"There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." - Nelson Mandela
 
Most days I drive by the local middle school while out running various errands. There is a billboard out front and it often contains an inspirational message. On my way home from Thanksgiving grocery shopping I noticed this written on the board:
 
"Never settle for less than your best"
 
As usual I read it and wondered, do the kids read that? Do they think about it? Does it matter that someone takes time to put those up? Does anyone care?
 
That's when it hit me like a ton of bricks. Who am I to judge whether the students read it or think about its meaning? I need to turn that finger around and point it right at myself. I always read them but do I really think about the message?
 
It got me wondering, where to do I settle for less than my best?

Well pretty much everywhere. I make excuses, I find reasons to put things off or to do just enough to get by. I think about exercising more and eating less. I think about offering new programs with this business. I think about cleaning out my closets, sprucing up the yard, and dropping things off at Goodwill to name just a few.
 
Over the years, I've struggled with swinging between perfectionism and accepting what is. My thoughts tell me if I don't do something exactly right I am a failure. So I work on accepting what is, I remind myself that practice makes perfect and I can't possibly do everything right. Better to try and fail then not try at all, right? And by the way, who exactly gets to be the judge of what the right way to do something even is?
 
I get to judge what is the right way for me to do something and I get to decide what is my best effort. No one else can or should do that for me. How liberating! The same holds true for you, you are your own judge!
 
I started thinking about my coaching biz, I most definitely do the very best I can for my clients. Or do I?
 
I absolutely put everything I have into working with these brave souls: I listen deeply, I hold space, I question and challenge, I empathize. I help them face their fears. But do I offer them everything I am capable of, do I have more tools in my toolbox?
 
As I read that sign in front of the middle school, I realized I am holding back. I have settled into what is comfortable for me. I have not pushed the envelope far enough; my need for acceptance and fear of ridicule has kept me playing safe and staying small. I get to judge if I am doing my best and I don't think I am, I have more to offer.
 
I have gifts to share, I have programs to release. I’ve stalled in putting them out there, but I am inspired to get going NOW.

In order to get from point A to point B, or C or D, I need to practice.
 
I am offering a free over the phone Tarot reading to the first 5 people who say I’m in! All you have to do is reply in the comments section on my Facebook page and I will send you a PM to get it scheduled.

So tell me, what are you doing to ensure you never settle for less than your best?

“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr
 
Goodbye 2016 and Hello 2017. 
 
It seems as though everywhere I turn people are waiting for 2106 to end, and to give it a big FU on the way out. 

As a collective, we have lost so many wonderful people. We weathered a crazy election. And as much as we may all differ in our thoughts and opinions, we did it together.
 
For fun, I sometimes dabble in numerology and it recently occurred to me that 2016 is a "9 year". Nine years mean completion and the end of something. I like to view it a graduation, we made it through and now we have a new beginning headed our way.
 
The old ways are coming to an end and we are starting fresh with a new cycle in 2017, a 1 year. One years are new beginnings, something different with a new energy.
 
People wanted change and it appears it’s upon us whether we are truly ready or not. Only time will tell how things play out, but it is clear to me that people are waking up. Many of us are very worried about what the new administration will bring, myself included. I also like to remind myself this is the 45th president… another "nine". Perhaps politics will evolve and the next presidency will look completely different. Despite my numerous concerns, I remain hopeful.
 
The new year is a time for all of us to take stock of what we have, where we’ve been, where we are, and what we hope for in the new year. 
 
This is my first blog post in quite a while. During my break I worked on me. I found clarity on what I want in my own life, and what my offerings will be in the new year. I love doing inner work and connecting with spirit. As I evolve and transform into my authentic self I have found more freedom. I continue to work on living my life in alignment with my values. I have taken many steps to get where I am and have many more to go, but I am so much closer. As Lao Tzu famously said, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step".
 
My word for 2017 is "magic". To me, magic is all around us but we often don't see or acknowledge it. I am opening my arms, mind, and heart to receive as much magic as possible in the new year. It fills me with possibilites.
 
I strive to feel unshackled in any way, shape or form. And this is what I want for you to! I am pleased to announce that my whole coaching practice will revolve around "unshackling your soul". My website and offerings will change to reflect this. Look for magical new courses, classes, and coaching that will assist you in coming home to what your soul wants for you. To live the life that's exactly right for you.
 
If you are in the Dayton area, I invite you to set your intentions for 2017 by creating a vision board with me on January  14th at the Reiki Room of Dayton. You can register for the class by clicking here.
 
Thank you all for being a part of my life. I am grateful.
 
Happy New Year!

"The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life if to give it away."  ~Pablo Picasso

Some people are lucky enough to come out of the womb knowing exactly what they want to do with their life. They are inexplicably drawn to their life's work. Their mission, their purpose is right there, pulling them in like a moth to a flame.

Must. Be. Nice.

What about those of use who wanted to do everything? We couldn't settle on one thing. We didn't quite know what our "purpose" was.

I am one of those people.

And then one day, years ago, I woke up in a cold, gray cubicle wondering how the I got there and how the hell I could possibly get out. This was not what I wanted from my life, it was not what I dreamed about. There had to be something more fulfilling. 

I went from wanting to do everything to finding myself completely unfulfilled. 

What happened?

I kept hearing about "Finding your Life Purpose", it sure sounded good but what exactly does that mean and how are we supposed to do it?

What I learned is our purpose is what we came here to do, and we find it by looking at what we are passionate about.

But I had no passions! At least not glaringly obvious ones. 

If you feel a pull for something more, something different but you aren't sure what or how to get there, start by looking back on your life. 

The dots are there, you just have to connect them.

What did you like to do as a child? How did you spend your time? 

For me, I loved creating. Creating anything. I loved art, I loved playing make believe games, I enjoyed being outside with my friends. On the flip side, I enjoyed getting lost in books. Once I discovered the joy of reading, I was hooked.

I also loved gymnastics...anytime, anywhere and as often as possible.

As I look back at my childhood, I remember wanting to be a doctor. This is probably because I was accident prone and found myself in the ER quite a bit.

By elementary school my goals had changed slightly. I was certain that I would marry Shaun Cassidy and tour the world with him. 

There came a time in junior high I thought I would be lawyer. My friend's dad told me I could probably be a paralegal because girls weren't lawyers...say what?

In ninth grade we were given an extensive career assessment. I was fascintated by this. Finally, a test worth taking! I looked forward to finally learning "what I should be when I grow up".

We took all kinds of tests, I was really into it. In the end we were going to get a full report of our strengths and weaknesses, ideal careers, and what would not be a good fit for us. 

I anxiously waited to get the results.

Whah, whah, whah.....

Huge disappointment. It spit out nothing specific, nothing worthwhile. In fact almost every kid got the same exact report. "You would be suited to most careers, other than a doctor"....say what?

In hindsight, I was most intrigued by the assessment process and asking everyone about their results. I wanted to find out about people. I wanted to know what others wanted to do, what made them tick. 

I didn't realize it at the time, but that was a big clue.

I ended up for no particular reason getting my bachelors degree in marketing and followed it up a couple of years later with a masters in counseling psychology.

I spent years as a Professional Counselor, but that didn't feel quite right either. There was always an underlying yearning for something more. A quiet pull....we all have it but often ignore it because what it is calling us to do may seem to difficult, too late, too hard, too (insert whatever excuse suits you).

As I look back at my life and what looks like random job changes, etc, I see a common thread weaving itself through it all. I like to help people solve their life problems.

I enjoy helping people create the life they crave.

So now I am a Life Coach and everything fits into place. It all makes sense. And if I'm honest, it's what I wanted to do all along. I just did not want to overcome the obstacles I envisioned it taking to get here. So I kept finding other things to do. I kept circling around the wagon, avoiding what made me uncomfortable.

Until I didn't. And everything changed for the better.

If you need help putting the pieces together to bring more joy into your life, it might be time to start figuring out what you crave and get to work creating it. I have a few spots open for new clients. Contact me today to discuss how to get started.

Oh, and I didn't get Shaun Cassidy but I did marry my own musician.