rough couple years. (I’ve been embarrassed to talk about much of it, but I

The last two years have been filled with some of the hardest trials Scott and I have ever gone through. And in that time I have felt anxiety, depression, and so many other feelings. But I have been able to get through it. And one of the things that has helped me–besides an amazing husband and miracle baby–is gratitude. n Gratitude Journaling I started a gratitude journal as a teenager, when I was given a journal for that very specific reason at a church activity. At this

Remember that story about how I quit the corporate world because of anxiety? (If not, read here.) When I was so stressed, Scott would ask, “What helps you relax?” nn How do you think I responded? n I actually didn’t know how to respond. I thought that in order to relax, I needed to take hot baths or devote time to a specific hobby. I didn’t have many hobbies at the time, other than reading and writing. And I was too stressed to come home from writing to do more writing. nn Wh

I recently watched the documentary “Val” on Amazon Prime. Very insightful. I have always like Val Kilmer as an actor, mostly because my childhood friend was obsessed with him and made me watch many movies featuring his face. nn Like many of Val Kilmer’s movies, his documentary recognized him for the star he is. And it was fascinating to watch his journey through his creative career. But the thing that stood out to me the most was something he said about his time in the hospit

Have you ever been entrenched in an experience—maybe a job, school, group brainstorm—when you learn something and that new knowledge percolates ideas and thoughts? Have you ever had a moment in your exercise routine when your brain suddenly turns on and a flood of ideas fill your mind? Have you ever had a spiritual journey that enhances your ability to generate new thoughts? nn In those moments, you’re growing your creativity. n Sometimes creative thoughts just come to us. An

I’ve been spouting this term “live creatively” since the days of KreatNou. I tag it in posts on Instagram and Facebook. I use it as a form of encouragement, as a call to action. nn But what does it mean? What do I mean when I say “live creatively”? n Live Creatively—Not Just a Phrase Have you ever taken the enneagram personality test? I am a seven. And sevens like to seek out new experiences. This is true to a fault because I want to experience and do everything. For a long t

With KreatNou, Scott and I talked a lot about failure—that failure is okay, in fact, it’s good. When we fail, we should not quit, but instead recognize our potential for growth. We should take failure as a steppingstone to become better and better and better. nn All the greats have failed at some point. They weren’t amazing right out of the gait. They had to work at it. As Thomas Edison put it: “I haven’t failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” nn But, when yo

I love all things creative. So why couldn’t I do what KreatNou was doing, but as Sara Ann Comte? The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind. nn KreatNou failed. It didn’t work. How could I continue with something that clearly wouldn’t succeed? nn But then what? What do I focus on? n Identity Crisis I bought a blog course. After a lot of thought about what I want to do—I considered doing an MLM, freelance writing, web design for others—I settled on blogging. It’s what I love. It

I am embarrassed to admit so many things about this last year. The most embarrassing thing, though, is that I have let myself succumb to fear, anxiety, and depression (I’m not talking clinical). Yes, I get that these are things everyone experiences. We shouldn’t be embarrassed. It’s normal. And yet, we are. Right? n The Aftermath of a Failed Business When we decided to dissolve KreatNou, we did so quickly because a lot of money was going into it that we needed back. We shut d

I learned a long time ago that my expectations are rarely reality. And I’ve been okay with that. In fact, I prided myself in my adaptability and ability to stay positive in the midst of uncertainty. But this last year and a half has been a completely different story—one that has led to my belief in and desire to share “Live. Grow. Play. Create.” n The Back Story—It Started Over Two Years Ago Some of you—if you’ve been reading my blog for a while—may recall me starting KreatNo

Practicing self-love is just that—a daily practice. We have to continually work at loving ourselves.

It may not seem like it on the outside. I dare say that many of us actually struggle with some form of self love but we know how to hide it

I’ll be honest. One of the hardest things about this growing belly—besides all the obvious discomfort, sore hips, etc.—is feeling good.

It all started with a pickle, a silly pickle and a story I started for a creative writing class back in college.

Failure honestly hurts. The aftermath is frustrating, heartbreaking, and unwanted. Failure sucks. At first.

That’s right, it’s a day all about desserts, as if you needed an excuse to eat one, or two, or three. I’m all about the yummy desserts. I love the sweetness of baked goods. Mmm. That sugary or chocolaty, or even salty, goodness in the mouth. My mouth is truly watering right now. And Baby Comte might be feeling some of those cravings too. To help you celebrate, I have curated my favorite four super easy desserts. Easy because you may have just found out about this wonderful ho

I’m pretty biased about this, I know. But if you know Scott, you know how incredible he is. And people LOVE him. It’s true. nn The first time I saw him, he walked into the church and a large group of guys on the other side of the gym yelled, “Scott Comte!” nn And when we went to his 10-year high school reunion, we were an hour late. But when we walked into the room, everyone yelled, “Scott Comte!” n What Makes Him So Great? Oh, I could sit here forever and list his great qual