Cringe. Courage. Creativity.
A Teen's Playbook for Humaning

What if your weirdness is your wisdom?

What if your daydreams are blueprints?

What if the world needs your imagination more than your grades?

Cringe. Courage. Creativity. A Teen's Playbook for Humaning

A book by marie in awe · coming soon

For teens, young adults, and the adults who want to understand them better.

I want the book excerpt →
Book cover: Cringe. Courage. Creativity. A Teen's Playbook for Humaning, by marie in awe

Not here to fix teens.
Here to flip the narrative.

Teens today are overwhelmed w information and starving for meaning. They're told to do more and raise the bar, but no one shows them how to slow down, get bored, ignite their imagination, and come home to who they are.

Instead of asking what's wrong w them, Cringe. Courage. Creativity. dares them to ask: what is possible? Through personal stories, conversations w experts, soulful prompts, and playful practices, it's a permission slip to daydream, feel deeply, question everything, and rise after they fall.

Part TEDx talk.Part campfire story.Part treasure map.

Curious how it reads? Get a glimpse here →Sign up free on my Substack and the book excerpt lands in your inbox.

A playbook,
not a rulebook.

Every chapter ends w three ways to make it real.
Mind · Awareness

Think Tank

Questions and reflections that turn ideas into self-knowledge.

Spirit · Courage

Let's Get Weird

Creative dares and experiments to practice being brave.

Heart · Compassion

Vibe Pad

Journaling and energy practices. A lil woo woo w a side of science.

Try the playbook here → Sign up free on my Substack and the book excerpt, playbook included, lands in your inbox.

But first,
a gift.

No moola? No problem.

A free book excerpt from Chapter One

A true story and re-route exercise. Read it yourself, then pass it to the teen in your life.

Your book excerpt awaits →
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  2. 2Pop in your email on my Substack
  3. 3The book excerpt lands in your inbox

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For the Quirkies

Teens and young adults 15–21

And just maybe, for any adult whose inner teen still needs a little permission to be a person instead of a performance.

Featuring conversations w
  • Dr. David Eagleman
  • Dr. Scott Allison
  • Dr. Bryan Alvarez
  • Austin Farwell
  • Kirsten McCormick
  • Allison Wyckoff
  • Triana Patel
  • + a tribute to Dr. James Doty
The receipts

This book didn't
come out of nowhere.

Before I wrote a playbook for humaning, I spent years obsessing over the same question: what makes people come alive?

15+years turning big ideas into playful, unforgettable experiences
SPRINGERContributor, The Encyclopedia of Heroism Studies · 2024
HERO ROUND TABLESpeaker, at Philip Zimbardo's invitation
TEDxTeen workshop on creativity and resilience at TEDx Calle Aldama
NEUROSCIENCECollaborations w David Eagleman, Jim Doty & Paul Ekman

The point isn't the résumé. It's that I've been chasing this stuff for a long time.

marie in awe, smiling, in a pink top
The person behind the playbook

marie in awe is fluent incringe, courage, and creativity.

I've spent the better part of my life being fascinated by what makes humans come alive: awe, curiosity, courage, creativity, possibility, and play.

I used to do that work mostly w grown-ups. Now I get to do it w the next gen of audacious creators.

Born in the Philippines, raised across cultures, and now worldschooling my tween and teen, I don't speak at teens, I move w them.

More about Marie →

Author. Idea collector. Professional wonderer. Former grown-up whisperer.