"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?

The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek ~ Joseph Campbell

"I am a Life Coach"

I used to think that sounded corny.

I resisted the call for years. I found every excuse in the book to not become a Life Coach. Meanwhile I kept searching for my purpose, knowing there had to be more to life that what I was doing.

It's interesting how that works...quite often the exact thing we run from is the exact thing we need to run toward. But we resist because it is scary; it leads to the great unknown. It requires vulnerability, courage, strength, and hard work.

Joseph Campbell, who famously wrote The Hero with a Thousand Faces, structured "The Hero's Journey", a set of steps that almost every mythological hero follows on their adventure.

At a very high level, this is what the journey looks like. Many movies and books throughout history and across cultures follow this pattern. 

1. Ordinary World - our "hero" is an ordinary person living life in their ordinary world 
2. Call to Adventure - our hero is presented with a problem, challenge or adventure 
3. Refusal of the Call - our hero is reluctant, this is the threshold of adventure, he or she will face a great fear and is very reluctant
4. Meeting a Mentor - a wise person may arrive to instill motivation; someone who has been there. This person can only go so far, our hero must face the unknown by his or herself
5. Crossing the Threshold - our hero enters the unknown and passes the first threshold, the journey begins, the commitment is made to venture into the special  world
6. Tests, Allies, Enemies - our hero must undergo tests and trials, meet allies who will assist on the journey, and encounter resistance from others
7. Approach the Innermost Cave - inside lies our hero's biggest fears, our hero faces doubts, takes time to reflect
8. Ordeal, Death & Rebirth - our hero must face their greatest fear and draw upon experience and skills, at this point everything is put on the line, our hero does not know if he or she will succeed or fail
9. Seizing the Prize - our hero survives the ordeal, they killed the dragon. The reward is upon them, the treasure they came for is theirs
10. The Road Back - our hero must return back to the ordinary world with the reward, he or she must reconcile with how the experience has changed them
11. The Resurrection - our hero emerges from the special world, transformed, back into the ordinary world, he or she must come to grips with lessons learned
12. Return with Elixir - the entire journey is meaningless without the reward our hero brings back. It can be anything from new knowledge and wisdom, a treasure to share, love, freedom, etc. 

Interestingly, we can transfer this to our own lives, not everyone will follow every step in every order but the basic premise is the same. 

For me, I spent years in my "ordinary world". I knew I wanted more but was afraid to shake things up. What if I failed? I was not ready to face vulnerability, criticism, or failure.

Eventually I took the plunge and accepted the call. I found a mentor and a whole new tribe. But they could only take me so far. I met with resistance (within myself and from others), but I also found many allies. I faced my battles and came out transformed. It took a lot of work but life is so much better now.

I returned from the journey with my own special medicine to share. I now help people navigate their own Hero's Journey. I discovered how to use my intuition, insight, and magic to help other people. 

I used to be afraid to call myself a coach. I had to take baby steps to put it out there. I tested the waters by only putting my toe in, then my foot, then waded in to my waist. 

I now proudly state with confidence what I do, I help people Unshackle their Soul.

My work doesn't speak to everyone, it isn't for everyone. 

My work is for those who know, or at least suspect they are not living their truth. They want something more and they are willing to show up, be vulnerable, and step into their Hero's Journey. 

When they come out the other side, back to their ordinary world, they have their own unique elixir to share. The one they worked hard to retrieve. 

So many magical things have happened since I started my adventure, I can say FOR SURE, when you accept your call to action, take your hero's journey and come through the other side, the transformation is so worth it.

Hit me up if you want a free consultation to see if Life Coaching is right for you.

​We must be willing to get rid of the life we planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. ~ Joseph Campbell

“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!