Your story is real. It made you who you are. If you’ve survived your story, that means you’ve taken the steps to survive it, and you have something incredible to share. If you’ve survived some of it and are still working through the rest, you still have survived some of it and have those incredible pieces to share.

Stop making your story your burden and your excuse. 

Become the hero you were meant to be. Step out of that story, use it as your cape, and show others the...

I LOVE CLOTHES. Let me start saying that. 

I used to do plus-sized runway modeling, and I’d get decent discounts for doing so. As my weight went up, I held on to some outfits with the hope I’d get back into them. It’s actually a bit shameful how many clothes I have. As I lost weight, I realized I didn’t like some of the clothes I’d been hanging onto and decided to get rid of a lot of them. I ended up giving away about 16 garbage bags full of clothes-- and I...

Having digestion issues is tough, I’ve been there. I’ve suffered from it since I was a child. 

When you’re not digesting your food well, your body’s attempts to do so takes up a lot of energy.It can be painful, embarrassing, and socially crippling. 

I’m going to share with you two simple, powerful habits that you can start today to improve your digestion. 

1. Hot water sip - it’s exactly what it sounds like. Taking two to three sips of hot...

It sucks to feel trapped. I know, I felt it for a long time. I was shackled by the roles and responsibilities I thought I had to the life I created (from the outside looking in anyway). When I finally let go of them, I discovered freedom… until I found myself in a relationship that threatened to make me feel trapped again, and I realized I fell into the same trap. 

Each of those times, I realized that I leaned into the safety and comfort of protecting what I thought I had...

There’s a different energy getting things done early morning versus in the middle of the night after everyone goes to bed. It’s about getting a head start on the day versus catching up. It’s about running on nourishment instead of on fumes. It sets the tone for a more proactive rather than reactive mindset.

There’s a circadian rhythm you follow by getting up early that allows you to bring your clearest, shiniest, most creative, and brightest side forward rather...

Pay attention to how you talk to yourself. 

Take the next 48 hours and observe what you say to yourself. Is your self-talk loving and supportive, or is it harsh and critical? Maybe it depends on the circumstances, but take time to notice what’s happening, because unchecked negative thoughts about yourself are damaging. Bringing awareness to your thoughts creates opportunity to stop the thought, check it for accuracy, and change it. 

Your self-talk is your mantra. The word...

Here’s a Zen proverb you might have heard: 

You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day. 

Unless you're too busy; then sit for an hour.

The real reasons why most of us are too busy: 

1. We lack clarity, so we're all over the place.
2. We lack focus and concentration. So we take weeks, months, and years to “unpack” instead of days, hours, or moments. 
3. We lack healthy boundaries. We say yes to what’s not ours, which is so...

I used to be very involved with community musical theatre companies on the north side and North Shore area years ago. I had done some acting in high school and college, and although a music major, never considered myself a singer. I sang in my church choir, and in choirs at school, but never considered myself “soloist” material. I always felt safe blending in with everyone else.

I began doing community theatre on a dare and found a whole new amazing community of creative friends....

"When we are training in the art of peace, we are not given any promises that, because  of our noble intentions, everything will be okay. In fact, there are no promises of fruition at all. Instead, we are encouraged to simply look deeply at joy and sorrow, at laughing and crying, at hoping and fearing, at all that lives and dies. We learn that what truly heals is gratitude and tenderness."  ~ Pema Chodron

When all else fails, turn to gratitude. 

Feeling anxious,...

I know it sounds like the perfect time to meditate, but it’s not. 
Meditating when anxious can work, sort of, but it's very temporary, and often it’s just one big struggle keeping still (in mind & body).

That’s because when you’re stressed or anxious, you’re in fight-or-flight mode. Try closing your eyes, getting still, and focusing on your breath, or a mantra, or a visualization technique while your house is on fire. 

You can’t.

At...