A woman with long, wavy hair wearing large sunglasses and a black top, standing outdoors with a wooden background.

Hi, I’m Carie. I write for myself, and others, about navigating these times.

And I teach Introducing Mindfulness. Learn more.
Words I highlighted today
Musings Carie Behounek Musings Carie Behounek

Words I highlighted today

It’s rough out there. But if you’re here and reading this — I have zero doubt that you’re here for a reason, you’re here with a purpose, and you were built for these times.

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On surrender
Essays Carie Behounek Essays Carie Behounek

On surrender

Today I reflected on a way I learned to create new patterns in my life as it relates to anxiety, sharing a simple practice I started 10+ years ago. I also included some links as to what science says about this God Box practice. And, read to the end, because once again the universe humbled me today, giving me a situation that’s largely out of my control. Simple practices, but dang it — never easy.

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I did a thing
Musings Carie Behounek Musings Carie Behounek

I did a thing

Once upon a time, I typed these words on my website: Please text or email — my brain connects only to my typing fingers.

So, the fact that I verbally shared my story this afternoon is a big deal.

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Promise, kept
Musings Carie Behounek Musings Carie Behounek

Promise, kept

Keeping promises to others is easy. Keeping promises you make to yourself — well, I’m learning and growing and doing a much better job of it. But today it made me grumpy. ;)

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Choices
Musings Carie Behounek Musings Carie Behounek

Choices

2025 showed us, again, just how much the world needs our best selves to show up. The world is counting on us to do so. We express our best selves when we find harmony in our own experiences. When we are constantly acting out life from an extreme stress response, we create more chaos. 

Some thoughts on ways we might choose to show up, a little differently.

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How do you catch an elephant?
Essays Carie Behounek Essays Carie Behounek

How do you catch an elephant?

I told a crass joke at Grandma’s memorial. My family put me up to doing it right after she died. I thought it would be hilarious so I agreed. I didn’t think too much about it. Until, of course, I ascended the steps and stood behind the pulpit of a church where I spent my formative years and had second thoughts. 

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Tribute to my grandmama
Essays Carie Behounek Essays Carie Behounek

Tribute to my grandmama

My grandma died on Nov. 26, 2025. Today, our family is celebrating her life. Here’s something I wrote about her a few years ago, about Why I Write. It’s largely becaue of her!

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Still here
Carie Behounek Carie Behounek

Still here

To keep a promise you make to yourself is so healing. And, so hard. I’ve spent a lot of life toggling between holding myself with kid’s gloves and dishing out tough love.

I’m (still) learning.

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To Do
Musings Carie Behounek Musings Carie Behounek

To Do

Today my creative energy went toward a video I created for my friend, to confess how I shipped her Christmas gift to my own address. She said I get to be a Kentucky fan now because the blue suits me (but I can’t get a paw print tramp stamp until they win the national championship DANG IT).

So I’m sharing a To Do list I wrote on this day in 2023.

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Dear 2026
Poems Carie Behounek Poems Carie Behounek

Dear 2026

Just a humble request from a new year on the love I’d love to receive — for myself, and for others.

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Favorite Blonde
Musings Carie Behounek Musings Carie Behounek

Favorite Blonde

There, in the middle of an end cap display of room temperature prebiotic sodas was a single can of beer:

The moral of the story? What you seek you shall find. But you might find it where you least expect it.

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