Maria’s Sunday Paper: The Power of Re-evaluating Your Beliefs

The news of the week, as it always does, got me thinking. It got me thinking about politics. Thinking about addiction. Thinking about success. Thinking about how to live one’s life. Every new year, I usually do some kind of inventory of my own life. But I can’t wait until then. I just...

100 Suits For 100 Men Gives Underprivileged Men New Lease On Life

Kevin Livingston was sick and tired of watching underprivileged young men being ostracized by society and decided to do something about it. He firmly believed that by donning crisp, business suits, these high-risk youths would feel better about themselves and make positive changes in their l...

Five Years Since My Suicide Attempt, My Life Is Filled With Love

Isn't it sad that I couldn't think of anything to write about today? After all, I've written something for mariashriver.com every year around this time — ever since October 26, 2012 — and it's always come easily. October 26, 2012, is when I tried to kill myself, and since then I've ...

What People With Passion Have in Common

This upcoming Saturday is National Make a Difference Day, but for me, every day is an opportunity to make a difference. Over the years, I’ve noticed that the people who are passionate about making a difference all have something in common: they have drive. They have a purpose. They hav...

A Millennial Making a Difference For a Brighter Future

Erin Schrode, 26, has developed eco-education and action platforms to inspire, educate and mobilize millions of people from all over the world. The internationally renowned millennial was recognized by the White House in 2011 as “a dynamic, passionate and ambitious young woman committed to c...

Finally Deciding You’re Good Enough Can Quietly Change the World

There have been a few bleak seasons in my 46 years, starting at a young age, when I wanted to opt out of life. Disappear quietly. I knew I could never keep up or measure up and that I didn't have what it takes. What I hadn't learned yet, or not fully, was that I do not have to bend and t...

Why Trusting in Yourself Can Make All the Difference

What motivates you to want to make a difference, to want to create change in the world around you? Are you motivated by fear and pressure of what will happen to you personally if you don’t do something, or are you motivated by true compassion and creative inspiration? ​ Believe it or n...

The Unexpected Health Benefits of Pumpkin

It’s time to usher in the fall! I get so excited when I start to see pumpkins and pomegranates everywhere I go to shop for food. It signals the start of the holidays, cozy blankets, candles, sweaters, and wood-burning fireplaces. My family has already made our trip to the pumpkin pat...

Battling Injustice: How Female Nobel Peace Laureates Have Led the Way

In this world, which is so full of turbulence due to widespread injustice, the first thought of any person who has nurtured empathy for their fellow human beings is the thought of fighting that injustice. The concept of battling is central to human life. In the many decades since its cre...

The Power of No

I’ve been thinking a lot this week about the word “no.” No is a word that has great power in our lives and in our society. And yet, it’s one of the most challenging words in our vocabulary. Every time I’ve heard “no” in my professional life, I’ve challenged myself to de...