Author Archives: annamfarley

I hate when people use the word \”aspiring\” to describe themselves.  You\’re an \”aspiring\” writer? Athlete? Musician? Entrepreneur? Another word for aspiring is wishful. Stop qualifying or limiting yourself by using a word like aspiring. A friend and I were discussing this just this week. He is a cyclist. He said he views himself andContinue reading “Creating Our Own Perceptions”

On my first day at work twelve years ago, one woman said to another (not realizing I was right there), \”Did you meet that new little girl, Anna? She will never make it here.\” There was agreement, and laughter. They knew nothing about me. I was shaken, just a little.  I should have been flatteredContinue reading “The Long Game”

 I may have already told this story, but it came up today on a call and I realized how valuable this lesson was for me so I am telling it again! When I was a little kid, maybe five or six, my mom was letting me help cook dinner by teaching me how to peelContinue reading “It\'s Just a Potato”

It\’s really hard to believe that my belief in freedom, peace, and that your rights deserve to be protected even when I disagree could cause someone to be offended. But people are often offended by things that challenge their perspective. I believe that being easily offended is a sign that you are letting people haveContinue reading “If You\'re Offended, I Am Not Sorry”

 This is us versus them. Not republicans versus democrats. Not left versus right. It\’s far deeper than that. It\’s the authoritarian state against free individuals. And yes, there are democrats and republicans being swept up in the \”us versus them\” narrative perpetuated by the media, namely Trump and Biden. But this is so much biggerContinue reading “Us vs. Them”

When I was a little girl, I remember my dad pontificating at length (you\’d have to have known my dad to realize I am smiling at this) about the scourge of communism on the world. I may have been six or seven years old but after these conversations, I remember vividly thinking that I wasContinue reading “Censorship”

I keep hearing people say – mostly in response to my outbursts – that they don\’t mind wearing masks. They may even like it. They prefer it, they don\’t find them uncomfortable or annoying, and they don\’t find them to be an infringement on their personal liberty. But in many cases, these people are likeContinue reading “Masks”

 When it enough going to finally be enough? I remember my first meeting that got canceled due to COVID. It was the end of February last year. I had been in the office the week before for a meeting and then suddenly, the risk was too much and the meeting was virtual. You know, justContinue reading “Enough”

 I don\’t normally set \”New Year\’s Resolutions.\” If I decide on a Tuesday at noon that I have a new resolution, I start then. I don\’t even wait for the next day. That being said, I do sometimes like to think of a theme for a new year. Last year, I said that in 2020Continue reading “Not Sitting Down”

I am going to begin with an admission. My new poetry book – Clarity – which I am tremendously proud of, is named Clarity for two reasons. The first is because it is a word that stood out to me in a poem I wrote called \”Higher Standard\” and the word itself has two definitions.Continue reading “Clarity – My New Collection of Poetry”