When I was growing up we didn’t have a lot of money and when I was old enough to get a job and make money, it went to supporting my family (buying groceries, gas, paying for rent, etc.).

When I was 17, I wasn’t in school and worked two jobs to make the money we needed to move from living in a campground to living in a motel room.  

I also sold my backpack and other beloved possessions for gas money.

When I was in college, I worked multiple jobs and would often send money home when it was needed.  

For much of my life every time I earned money, I didn't get to keep it...it was earmarked for survival of some sort or another.

This created a strange and awkward relationship with money.  I wanted it and I didn't want it at the same time.  Having money was scary and not having money was scary.  As a result I felt stressed and anxious about money...

 I have taken so many classes, workshops and trainings on social media that my head hurts thinking about all the must-do's and latest algorithm updates.  The most common MUST DO is to post 4-5 a week....and if you truly want to grow your following then 4-5 times a day.

WHAT??!!

I am not interested in that.  I don't want to spend my time doing that.  No thank you.

But even though I don't want to do that I have still felt the PRESSURE to post and be active on social media.  

Because "that's what every other business owner is doing" and "If I want to grow, then that's what I have to do."

These thoughts were totally stressing me out so I took my questions and anxiety about social media to my mentor and coaching group. 

Here's what happened....

I shared that I had been trying to keep up with posting on social media regularly but I wasn't taking it seriously and I wasn't enjoying any part of...

For almost twenty years I have been running a small business of some sort...from teaching Pilates and yoga at gyms and in people's homes to career coaching, wellness consulting and owning a yoga studio.  

In each new venture, I brought a ton of energy and inspiration but often lacked the strategic know-how as well as the mindset to grow the way I desired. 

As a result, this is how I felt or spent my time:

• I often felt confused about what to do next or where to put my energy. 
• I struggled with making decisions and feeling confident about my decisions.
• I didn't know the steps to grow and so did things randomly and inconsistently.
• I was stressed out constantly because I knew things needed to change but I didn't know how to change them.
• I worked from early morning to late into the evening trying to get a handle on things but never felt like I truly understood my direction or the steps to get me where I wanted to go.
• ...

How do you use the first hour of your day?  Do you consume news, blogs, podcasts, etc.? 

Although it may seem useful to take all that info in at the beginning of your day, it's actually burning your precious mental energy and creating a total distraction from what you are here to do. 

Think about how you feel when you first wake up...as you notice the ideas peculating, the inspiration coming through and the vision for your day/life taking shape.

You may feel CLEAR, ON FIRE, READY TO TAKE THE DAY ON.

Then you sit at your computer and begin reading the newsletters that have rolled in, you scroll Facebook or you begin to research something.

And then BAM, you feel completely unfocused, distracted and confused about what you are doing that day and how you wanted to spend your time.  The ideas you were so excited about when you first woke up may even begin to feel hazy or out of reach.

What's the problem with...

We all have thoughts and beliefs that get in the way of doing our work, taking action, creating results and living life the way we want to.  Fear of not being good enough or concerns about what other people think can stop us in our tracks. 

Here's what that looks like:

You get inspired, you feel some momentum, you get ready to action...and then these thoughts come screaming in...

"What if they laugh at me?"

"What if there's tech issues and I don't know how to fix them?"

"What am I doing, this is so stupid, how did I ever think I could pull this off?!"

"What if nobody buys?"

"They know so much more than I do...why would anyone want to work with me?"

And then you decide not to do that FB Live you've been pumped about for the last few days. You decide to not host that webinar you've been planning.  You hold back from sharing who you are, what you do and how you help people. 

You hide, shrink and withdraw.

The result?

You do not grow your...

When you work with me, here is what you will learn:

You will learn to develop self-confidence through your willingness to take action and course correct. 

And this confidence will help you achieve those hard to reach results.

It's not rocket science, but it is everything your brain doesn't want to do.

What action are you sitting on TODAY?

What is the action that you know you need to take? 

Go do it.

Then… commit to knowing exactly what you need to do - seriously. Trust your own brain to have the answer. 

Commit to knowing that answer - not “figuring it out.”

If you have any questions... answer them yourself.

It doesn't mean you can’t ask for help or even ask for coaching.

It simply means to never use "waiting on a response" as a reason to not move forward.

In the moment… you always have a good enough answer.

Moving forward is more important than doing it right. Remember that.

Then, TEST IT. Get out there, and make a...

You know the saying...."If you can envision it, you can achieve it."  Well I love this saying but in my experience envisioning my future self living out my dreams and goals is kinda hard.  Can you relate? 

Take this exercise, from the Brave New Year Retreat, as an example:

Imagine that you magically traveled to the future, one year from now.  Consider how this future version of yourself lives everyday life.  From the moment you wake up until the moment your head hits the pillow, what does a typical day look like for you, 1 year from now?

Oooohhh this is such a good question but HARD to answer!! 

There is so much power in imagining your future self as it helps you figure out what steps you need to take to make it happen.......but sometimes that future vision feels foggy or vague or unattainable.

WHY????

Why does this happen?  Why does it feel so hard to envision your future self?

BECAUSE.... 

Your brain does not initially...

For the last several months I have spent every other Sunday afternoon meeting with a circle of amazing women.  We share openly and vulnerably about what's stirring in our lives, how we are feeling and what we are needing.  There is much laughter, tears, deep listening, heartfelt sharing and a whole lot of love. 

I have learned so much from these women including how to intuitively paint, how to make healing herb tinctures, how to share hard things and let the tears come, how to let go and have fun, and how to show up for each other during hard times.

One of the BIGGEST things I have taken away from this circle is that who we surround ourselves with MATTERS.

It’s just a fact of life that some people hold us back, while others propel us forward. 

You can’t hang out with negative people and expect to have a positive life, right?!

And I'm sure you've experienced that being close to winners, kind people, talented people, experts, healers and masters...

The pandemic is exhausting.  It's emotionally draining and overwhelming.  So right now the most important thing you can do for your sanity and well-being is to come back to the basics. 

During tough times, like the one we're in, focus on healthy foundations — like sleep, exercise and eating well — to build your resilience and broaden your capacity to tolerate stressful moments.

But don't force it.

Rather than making yourself commit to a specific practice that you think you should be doing, ask yourself what would make you feel better (ie. relaxed, revived, whole, in control).

We are all feeling the stress of this pandemic, so remember that your self-care is a gift that you are not only giving to yourself, but also to family, friends, partners and colleagues, since taking time to care for yourself has a calming - "We're all going to be okay" - effect on those around you.

Here are some simple...

I love really good questions...l actually keep a folder of them because a good question will make you pause, take you off autopilot, and reveal what you really think and feel.  And this is when it gets good - like when you realize something for the first time, have an ah-ha, or are inspired by an idea! 

Good questions keep you engaged with yourself and encourage you to think, feel and live deeply.

If you want to get to know yourself better, gain clarity on your intentions for 2022, or just feel heard (by YOU) then commit to answering one powerful question a day. 

Sit down with your journal first thing in the morning or the last thing in the evening and let the words flow....

Here are your powerful questions:

1. What do you crave?
2. Other than time or money, what do you want more of?
3. What do you need to give yourself permission to be/do/feel?
4. What brings you alive, enlivens you,...