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The holidays are officially behind us and we are well on our way into the new year! Happy 2019! How many of you created a new years resolution? I imagine it sounded something like this.. – Exercise more – Lose weight – Eat more healthily – Take a more active approach to health – Learn something new – Spend more time on well-being – Drink less alcohol If you can see yourself in one of these resolutions, I want to cheer you on and let you know this change is absolutely possible for you! You CAN make this change. We just need to work on a little something as you shift into this new habit. If you’re only a week into this new year and you already feel like giving up – don’t! You’ve done that too many times before and you deserve more than that. Instead of criticizing yourself for falling off track, try taking a new approach. Together, we can get you to that end goal you crave for yourself. As a coach, I’m here to support you and your goals! As a human, I know it’s not always easy to make changes. I’ve had to make changes…

Throughout the entirety of my middle and high school experience, I was terrified of boys. I did not understand them and the thought of interacting with one who was interested in me was like standing naked in the middle of the school commons. I had 0, and I mean ZERO interest in that attention. Did I have crushes on boys? Yes, but God knows I wasn’t going to do anything about it. One of my most distinct memories of these “romantic” interactions I so feared took place in middle school. One boy in particular had been interested in me for a few years. I was aware, but as I already said, I had no interest in reciprocating these feelings. He was not prepared to take no for an answer. Neither was his best friend.   One day in particular, I remember his best friend repeatedly asking me to “go out” with this boy. Mind you, “going out” in middle school simply meant people would know we were “together”. His best friend repeatedly found me throughout the day and kept asking, “will you go out with him?” Each time I would respond with a strong no. In between classes, while passing…

The following is an excerpt from my upcoming book. This portion, in particular, comes from a chapter on having the courage to choose yourself and healing your heart. I’ve been in the repetitive cycle when I could count on disappointment and felt at fault for everything. He is never going to suddenly change and choose you. It’s on you to choose you. I know this is a lot easier said than done, but love is not supposed to hurt. Love is not supposed to hurt. Love is not supposed to hurt.   I’m still working through some of my own desire to dive into a old habits, but I’m in a much happier place now than I was when I was deeply invested in that relationship. The girl that ran the show when I was in that relationship is not who I am now. She was hurt, sad, confused, and constantly searched for some validation from him. I look back on her and have so much love for her heart. She tried so hard, gave up so much of herself to make that relationship work. She was doing the best she could. She was doing the best she could with…

One of the most common comments I receive from the young audiences I speak to is that I’m one of few people who actually tell them it’s okay to do less. Today, I decided I wanted to send the same message to you. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stretched too thin, or under immense pressure to do it all and have all the answers, I’m here to give you permission to release. Please, breathe more and slow down. You don’t have to change the world or revolutionize your life in one day. It’s not possible. That takes time. There are, however, a few things you can do today to release pressure and create more ease. These are my go-to that I would love to share with you… 1. Write yourself a permission slip This is one of my favorite activities to do when I’m feeling overwhelmed. Remember when you were a kid and you had to carry that permission slip home from school to get your parents signature? Yes, I’m talking about that kind of permission slip. You no longer need the permission of a parent, but we tend to be pretty stingy about giving ourselves permission. If you need to…

I kid you not – there was once a time when a toaster was my symbol of success. It sounds ridiculous now but you might be surprised to find yourself relating to this. Just a few years ago, I sat at the bridal shower of a close family member and sat in awe as she opened generous gifts to fill her home. As we watched her open her gifts, I could only see the distance between where I was and where I wanted to be. She opened beautiful salad bowls, luxurious towels, expensive pots and pans, and… a toaster. “I don’t even have a toaster!” I muttered under my breath. My mom, sitting next to me, giggled to herself and gave me a loving look. At that time, I was living in a beautiful condo with another young woman who was much farther in her evolution into womanhood than I was. At the time, I was making a shift into living by myself for the first time in my life and felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of things I didn’t have. In my perspective, a toaster was the most basic of the kitchen supplies I didn’t have. The distance…

The most creative person I know, once again, blew my mind with her imagination and, well, creativity. If you’re looking for a cute way to decorate your home, wedding, special event, or if you’re heading into a parade this summer…I have just the idea for you! I’m really fortunate to have a mom who is endlessly inspiring in her innovation, decoration and personal style. Every Christmas she has the most beautiful home and every summer she has the most adorable back yard. This year, however, she didn’t want to invest in her go-to (geraniums) just to throw them away in the fall. What did she do instead? I have two words for you: Pool. Noodles. That’s right – my mother the creative genius made 4 beautiful bouquets to decorate the pool with POOL NOODLES.             Is your jaw on the floor yet? If yes, read on. I have all details on how you can make these for yourself! Well, almost all of them. The key to these is to make them your own! Cost: Afternoon in front of tv to make 1 hr per pot to put together $8/noodle  30 to begin with – used…

Allow me to drop a truth bomb from the very beginning here:  No relationship will ever be worth giving up any bit of yourself. Please know that I say this from a place of deep love. If you’re feeling like you’ve silenced yourself for too long, you’ve bent yourself to fit what you think will work better, you’ve ruined friendships, or sacrificed your own happiness to stay in something that feels familiar over making a scary change…. Girl, I’ve been there. In fact, my longest relationship came from doing exactly that. I choose “security” and “happiness” over myself. Throughout the time I was in that relationship (years) there were countless nights that I cried myself to sleep.  Standing in the shower trying to convince myself I wasn’t crying, it was just the shower on my face. I used to scream out at the universe to tell me why I could count on disappointment, not my person. I was lonely in a relationship. I gave everything I had, whether it was a piece of my heart or my sanity,  I was quick to give it up.  At the end of it, I was miserable. I was heartbroken, confused, and disappointed. Ultimately, he…

When it comes to managing my anxiety, there are a few tricks I’ve tried over the years that have become reliable tools in my toolbox. For those of you who are learning to cope with your mental health or if you’re looking to learn more, I wanted to share my strategies with you! Medication Yes. That’s right I’m taking an anti-anxiety medication every day.  I know there can still be a stigma for some around taking medication. I’ve heard the comments about being on medication for the rest of my life and, frankly, that question is in direct opposition to how I approach life. Managing anxiety and growing is about taking like one day at a time. Today, it works for me.  Tomorrow might be different. I don’t know what my life will look like in 5 years so I can’t answer the “rest of my life” questions. What I know today is that I am happier and emotionally stable because my brain is regulated.  Exercise – 30 minutes This is a practice. My body, my brain, and my stress levels all benefit from my choice to stay active and get my heart rate up for 30 minutes 5 days…

Here’s the simple reality: an exceptional life does not come from average habits. There are countless cliche phrases I could write right now that we’ve all heard repeatedly over our lives (what you really want is on the other side of your comfort zone…) but I won’t.  You don’t get to finish the race, write the book, win the election, win the game, receive the recognition by living in the same habits you’ve been living in your entire life. The change you so dream of has remained a dream because you’ve never REALLY committed to two things: consistency and discipline. An exceptional life does not come from average habits. You WILL have to make sacrifices. You WILL have to step outside of your comfort zone. You WILL be challenged and tested and pushed. This is when most give up. How many hours do you think Lebron James has spent in the gym practicing? Taking the same shots over and over and over and over and over again. Is he immensely talented? Yes. Talent is only half of it. The rest comes from those 10,000 hours we speak of (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, google 10,000 hours to…

Take a look around the room you’re scrolling in, the train you’re riding, or the coffee shop you’re sipping in.  What’s happening in that space? How is it filled? What does it sound like? Are you alone or do you feel surrounded? Do you feel the freedom of a space only occupied by your body, or do you feel the weight of centuries of cruelty, intolerance, and judgment filling the space? Are you comfortable? When you look around this space, do you feel familiar with the rules of that space? Do you know what to do, how to act, whom to talk to, or when to avert your eyes? What does it feel like to be occupying that space you’re in? Are you small or do you feel validated and unaware of your presence? Space is no small topic. Space is restricted, controlled, manipulated, and broken. What fills the space, what breaks the space, what causes the most pain in the space is created by man.  Take, for example, space as a woman.  A woman is constantly aware of the amount of space she is allowed to occupy and how quickly the space she occupies can be used against her….