Heeeeey y'all!!

It's been a while, huh?

I'm actually a little embarrassed about how long it's been.

Truth is, I haven't quite figured out how to keep all of the plates spinning in this whole running a business venture (Does anyone know the secret?? Can ya help a sister out, please!) and I'm not yet sure exactly how I want to make blogs and newsletters a regular thing for me…I don’t want to do them just because everyone says I should. I want them to be meaningful and in service and support of you.

There's a lot that I've thought about sharing over the year…celebrations, lessons from mistakes I've made, work that I’m doing/not doing, my clients’ breakthroughs, topics that are near and dear to my heart, and the struggle…oh, the struggle is so real!

I will say this… I want to play with this format a little more so that we can stay more connected in 2019. For now, let's get a little closure.

Can you believe we're here again…winding down the last few days of yet another year?I don't know about you, but this year has been…well, it's been complicated. There have been a handful of challenges and disappointments, but there have also been new friendships, stillness, unexpected opportunities, and a whole lot of LOVE. I’m grateful for ALL of it!!

As I'm sure many of you have heard, March 8th is International Women's Day. It's a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. (Yes, I know…we should do this everyday. )

I've never been one to claim the label of feminist…that is until recently. I've had the time and space to process my past and to claim ownership over my own story instead of letting others dictate what my story is or should be. I now see myself as an equal…as worthy…just as worthy as any other woman or man to be…well, to be MYSELF. This has heightened my awareness of inequalities in our world.

I've never been much into politics…it wasn't a topic discussed during my childhood so a lot of what I learned came in snippets throughout my early adulthood (40 is still an early adult, right?). I came to believe that the saying "never talk about religion or politics" has been a form of repression…a subtle way to keep "us" from learning more about the topic and understanding (ultimately respecting) different perspectives.

In the last few months I've witnessed (and even been a part of) so many conversations about the current political leadership…language escalating around who's right and who's wrong. With Conviction…Righteousness…Attacking….and Defensiveness. People have so easily dismissed the feelings of others and try to justify the dismissal with facts…or alternative facts....

I love this time of year...there is always a clean slate feeling--as if anything is possible. So many BIG goals, BIG hopes, and BIG ideals rolling around in everyones head. It's soooo inspiring! 

As we're all pondering what we want for the year to come, I wanted to chime in with a little nugget about the stories we tell...

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST!

(Insert famous Queen anthem…better yet, strut across the floor like Freddie Mercury. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, watch the youtube video for Queen’s Another One Bites the Dust. Then STRUT!)

It's that time of year again…when we start to reflect on how the past year went and what we want for the year ahead. Lessons learned. Celebrations. Disappointments. And a clean slate. Maybe you're thinking back to this time last year and what you said you wanted for the year we're about to end.

Last week, I had the opportunity to speak with a group of leaders on the topic of celebrating mistakes…Ironically, I made some mistakes!

The Thanksgiving holiday is a great reminder for us to pause and give thanks for all that we have in our lives, BUT gratitude isn't just for Thanksgiving. The research on gratitude lists countless ongoing benefits. Studies have shown that gratitude leads to…

PEOPLE ARE FASCINATING! MYSELF…NOT SO MUCH

 I could sit and people watch all day…making up stories about who they are and what they’re up to. Not in a judgmental way, but in a curious way. I find people to be absolutely fascinating! (Any other people watchers out there?) It's not just strangers; I'm fascinated by my friends, family, and peers too. I want to peel back the layers and understand why they do what they do…from the really big intentional decisions to the unconscious everyday choices. 

Why do we do what we do?