Liza Dora Writes

Mirror, Mirror

Liza Dora — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 15:22:06 GMT

There’s a thing I saw on a reel. It’s funny how we get information now, but still, this is information I wouldn’t seek out, so I’m glad to see it. I’m glad it finds me.

The thing I saw was called developmental mirroring, and the point the girl was making is that sometimes when your kid hits the age where you were hurt the most (I hate the word “trauma” b…

A Living Will

Liza Dora — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:25:36 GMT

I started a book for her when I thought I was dying.

Not one that I published. Not one that I sold.

One that is sitting in my file box beneath my desk right now.

I started writing about our days. Like a journal. I only got about 15 entries in.

Unsurprising, because I’m usually off-task and jump at an opportunity for a better idea—but that’s not what happene…

Bringing the Rain

Liza Dora — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 14:06:28 GMT

It hasn’t rained here in months. Everything is dry and brittle.

She’s in 6th grade now and everything is either wonderful or terrible. The first few stings of being left out have sent her reeling and I’m doing my best to keep her grounded and rooted to the people who are forever and not just for right now.

I have to go out of town for work this week and b…

Big Fan

Liza Dora — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 14:54:01 GMT

He picks her up from every practice. He’s in the bleachers at every game. He’s learned to read this year in stands, on turf, and at picnic tables.

He knows the names of all her teammates.

He always asks the score.

He lets her vent and always takes her side. When she cries he tells her it’s ok. That she’ll get them next time. Or that she’s still really good.

I hope so...

Liza Dora — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 16:12:15 GMT

I am raising a gorgeous girl. Objectively and subjectively. She’s really pretty.

So pretty that this weekend we were stopped at least 5 times while we were out so people could complement her on her hair, her eyes, on being “so tall and beautiful”.

These weren’t creepy grown-ups. They were kind. And I’m a big believer on complementing authentically and fre…

So Good

Liza Dora — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 21:34:14 GMT

Last year was such a stupid hard year. I’m not a complainer. Not for real. I’m a ranter sometimes, but not a complainer. I love to say “life’s hard—get a helmet” and “toughen up, buttercup” and “sucks to suck”!

Also, possibly, I should work on my self-talk, because it’s pretty harsh in here, but I’m going to leave that for a 2020-something else goal.

Righ…

Tending the tender things...

Liza Dora — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 14:38:04 GMT

I’ve started a podcast and it’s wildly terrifying.

I’m glad I’ve done it, because it’s a great reminder as I’m flitting around behind a camera for clients and encouraging them to be bold and put themselves out there, how incredibly hard it can be.

It was a really convenient excuse for years that I needed to keep my mouth shut, so that Darryl could be in a…

Veterans Day

Liza Dora — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 23:20:48 GMT

I know it’s already late in the day, but I just got back from my children’s Veterans Day program and I needed to say something.

With all that’s happening politically in our country right now it’s so easy to get discouraged. I’m discouraged. I was this morning and all day today, actually. It feels like it will always be the people against our own governme…

Can't touch this...

Liza Dora — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 18:43:43 GMT

On Friday, I was grabbing my 7-year-old from school. I dropped off his sister at basketball practice to run home and finish getting the house ready for her Halloween/Birthday Party. We’d invited some friends to come over and spend the night, and some of those friends have little siblings.

These same girls played volleyball, and it was a blast watching my…

In Case You Failed To Notice...

Liza Dora — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 14:21:51 GMT

I read something on Twitter (X) and it was one of those things you read and it just immediately finds a spot in your worldview. It rings so true it slides in with the rest of your values like it’s always been there.

She said something to the effect of the purest love being wanting someone else to notice life with.

I’m helping to create designs to wrap tru…

Common Ground

Liza Dora — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 15:22:51 GMT

I have thoughts on a lot of things right now so I’m just going to get some of them down and also circle back as I process.

That’s why I write. To process. To better understand what I’m thinking and feeling before I take it out into the world with me.

That’s also why I appreciate all of you so much—everyone who makes a point to read this. Our days are full…

Helicopter of Love

Liza Dora — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 16:59:39 GMT

You can’t connect with my kid where I can’t see it. Period.

I think there’s a lot of different ways other parents are figuring out how to do this, but it’s so important that we all do.

Yes, everyone is watching the teenage documentary thing about the girl whose mom catfished her and is obviously a total nutcase, but that’s an anomaly.

Most of the issues ar…

Gifting Tears

Liza Dora — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 16:11:06 GMT

Last night, after he’d already been put to bed, he came out of his room. He poked his head out of his bedroom door and asked, “ Mom, can you make sure I have good dreams tonight?”

Perfect or Done.

Liza Dora — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 19:16:56 GMT

I know this girl and she’s such a boss. Brilliant and funny and just a total rockstar. We were talking a few years ago and she told me about a concept that fits along the lines of: “not perfect, but done”.

At the time, it was exactly what I needed to hear. She’s also the one who consoled me in an airport over text when I was worried I was working too muc…

"Are you even automating, bro?"

Liza Dora — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 16:37:59 GMT

I saw a quote from SOMEBODY the other day saying something along the lines of “I don’t want AI doing my art so I can do chores, I want AI doing my chores so I can do art.”

Yup—except I don’t know if I want AI doing my chores either.

Does anyone else get the feeling we’re trading away our actual life for automation?

I often do wish I had a robot that could …

Mixing Metaphors and Nootropics

Liza Dora — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 14:36:38 GMT

I think I was very successfully storing anxiety in my fat. I de-fatted myself last year and I think it’s like when you do a cleanse, and the parasites die or the heavy metals are released, and it just floods your system…

I think we’re there.

I accidentally released the Kraken and trying to get a handle on it is proving challenging. My anxiety Kraken is ve…

Summerween: What are we scared of?

Liza Dora — Sat, 12 Jul 2025 14:08:07 GMT

I think when things are hard, if you’re like me, we try to push into the next season.

Like it’s taking everything for me right now to not start decorating for Halloween. Yes, right now, on July 12th.

But this has been one of the toughest summers I’ve had in a long time. A tough one on our family and an especially tough one on me. Health is good—which is t…

Starting Small

Liza Dora — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 14:02:37 GMT

Yeesh, it’s scary to commit to things for me. But I’m committing to this. It’s a vulnerability and accountability project we’re smashing together into one, but if I feel like I’m helping—I can do it.

I am unfortunately a documented over-promiser when it comes to timelines, but fortunately an over-delivered when it comes to value—so let’s see where this l…

Something Is Wrong

Liza Dora — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 15:52:50 GMT

There are women already doing this.

I’m not in any way trying to pretend I’m the first. There are some whose mothers and grandmothers and great grandmothers never forgot.

This isn’t about milkmaid dresses or Instagram cottage core kitchen slow mornings.

It’s about turning “home” back into a sanctuary and how you can start doing that one little bit at a tim…

I have a sore throat.

Liza Dora — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 13:53:29 GMT

At what age do you start automatically listing symptoms of your sickness to the people around you?

I think, for me, it was about 38, but now that I’m 40, I do it without hesitation. Maybe COVID did this to me? Or being a mom?