Empower your future with these key questions

What are your answers to these questions:

• Are you looking for inspiration?

• Do you know what you really want?

• Do you yearn to feel more alive and excited about your life?

• Have you thought about shaping a clear vision of your future — a future that feels satisfying and promising? 

Considerations like these may be front and center for you. Or, like many women pushing through their days, you may not have paused to think about them in some time (if ever).

I believe these are important questions. I believe that we all deserve to be clear, to feel inspired, to be excited, and to envision the lives we want to live — now and in the future.

I also believe that we all can live inspired, fulfilling lives that are built on realizing our deep desires.

So why is it that so many women I speak to find it challenging to answer some or all of these questions?

Most of us play it safe

It’s easy to live each day and not take the time to think seriously. Feeling deserving to set aside time for ourselves, for self-care of any kind — including self-reflection — is a factor that stands in the way for many women.

And many women find questions like these uncomfortable. Some tell me they feel bewildered about how to look inside for answers.

Whatever the reason, it can often feel easier not to consider questions like these. It may seem safer to simply live from day-to-day without intentionally charting a course that is rooted in your heart.

Here’s how to begin stepping into clarity

If you are looking for small first steps you can take to bring answers to light, try some of these approaches.

Here are a few ideas for finding inspiration

Make a quick list of things you really enjoy doing, such as taking leisurely walks with friends, exploring new places, trying exotic foods, collecting something that fascinates you, learning new things. Write quickly and list at least 12 things.

Look at your list, and star the two or three that are most appealing. Then make a date to do them. When you take that action, note the way you feel. See if you can sustain that energy — by doing more of the same things, or engaging in other things on your list.

Here are a few ideas to pinpoint what you want

Sit quietly and think about what you want in the moment. It might be a flavor you want to taste. It might be an experience you long for. Getting in touch with your desires in the moment helps you tune in to your heart and pay attention. Repeat this for a few days and see what shows up.

To build on that, sit with someone close to you and have them ask you what you want — over and over. Give it time, and let yourself go deep. After 5 minutes being asked and answering that question, switch places and ask the other person what they want. Ask again and again. Acknowledge what they share. When you have each taken a turn, reflect on how it felt to have been asked, and to listen to the other person’s answers, and talk about what showed up for each of you.

Here are a few ideas for building energy and feeling more excited each day

Similar to seeking inspiration, think about what makes you feel full of energy and excited. Some people love activities that are fast, to get their blood pumping. Some find they are filled with energy and excitement in quiet places, like in a great museum. Some like to be in crowds at concerts, while others find star-gazing with a great telescope lights them up. Whatever it is for you, (and there may be multiple ways), plan to bring that kind of experience into you life soon — and do it as often as you can.

Here are ideas for starting to shape a vision for the future

Once you have moved through exploring the first 3 ideas, you will be well-positioned to consider your vision for the future — which may be something near-term or longer-term.

Tap into the inspiration, the desires you identified, and the kind of energy and excitement you have started cultivating. Then think about how you can imagine various aspects of your life when all of that energy is part of it.

Start by considering your relationships. Then move on to imagining your work life. How about the environment you surround yourself with? What kind of environment would support you to feel great? Next, think about how you imagine your health and wellbeing, as you live a life that you love.

Imagine what all of that could look. Paint a picture in your mind. You might want to write descriptions, or create a vision board to flesh it out and hold a clear vision. 

Start with one small step today!

If you want to begin activating more energy and finding more clarity in your life, start small.

Commit to one small effort now, and do it soon.

Yup, you will be off and running!

Check in with yourself. If it was great, keep going. If it was not all you expected, try something new. And continue!

As you experiment and make discoveries that feel satisfying and meaningful, extend your efforts.

Know that you are building awareness along with energy, and that your desires will evolve over time. That’s the beauty of actively living with awareness — you get to have new experiences and learn new things, and all of that helps you to shape a vision full of energy to fuel your life in wonderful ways.

Know, too, that while starting is the key, significant change takes consistent awareness and effort. 

If you are curious about having guidance to make each step easy to take, and to accelerate your progress, I’d be happy to tell you about a powerful program that’s only offered one a year and that will be starting soon.

It has helped dozens of great women find their clarity and step into making their fabulous visions their reality.

To see if it’s a fit for you, email me. We can hop on a quick (free) call.

Step into new possibilities

Most people live in their comfort zone, where it feels safe — and comfortable! That was familiar territory for me. I lived in a cozy, if small, comfort zone for years.

I recall how uncomfortable it was, when I first worked with a coach, to think of stepping outside of my comfort zone. The uncertainty I felt about a host of unknowns seemed daunting.

And, I learned that by choosing to look at things differently, I could also see opportunity.

What if you focused on curiosity and exploration rather than fear?

For some people, a significant event shakes them up and inspires them to step beyond their comfort zone.

In my case, it was a slower process of building awareness that I was no longer content with the status quo. A soft voice inside me piped up to say that I was no longer excited about the work I’d been doing for decades and it was time for something to change.

And I said yes.

I was willing to trust myself, get curious and explore what was possible. Fear and resistance fell away.

Giving myself the opportunity to explore and make discoveries led me to fresh and exciting insights, and many new experiences. It wasn’t long before my new path became clear and I was energized to forge ahead.

What is simmering inside of you, related to your work, your relationships, an upcoming transition, or your satisfation with life?

What might it look like for you to open yourself up to new possibilities?

There is power in taking one small step 

Rather than staying where you are now — no matter where you are on the spectrum that spans dissatisfied, to uncertain, to eager for something new — I invite you to take a step across that invisible line at the edge of your comfort zone and the possibility of something new, different, bigger, better.

Start with saying a quite “Yes” to yourself — a “Yes” to taking a single, small step into new possibility.

• Your small step may be to make a change in a routine that feels stale.

• Your step might be to reach out to someone and talk about an idea that intrigues you.

• You might try something different, like a new way of moving your body, or a new way of creating to express yourself.

• Your step can be taken at your desk, or on an excursion to a place that inspires you.

• You might explore ideas you have now, or generate new ideas to consider.

Any new step counts. Start and then take another step (in the same direction or a different one).

Getting into motion builds momentum. So set an intention to take action.

Are you ready to begin?

Most people wait for the “right time” to take a new step. And most people put off action because they are never sure they are “ready.”

I urge you to start today — simply take one small step over the line into new possibility!

And you might make that step a call with me. You can book a quick intro call to share what’s going on in your life, and what you yearn for. (There’s no pressure, cost or obligation for us to talk.)

Are you ready for something new?

This weekend I was immersed in the past. I lost my father in November, and the house he and my mother lived in has just been sold.

My sisters and I are in the process of emptying the house, and my job the last few days has been going through mountains of family photos — many from boxes of my grandparents that have been sitting in the basement of my parents’ house for decades.

Treasures have been found, emotions have been sparked, and I am gaining insights about how lives have been lived over long spans of time.

Seeing my parents, and their parents, in the bloom of youth and as they aged, is very sweet.

Seeing myself as an infant, during my childhood, as a gawky teenager, a young adult, a bride, and a mother, I am reflecting on the life I have lived, and the life I am living now.

How are you living your life?

Looking back at my professional life, it’s clear that I started in a career I enjoyed, and that I continued for several decades without considering if it was really fulfilling. 

What I became aware of, when in 2009 I hired my first coach to help me with my business, was that I had been drifting through my life without looking at or thinking deeply about the big picture.

I, like most busy professionals, was focused primarily on what was right in front of me. Added to work, raising children, serving on boards, making time to be with my husband, and managing a household, and my attention and focus were fully occupied.

Things seemed to be fine.

What was pivotal for me was working with a coach who asked me to took clearly at my life, and how I was showing up in it. 

When I did that, I saw a lot I had not noticed before. Slow steps followed by more small steps, I started to see many ways I was not showing up fully in my life. I also realized I no longer loved the work I had been doing for nearly 3 decades.

Most significantly, I realized I was ready to make changes.

What does it mean to be ready?

There are times when you know you are ready — for something new, something different, something more exciting. You feel it, and you take a step to bring that change into your life.

More frequently, the question of “being ready” — to look for or accept that new job, to make that big decision, to step into something different even if it is not fully defined in your mind — is one that feels unsettling, or even frightening.

I believe that when you start to get curious and feel a stirring, it is a significant signal from your heart.

Your heart may be “ready” before your head catches up!

That was my experience, and I see it all the time when I speak to women who have hesitated to look deeply, or take action, to explore a stirring they feel.

Fear and doubt show up. Many women are willing to settle for what is now, rather than take a new step.

I get it. 

These 3 steps may help

If you are pondering something new or different and not moving forward, see what happens when you proceed like this:

1. Get clear

First get curious. Ask yourself questions like these, and answer them honestly.

• What is working optimally in your life?

• What feels like a struggle, or feels simply “ok”? 

• What lights you up?

• What do you want more of?

• What do you want less of?

Add more questions that come to mind, and look clearly at what you discover.

2. Set an intention

Your intention can be to research and learn more about a new possibility that you want to consider.

It can be to reach out to people who can advise and/or support you.

It can be to initiate a change — with a very small step, or a larger one.

3. Take action

This step is key.

Until you take some action (remember that small actions count!), and commit to staying in action, one of two things will happen.

Changes that you have declared you want will not happen.

Or you will be at the mercy of inevitable changes that happen around you. Rarely will changes like that match up to what you had envisioned for yourself.

Is it time to say “Yes” to your biggest, best life?

My life was pretty great before I looked closely and decided that I wanted less stress and to be more lit up every day.

I decided to create a more fulfilling future, and I have not stopped creating my life.

I have had great coaches, mentors and teachers who have supported me, inspired me, and believed in me. I am forever grateful to them, and grateful to myself.

I am aware that when I said, “Yes” to myself, I gave myself a gift far greater than I could have imagined on the day I started this journey.

I deeply appreciate all that my grandparents and parents did to set me on my path. And I am proud that I used that foundation as a springboard to a bigger, happier life — where I can help other great women to become the creators of the lives they yearn for.

I invite you to experience yourself living a life that delights you! 

And I’d be happy to explore the possibility of working with you to make that dream your reality.

My father, my grandfather and my mother holding me at the start of my life’s journey.

Live BIG in 2024!

When was the last time you created space for yourself — to think deeply and explore your heart? 

Have you ever spent a few days with other women who are courageously considering important questions, getting clear about the life they truly desire, and being supported to start creating that life?

One of the most beautiful expressions of the outcome of this process was shared with me this past weekend. One of the women who said “Yes” to herself and attended a retreat I led in January shared where she is now.

“I am exploring the ocean that is me. I am immersed, and seeing all that is coming up for me. I am honing and exploring and finding joy!”

What will you discover when you say “Yes”?

The opportunity to give yourself some time and space to focus squarely on yourself is special. And doing it with guidance, in a small group with other great women, is remarkably enriching.

If you are willing to embark on a process of personal exploration, I predict that you will make great discoveries.

If you believe that you matter and that you can learn to create a future that will light up your heart, I predict that you will feel excited to step into a new version of you — a you who feels agency in her life as never before.

Explore what’s possible for you!

The Live Big Live! retreat, that I last offered a year ago and that is now offered only once a year, is returning this spring.

The 3-day retreat is preceded with a preparatory process that’s designed to give you a solid foundation before we gather in person. You will have tools that provide clarity and discoveries, private sessions with me, and group calls where you will connect to the other fabulous women in the group.

Our time at the retreat will include fun and creativity, as insights emerge and breakthroughs are experienced. In short, this program will propel powerful momentum to fuel your life!

Live Big Live! is a singular opportunity to experience what past attendees have raved about. (Check out what they have said here.)

Now is a particularly good time to check out Live Big Live! and see if you feel the urge to learn more about it. 

Why consider Live Big Live! now?

I am offering a special fee for the program through the end of the month. The special offer will expire on February 29, 2024. 

If you feel this spring may be the time to step away from your day-to-day routine, connect to your heart, nurture your spirit, and get energized to create your ideal life in a BIG way, let’s talk soon. 

Look for time on my calendar here. We’ll meet on a call to be sure your questions are answered and see if the fit is right.

I will be delighted for us to talk.

From Paris with love

If you’ve seen my Instagram feed, you know I am in Paris. I’ve been posting some art and scenes that have caught my eye in the past few days.

Last year at this time I had the joy of living and working here for a full month. This trip is a quick one-week visit, and I am grateful to be back. 

I’m glad to share some of the beauty of this magical city with you here.

(And, if experiencing the art and culture of Paris and the south of France is something you would love to do in a special way, look out for an announcement I will make soon, about a retreat for a small group of great women in France this fall.)

SCENES FROM MY WEEK IN pARIS, including a visit to Musee D’Orsay and Mark Rothko’s work at Foundation Louis Vuitton.

Unleash your creative power in 2024

Imagine standing at a large glass window on a rocky shoreline, looking out at the vast ocean and the expansive sky above it. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine what that would look like and how that would feel.

Can you “see” the splendor of nature before you?

Can you sense the energy of the powerful moving water and hear the crashing waves on the rocks below the window? Can you see the graceful, swooping birds gliding on the wind currents?

This inspiring vista represents the year that lies ahead for you — an amazing year of limitless possibilities.

The vast space is filled with energy that you can tap into and use as fuel to create an incredible 2024!

The energy for creation is in you

The way that energy is generated and built in the natural world provides us with information we can apply in our lives, to create anything we want to bring into existence or elevate in our lives.

Here’s a bit of nerdy science to explain:

1. Just as in atomic structure, you can add energy to a stable system and create stability at a higher level. (With a hydrogen atom, for instance, you can add energy with a laser. The electron absorbs the energy and moves to a higher energy state. Got that?)

Interestingly, the process can go in the other direction. An electron at a higher level of energy can drop back down if its energy is dissipated or lost. It takes new energy to be put back in to get back up to the level it had.

2. Here’s another piece of information to consider, having to do with thermo-dynamics and entropy. (I promise, this will not hurt your brain!)

The fact is that the universe tends toward disorder, and that’s called entropy. If you let things erode, you need to put energy back into the system and then sustain that energy. You can even build more energy from there! 

We all know that nothing lasts forever, and our bodies, brains, even civilizations can crumble. The good news is that living things are designed to counter entropy!

3. Chemical reactions have something great to teach us. Activation energy is needed to bring several atoms together to make a molecule (think about 2 Hydrogen atoms and 1 Oxygen atom, to make water).

Any process that creates new things from already-existng things takes energy! (For water, a spark of heat or electricity does the trick.)

For us, it means not only having all of the parts ready and assembled, also adding an energetic ingredient.. 

What this means for you

When you:

• have the willingness to go beyond the edge of your comfort zone and trust yourself to do something that excites you

• believe that your desires and ideas matter, and that you have the power to take small steps forward

• commit to yourself and the effort that’s called for to create what you desire

• generate energy in your spirit and actions — a natural outgrowth of having the foundation I just described

• and stay in the process, so you continue to build energy, or start again when there is a setback

… you can create in limitless ways!

You can add spirit and emotion, too. While these are not as measurable, you can feel the energy of kindness, love, and joy. These all build positive emotional states.

Combine spirit and emotion with the scientific principles described above, you have powerful energy for fulfillment!

Let’s create a 2024 to remember!  

I kicked the year off leading a powerful new retreat last week, that was focused on the energy of creation (see some photos below!).

It was incredible, and I am designing more deep experiences for women to come together to get focused and clear, and generate creative energy to bring into their lives — and impact the world — as never before! 

And part of my focus for 2024 is to bring more of my work inside organizations. I support professional women to be able to bring more of their greatness forward, to have their biggest impact as they create lives they love. When this happens great culture is built, organizational success is accelerated, and great talent is retained.

If you want to hear more about any of what’s coming up — for you personally or your organization — get in touch!

Celebrating your 2023 top 10

I hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend.

And, the season of celebration continues in full swing!

As the New Year approaches it is peak Top 10 List season. Why not get in on the fun in a personal way?

Make a 2023 Top 10 list for yourself

Amidst the festivities at this time of year, making a personal Top 10 List is a great way to look at the bounty in your life.

Choose from these ideas, add others of your own, and feel free to include more than 10 items on your list!

Best conversation 

Brightest moment of joy

Best adventure

A notable moment of creative flow

The best outcome of a challenge you overcame

Best taste, smell, feeling, sound, or lovely sensory sensation

Best surprise you experienced

Your most generous act or thought

The most fun you experienced

The boldest thing you did

A time you felt your best physically

A peak moment of gratitute to savor

Your most precious memory of the year

A significant moment when love filled your heart

The thing you are most proud of

A peak moment — for any reason

The biggest insight to bring into the new year

With your list in hand, you might want to type-set it in a great font. (The designer in me loves the magic of beautiful typography to enhance the impact of big ideas and insights!)

You can print out your list and post it where you’ll be able to frequently reflect on the highlights of your year.

Savoring the best about yourself and the best things in your life will naturally fill you with gratitude and self-love. These are precious and meaningful ways to bring great energy into the coming year.

As you look ahead

As you bring your focus on 2024 front and center, consider choosing a word to guide your year. This has been an inspiring and meaningful practice for me and for my clients for a long time.

I’ve written several blog posts about the word-of-the-year process I developed. My process helps you go deep and find a word with significance and resonance.

I invite you to check it out.

I wrote this post in 2019, and it links you back to a post from the previous year, that details my process for choosing a great word for the year.

And this post was written last year, with some perspective on my experiences using the process.

I will be moving through this process for myself, as I look ahead to a year of expansion and evolution. I will share my word and more about the big new ideas that I am excited about early in the new year.

Let me know what you choose for 2024!

My wishes for you this week (and beyond)

1. Make sweet time for yourself amidst the holiday bustle. 

2. Know how grateful I am for the honor of being invited into your inbox each week.

3. avor love, joy, beauty, the company of good people, and the possibilities and creative energy available to you every day.

4. Bring your precious magic into the world — whether in tiny droplets on some days, or by the boat-load on other days.

5. Make the most of today, tomorrow, and every day as you believe in the abundant opportunities for peace, love and happiness. Live Big!

What future are you choosing?

Have you ever paused to think that you choose your future every day?

Your decisions, your choices, and the actions you take each day have a tremendous impact on the life you will lead down the road.

Are you a drifter?

Sadly, most people drift through their lives. When I look back I see all the ways I had drifted for a long time.

Yes, I made some bold decisions. Some of the important ones, in addition to choosing the partner to spend my life with and deciding to have children, were leaving a corporate job to start my first business; deciding not to relocate for a job that was going to pay me handsomely, but upon reflection I realized would not make me happy; and my most recent great decision — to sell my business, explore, and find a new direction that I would really love.

I was focused about making each of those decisions.

And, I know that I lived much of my life without focusing intentionally.

For years I moved on autopilot through daily routines.

I kept up with demands and put out fires. I frequently said yes to requests without thinking about the “opportunity cost” of those yesses.

I rarely stopped to consider the ways I was living and where those ways of living were taking me — until I had my big wake-up call (to sell my business in 2011).

It was then that I realized that I had the opportunity to make thoughtful, careful, well-considered decisions all the time. 

What I learned was that each of my decisions leads me to a life that I create, rather than living by default as I had for so long.

What future are you choosing?

Your choices point you in a direction, which is why it is worth considering the choices you make.

Are your choices aligned with what really matters to you?

Think about choices like:

• who you spend time with

• what you listen to and read

• how you spend your free time

• how you show up in the world — from the clothes you wear to what you say (and do not say)

Think about how clear you are about what you want. This will let you live with a vision to guide you, so you can more easily live with intention.

And think about how clear — and how big — your vision is.

What choices are you making today?

Sit with that question for a few minutes. Consider your choices, and how they line up with your dreams.

Jot down lots of your choices — like those related to the people in your life, your habits (that may or may not be ideal), the responsibilities and opportunities that your have taken on or are considering now, and more.

When you see them clearly noted on paper, you can assess whether they are positive and affirming, or if there are things you want to change.

Your next step (that will now be easier to implement) is to be more self-aware as you consider all of your daily choices, and the bigger choices and decisions that are right for you.

Watch for significant rewards!

As you build your awareness and choose carefully, things will begin to change in marvelous was.

And when more of us live with intention, choosing with care and moving in directions that are fully fulfilling, more lives will change for the better. More of us will be happy and energized, and people around us will feel and see it!

We can impact our families, our communities, our workplaces and beyond!

My vision is for accomplished women everywhere to boldly step into their power, make great choices so they show up with clarity and passion and realize all that is possible for them.

I see legions of women leading and inspiring others in incredible ways.

Please join me! As each of you chose with intention and make your life the best it can be, this vision will grow organically.

I cannot wait to see how it all unfolds.

It doesn't have to be hard to let go

Last week I wrote about letting go of physical clutter and emotional clutter. (If you missed it, you can check that out here.)

In addition to letting go of the things that clutter your environment, and the people and situations that drain your energy, I am thinking about the concept of letting go in a bigger, broader way. 

Consider this question:

What are you holding onto in your life and work that it may be time to let go of?

• Perhaps you are holding onto the way your business is structured, because you have always worked that way, or because that’s the way everyone else does it.

• Perhaps you are holding on to a seasonal ritual with family or friends because that’s what you always do, or because you think that’s what people expect you to do.

• Perhaps you live — or work — in a place that does not make you happy anymore (or maybe has never made you happy), because it feels too hard to make a change.

Even if these examples do not resonate specifically for you, sit with the question and see if something comes to mind.

You deserve to be happy!

If you realize you have been holding on to something that is not ideal, your next thought may be, “Sure, but it’s ok.”

Or, you may think something like, “But what can I do about it?” or ”I don’t want to shake things up.”

I believe that life is too precious to compromise on your happiness.

You may not be considering that, by tolerating something that’s not working, or resisting making a change, you pay a price.

The energy you bring to your day-to-day life is dampened, dulled.

You may not even be consciously aware of the ways it adds stress, makes you feel pressured, causes frustration, or simply contributes to subtle discontentment.

Living that way is not fun for you, and it limits everything you do.

If one or more things come to mind, consider the upside of initiating a change.

When you let go, new possibilities show up

When you loosen your grip on maintaining the thing that you have been convinced is the way it has to be, or loosen your grip on the thing you now are aware you’ve been tolerating, things will shift.

Possibilities you may never have considered are likely to feel real.

So, what can it look like to loosen your grip?

1. Get curious!

Ask yourself questions like:

• Why have I been holding tight to the belief that the way I run my business has to be the same as it has been? What could a different business model look like?

• What beliefs might I let go of about my role in our annual family gatherings?

• What would an ideal location be for me to feel happy every day? Do I need to stay in this city?

• What might working for another company, or taking on a new or bigger role, be like?

• What am I afraid of? What’s the worst possible outcome of a change? What’s the best possible outcome?

• What if I doubted myself less and showed up in a bigger way?

2. Consider small steps to take.

Having identified something you want to change, and getting curious to open insights and ideas, it is time to take action.

(By the way, action is a great antidote to fear. The act of starting will build enthusiasm and reduce hesitation and doubt!)

Your initial action might be to talk to people who have done the thing you are considering, and learn from their experience.

You can generate lists of possibilities and see which are the most appealing, so you can begin to test them. 

You can set a vision of that new thing already having happened. Holding that vision will make you feel excited and motivated to take ongoing steps in that direction.

3. Build momentum.

Having put a plan in motion, stay committed to yourself — and keep the curiosity going.

You are likely to adjust your initial ideas and expand or redefine your vision as new possibilities, resources, and supporters show up.

As you pursue the thing your heart asked for, you are sure to show up more fully and bring more boldness into the ways you approach your life.

That’s what living big is all about.

Feel free to let me know about the change you feel called to consider, or one that you are in the midst of now. It’s easy — just email me.

Is it time to go deeper?

Here’s a question to consider:

When was the last time you stepped into something bigger and new, to explore something different or intriguing — even if you were a bit uncomfortable?

Late last year I decided to explore a new creative direction, not knowing if it would be great or a bust.

In late December I signed up to attend a weekend writing retreat. The focus was on writing "from the deep voice.” As much as I love writing my weekly Big Ideas, and had loved writing my book, this was a way of expressing myself that I’d never considered before. 

I was especially nervous because all of the other women at the retreat had been immersed in the work with this teacher for some time. 

Is it time to explore a deeper part of yourself?

As a coach who is passionate about the power of creativity and living a creative, BIG life (and a person who loves words), I listened to the whisper in my heart that was intrigued about what writing from the deep voice might be like.

I figured the upside was that I would have fun, and maybe even find a direction that would have meaningful resonance for me.

The worst thing that could happen would be I’d have spent 2 days doing something that did not excite me, and I might feel embarrassed that I was not “good at it.”

I said yes to the small whisper I heard — it was a “yes” to myself.

I said yes to trying something new in spite of my nervousness.

That weekend retreat opened up a path that has been exciting and enriching for me ever since.

In fact, a story I wrote was just published in an anthology, and I was part of a book-reading on Sunday at which 7 authors read their work, answered questions from the audience, and signed piles of books.

What is waiting for you if you say “Yes!”?

If you feel your heart asking for expansion, the timing is perfect.

You can get clear about the future you want to make your reality!

That may mean creating a life that feels exciting and supports your happiness and wellbeing.

It may mean courageously aiming to reach the next level in your career or business.

It may mean leaving a toxic work or personal situation with clarity and strength.

It may mean planning for the next phase of an evolving life — as you leave burnout behind, launch a new business, or step into a fulfilling retirement.

It may include building new levels of confidence to show up more fully and boldly, so you have your biggest impact.

It starts with one small, easy “Yes.”

This “Yes” does not call on bravery, and there’s no risk of embarrassment.

There’s also no cost, other than 30 minutes of your time for a call with me.

This call can open big possibility.

It’s an opportunity for us to have a meaningful conversation, and for you to gain insight and perspective about your life now, as well as your dreams.

And if you wish to hear about it, we can talk about Live Big Live! — the powerful, intimate, fun and life-changing retreat that is coming up this fall.

Email me, or schedule your call here.

(And if you want to learn about Writing from the Deep Voice, I would be happy to introduce you to my marvelous teacher, Leslie Berliant. Email me, and I’ll make an introduction. And you can check out the lovely anthology here.)

Are you ready to follow a new path?

Something big is starting soon.

It’s an opportunity for you to take a new step in your life.

Where are you now?

Perhaps you are at a crossroads.

Maybe new opportunities are available to you and you are unsure, or fearful, about how to proceed.

Maybe you know it’s time for a change in your life. Or you may feel stuck.

Maybe you know there's something bigger, something more that you yearn for — something that will make you feel lit up every day.

Maybe you are ready to leave stress behind and live a joyous life, one that sustains you financially and has space for your spirit to soar.

These questions may prompt you to think about your career, personal relationships, the day-to-day quality of your life, long-held dreams, or the next chapter you are ready to move into.

The change you yearn for is attainable!

As I personally experienced, and as I witness with great women like you all the time, there are key moments when we know a change is upon us.

Some of us hear a shout. Many of us hear a quiet whisper. We feel desire stirring, to leave the status quo behind and venture forward in a new way.

And if you are like I was, it may feel daunting to figure it all out. Looking back, I doubt I would have been able to find my new path on my own, much less start living the bigger life I relish now.

Having a guide to support me was crucial.

You, too, can be supported to step into your best life.

Say yes to yourself!

If you know it’s time to get on the path to a truly fulfilling future — getting clear about your vision and knowing how to create that life — you may feel excited to take a big leap. Or, you may want to take it slowly, with a series of small steps.

Both options are available to you. They both work.

The first step is to say “Yes!” to yourself.

The next step can be to explore the Live Big Live! program that has just opened for enrollment.

Click here to book a free call with me to see if the upcoming retreat may be right for you.

Let’s talk soon!

---

Read what past attendees of Live Big Live! have said — and check out some photos of the retreat experience:

“I said ‘yes’ to myself and I am so glad I did. I loved the experience. After a challenging year, I found self-forgivness. I feel unstuck! I opened my heart and I have hope! And I know I am headed for someplace good. This was a deep and meaningful experience!”

........

“This experience has changed me in so many ways! This work opens you up to yourself, to your dreams and your goals, and it gets you there gently, steadily, and with so much love. I truly feel I can achieve what I dream of accomplishing. Rochelle is an incredibly gifted and magnificent coach. I also love being surrounded by such amazing women in this supportive space.”

........

“I was looking for personal development with a goal of improving my business results, and Rochelle turned out to be a wonderful resource to help me accomplish both. From setting a foundation of knowing more and celebrating more about myself through Enneagram studies, to building awareness of how limiting language and thoughts can bleed into our results, Rochelle offers a wide variety of tools that have helped unblock me time after time.

The results (so far!): my short, medium and long term visions are clear and exciting. I find myself taking steps forward daily that I would have avoided or put off in the past, and I am earning more money independently in my business than I ever earned from an employer. Life with Rochelle's guidance is truly a new, more joyful and fruitful way of living for me.”

........ 

“After the process we moved through, about knowing yourself and who you want to be in your life, and what you want to do and have, and watching all that unfold, it has really been spectacular.”

........

“This has been a tremendous gift to myself! I definitely recommend this program! You will come together with other women who are committed to the process. You will learn from everyone’s story and everyone’s journey. It’s so much more powerful than doing it alone. And you can go at your own pace. I made it part of my life, in the process before the retreat — and at the retreat. You incorporate it into your daily thinking and it becomes part of the practice of life, something I use every day.”

........

“Definitely do it! Open yourself up to the process. Some things will come with ease and others are harder. It's the harder things I suggest you lean into. Things open up, they change! I have new courage, new confidence.”

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What would it be like for you to feel freer?

When July 4 rolls around each year I naturally think of freedom. You probably do, too.

What resonates for me deeply this year is how free I feel. 

Specific questions I am asking myself now are:

• How free do I feel to show up in the world boldly?

• How free do I feel to allow myself to play?

• How free do I feel to start down new paths rather than sticking to the status quo, because that’s what I’m used to.

Whether these questions resonate for you at this moment in your life, or you have others that are particular to you now, I invite you to start exploring.

How free do you feel?

Let’s consider the three questions that keep coming to mind for me. Join me in being curious and see what comes up for you.

1. Do you feel free to boldly show the world who you are — without a mask, without holding back?

I gave a new talk this weekend titled, Embrace Your Bold: How to Amplify Your Voice and Increase Your Impact.

I opened the talk by sharing the impressions I used to have about of what “bold” looked like (such as being loud, and fearlessly doing daring feats). Those concepts of boldness turned me off, and made me doubt how bold I could be.

I also told the audience how I had tried to fake being bold in the past — and how those attempts had always failed. I explained that I have learned that being bold is a deeply personal set of choices, and there are ways to find your own bold, so you naturally and genuinely amplify your voice and increase your impact.

It was a short talk. There is much more I will cover when I expand the talk to a full keynote and deliver it in the fall. For now, I am pondering many ways I want to be bolder in my life, and what hampers me.

I invite you to consider this question, too. It will likely reveal things you have not brought into focus before.

2. Do you feel free to be playful, to lighten up, and let your spirit fly — just for the joy of it?

This question came to mind for me as I spent time with colleagues who were truly playful and joyous when they spoke on the stage before and after my talk.

I yearn to tap and express more of that light, playful energy, and am thinking about how I will begin — today!

3. Do you feel free to explore new options and make changes?

I have been asking myself about changes I want to make for the past few months. I am getting get super-clear, and I have been implementing them, one small step after another.

One decision became clear for me after my wonderful month living in Paris this past winter. I want to adjust the ways I spend my time so that I can paint more and write more. My soul yearns for more space for my own creative expression, and I have started making meaningful adjustments.

What about you?

Might you be stuck in a groove out of habit — about your work, or a relationship? Perhaps you are not honoring a deep desire?

Do you love things as they are, or do you realize you are ready to make a shift?

Are you holding back on making changes because they feel scary?

Feeling free enough to ask and explore the questions is step one!

Try using this special tool!

I created a guide to help you bring full self-expression into your life. It is colorful and fun to use. You will find that the more you are able to be fully self-expressed, the freer you will feel!

Download the guide here (no email needed!), and see what happens for you. 

Let’s all make this a season to activate glorious personal freedom!

My bonus tip to help you live big NOW!

Last week I shared 5 steps you can take to start making small steady changes that will help you live your biggest, most satisfying life.

If you missed it, or want to review the steps again, you can read it here.

The steps were designed to make it easy to bring a small and meaningful change in your life.

The objective is for you to see notable change quickly, so you can build momentum, and be able to make more positive shifts to the old habits that have been robbing you of time and space for what matters most to you.

Here’s a short recap of the 5 steps:

1. First identify one small shift you want to make.
2. Choose innovative ways to keep yourself focused.
3. Make a plan for the action you will take.
4. Track your progress.
5. Keep going — even if you stall, keep going and then build on your progress!

My mission is to help accomplished women everywhere all live their biggest, best lives!

Is the 5-step process is helping you?

Are you already noticing positive changes?

Whether you have started using the steps, or now want to begin to implement this gentle path to living a bigger, more satisfying life, I am excited to share one more idea today.

It can help you make the progress you desire with even more ease.

Watch your words!

This suggestion is subtle but powerful.

The language you use in your self-talk has a big impact on your thinking, and thus your actions.

I wrote about the power of self-talk to make your life easier in a post last year, that you can check out here. 

And here’s another post about the power of positivity.

To put this big idea to work, take note of times you use encouraging, supportive ways of speaking to yourself, and be aware of times you let criticism or negativity fill your thoughts.

When your language is positive and encouraging, your energy flows in great ways, and the outcomes of your efforts — no matter what you are focused on doing — will be noticeably better.

You always have the opportunity to turn negativity into positive thoughts and energy, and it is easier to do that than most people think.

Two examples of positive language to adopt

1. Eliminate the “shoulds”

Here is a common way that we make things hard for ourselves, that with a little attention, can be shifted to make things significantly easier and more pleasant.

If you find yourself thinking about what you should do, pause and shift to phrasing it as what you want to do, or what you get to do.

Can you see what happens when you swap in a few new words for “should”?

Instead of berating yourself or trying to force yourself to do something, you choose that thing!

When you change the words, your energy will come from a place of desire and/or opportunity. And what happens next will be remarkably better than starting with a should!

2. Add one new word

If you feel your progress is slower than you’d like — in making a small change of habits, or reaching a milestone, or completing a challenging task — instead of beating yourself up you can add the word “yet” to your thought.

For instance, if you are focused on speaking up more boldly, a new statement can look like this: 
“I have not had the courage to bring up that touchy subject with my colleague yet.”

Or, if you are trying to get more rest to feel your best, a new statement can look like this:
“I have not adjusted my bedtime yet, but I will test a new change to my routine tonight.”

Can you feel the energetic boost of simply adding “yet” to those sentences?

Awareness is powerful

When you slow down enough to bring awareness to the language you use in your self-talk, as well as when speaking with others, great things can happen with more ease and speed than you may be able to imagine now.

The more that you bring small, positive changes into your life, the more you will show up in new, big ways. I predict that you will love that expansive bigger version of you!

Email me and let me know how these suggestions work for you. And if you have questions I’ll be happy to hear them and get back to you.

This is your time to live big!

Ready to live bigger? Start with these 5 steps!

Most accomplished women I talk with express a desire to live a truly balanced and fulfilling life. While they yearn to show up fully every day, have an impact, and thrive, many confide that they feel limited and frustrated in their efforts to make that vision their reality.

Most take on too much.

Some don’t advocate for what they want — in their professional lives and in personal relationships.

They put their needs (for self-care, pursuit of personal interests, quiet time and more) behind those of others.

They compromise.

While they love the idea of living their biggest life, it does not feel natural for many of them to think of changing the ways they currently operate. Or they simply do not know where to begin to make changes.

Some even feel that the idea of living big may be too much — too much to expect for themselves, and/or too hard to achieve.

You cannot think too big, or live too big

One thing I know to be true is that all of us can learn, small step followed by small step, to show up fully in the world.

We can create the lives we yearn for!

We can overcome our doubts and limitations to pursue all that we desire and to have our biggest impact.

Can you embrace this truth? 

When you choose to pursue your biggest life, I urge you to be mindful that making significant changes is a process that unfolds over time.

These 5 steps will get the ball rolling.

1. Start with one small shift

When you start with new awareness, add commitment, and are willing to be patient as you make small shifts, you will begin to experience meaningful change.

And you can build on that change over time.

Here is a great place to start:

Ask yourself what small change will have the biggest impact for you now?

Maybe it’s getting more sleep.

Maybe it’s speaking up more clearly and boldly for something important.

Maybe it’s saying “No” without feeling guilty.

Maybe you will choose something else.

Make a choice!

2. Focus on that change

To help you stay focused, make reminders for yourself.

Use your phone, or put colored post-it notes on your desk, your bathroom mirror, your coffee-maker, and your laptop.  

You can ask for help from a trusted friend. They can be a sounding board, and might text you every day at a particular time to see how it’s going. 

Be creative and have fun with ways to keep yourself focused on this meaningful change.

3. Make a plan

For instance, if more rest is key for you now, will you get to bed earlier? Might you take a power nap at a time when your energy drops?

If you want to feel less discomfort saying “No,” you might journal in the morning and write about why it is important for you to stop crowding your days with obligations to others, rather than yourself.

Then, if you know a request is pending, or someone is waiting for an answer, or you simply want to be forearmed, take some time to practice kind ways to decline the request. 

4. Track your progress

Subtle changes can be hard to notice. Keep a small journal, or a running record on a device, to record the daily efforts you make and the outcomes you experience.

Take note of what works and what does not meet your expectations so you build on positive approaches. And note specific outcomes as they occur. 

If you have an accountability buddy or a coach, ask for feedback as you share your progress and your outcomes.

And acknowledge your progress — even small shifts are worthy of celebrating! It is the small shifts that become new habits, and your new normal. 

5. Keep going!

As you bring small changes into your life, and experience the way they enhance your wellbeing, momentum will build.

You will be ready to identify and embrace new changes you want to make, and you will likely feel increased confidence and enthusiasm about pursuing them.

This is how living big works.

As we each expand and live the satisfying life we desire today, we see more and more opportunity ahead.

We can all continue to step up and live with even more passion and authenticity and joy. And our impact is amplified as we continue to shine more and more brightly.

I invite you to join me on this path of expansion. My dream is for all of us to live all of our greatness. Let’s Live Big together!

(And if you’d like to share your vision of your biggest life, I’d be delighted to hear about it. Email me and we’ll make a date to talk.)

The power of YES

Do you say “Yes” to yourself?

For what do you say “Yes” to yourself — and how often?

And how big are your yeses?

I pose these questions because I frequently observe great women who say yes to other people, yes to requests and demands, and yes to undertaking tasks all the time, yet they do not comfortably and easily say yes to themselves, or yes to what they desire.

Many women are not clear about what they really want, or if they are, they feel it is unrealistic to expect that realizing their desires is possible.

Do you agree that these are, sadly, missed opportunities? 

When I imagine a world where more women bring all of their greatness forward, and are filled with positive energy, confidence and joy as they do it — so they live big! — it quickens my heart and brings a huge smile to my face.  

I want to tell you about a remarkable group of women who said yes to themselves in a big way, and what that looked like.

Three days that changed six lives

Six remarkable women said “Yes” to getting crystal clear about their vision for themselves in the months and year ahead, and “Yes” to determining what it will take to make that vision a reality.

They said “Yes” to embarking on a process of self-discovery and finding their truth — the gamut of their truth (the exciting and inspiring, and the painful truth, too). They were willing to find and grapple with all of it. 

They showed up for themselves and were willing to go deep. They stayed in the process when it they hit tender places and rejoiced in the aha moments and the play and fun of creating in powerful experiences.

They all said “Yes” to being a part of the Live Big Live! retreat we shared this past weekend — a program that started with a six-week gentle journey of self-discovery and culminated in life-changing breakthroughs that were made at the retreat.

The women shared and supported each other with love and generosity throughout the experience. They pushed their edges. They created. They discovered. They declared. They each set a course for how they will make their visions a reality.

They made commitments to themselves— often in ways they did not expect before they embarked on the journey.

All of the clarity that emerged for them inspired them to leave the retreat with huge appreciation for and excitement about all that they can and want to BE, all they can and want to DO, and all that they can and want to HAVE, to create a truly fulfilling future.

It was a joy and an honor to usher in these tremendous insights and to guide and mentor these fabulous women.

Is this your time to say “Yes”?

At each of the three Live Big Live! retreats I offer each year I witness transformations and joy, and this spring retreat was simply fantastic.

Check out the photos below to get a peek at what happened this weekend, and to see some of the amazing art that was created.

And read what a few of the participants had to say at the close of the retreat.

Are you curious about what this opportunity might mean for you?

Let me know if you feel the call (or even a small whisper) to say a bigger “Yes!” to yourself.

I am already meeting with women to see if the Fall Live Big Live! is a fit for them, and I would be happy for you to share what you desire and what’s in your way now.

I can tell you more about the program. And if you are interested, we can determine together if Live Big Live! may provide you the breakthroughs to help you create your most fulfilling life.

Email me and we'll make a date.

Here are some of the thoughts that were shared at the end of the Spring Live Big Live! retreat:

“This work is beautiful — filled with love, grace and help. It is life altering! Rochelle’s program has lead me through what could have been a disheartening journey. The work with her, and having this experience, provides me with a constructive, creative, enjoyable process of self-discovery and learning to live more expansively and completely.”

“Rochelle provides a supportive environment to go deeper, gain clarity and move your life forward. She sees people. She gives them the freedom and space to let down their guard, and the love and attention to grapple with some really substantial life questions. We all find more of our truth, more of ourselves, and grow.”

“The Live Big Live! retreat experience gives you the time you need to gain a better understanding of who you are and what you want. The retreat provides a space in which to explore what might be holding you back from living the life you want and deserve.”

“This experience has changed me in so many ways! This work opens you up to yourself, to your dreams and your goals, and it gets you there gently, steadily, and with so much love. I truly feel I can achieve what I dream of accomplishing. Rochelle is an incredibly gifted and magnificent coach. I also love being surrounded by such amazing women in this supportive space.”

The surprising way to be happier + boost creativity

Do you like getting messy?

Maybe it feels fun for you to make a mess in the kitchen, or in the garden, or with paints or clay.

Or, like me in years past, maybe the idea of things being messy makes you cringe.

The colors in my box of pencils needed to be neatly arranged according to the rainbow. A counter covered in spilled flour as I mixed up a batter drove me crazy. Precision and order made me super-happy.

How I learned to tolerate (and appreciate) a mess

I will never forget the day my coach and I were beginning a creative exercise and he dumped out the contents of my pristine box of 48 perfect new pastels.

Many of them broke. Dust was all over the place. The pastels were in a heap and I was furious.

He laughed.

I moved ahead with the process with gritted teeth. I hated that I could not choose each color from the box and return each to its precise place every time I used a color. 

And what happened next was wonderful.

With the irreparable heap in front of me, I slowly let myself connect to the music and simply play with colors — choosing a bright green on the fly, tossing it back on the pile, and picking up a rich blue that caught my eye. On I went, not pausing to put anything back in place. I focused on the combination of colors and shapes I was throwing together on the page.

It was not long before I totally forgot how irritated I’d felt. I was absorbed in a great process and felt free.

Having been forced to give up the control I was accustomed to, I got to feel what happened when I allowed myself to relax.

And I realized that in that new relaxed state, that many things had happened that would not have been the same had I been focused on keeping everything neat.

I was happy to start bringing that freedom into other parts of my life.

Why making a mess is good

While many of us feel it’s fine for kids to get messy, we fail to consider why it is healthy for us as adults to make a mess, too.

Engaging in messy play sparks our senses — no matter our age. 

Messy play opens avenues of curiosity, and creativity of every kind flows from there.

Allowing ourselves to be free opens our hearts and brightens our spirits. 

Spontaneity and surprise, and the “accidents” that show up in the process, bring things to light that would have never likely occurred otherwise. 

Rather than focusing on having to know it all or sticking to a plan, or keeping things neat and tidy, when you allow for some messiness — in both play and the ways you approach everything in your day — truly amazing things can happen. 

You are likely to spawn big new insights that can become the launch-point for exciting projects and initiatives.

And best of all, you will ignite your spirit.

How might you explore messiness?

If you have been holding on tightly, trying to keep everything under control and “just right”, maybe introducing a little messiness will enable you to loosen your grip a bit.

You might start with play, experience how that feels, and then introduce bits of serendipity into other part of your life. Meaningful surprises are likely to follow.

If you are looking for ideas, or want to share your experiences (positive or not) with messiness, I’d be happy to connect. Email me and let’s connect.

How to connect to the truth in your heart

Part of the reason so many accomplished women second-guess themselves (the topic I wrote about last week), and struggle when it comes to confidently speaking their truth, is that they are disconnected from their truth — their deep desires and beliefs.

Many have walled off their hearts.

Sometimes it’s out of fear. Sometimes it has not occurred to them to explore their deep desires, and a block has developed around their hearts. And sometimes they are living life at such a frantic pace that they have not made time for thoughtful reflection.

In any of these scenarios, the wall progressively gets taller and harder to penetrate.

Whether you relate to being disconnected from what you really want, or you lack true clarity about your beliefs, or (like so many great women) you know there is more in your heart to bring into the light, I invite you to take some action and see what happens.

How to start? Get curious!

Curiosity is powerful. When you embrace this mindset your heart will open up more easily and you will feel free to explore there.

Devoting just a few minutes a day for a week or two will reveal a lot.

As you pursue the exploration, you will make meaningful discoveries that will, in turn, make it easier to start speaking your truth.

Why not begin today? 

Grab a journal and do some probing

Pick from the prompts on this list, or dive into each of them.

• Explore your biggest dream. You know, the one that has been whispering (or maybe shouting?) to be heard.

• Consider what your heart yearns to tell you. You may need to sit with this one a bit and simply ask your heart, “What do you want me to know?" followed by, “What else?” How deeply can you probe?

• Ask yourself, if you were not afraid, what message would you find in the deep recesses of your heart. Also ask, if you were not afraid, what would you love to try or love to do?

• Ask yourself what you truly want — in this moment (it could be a hot cup of cocoa, or taking a walk in the woods) and honor it. Even if it is something you cannot do right away, put a date on your calendar and do it.

• Then, ask the bigger question about what you want: What do you want in your life? You might say more love, or a new job, or to travel, or peace of mind. Whatever shows up is great. Write all of it down.

• Also ask yourself what you want to say. It may be something that you have held back on. It may be something you have not dared to say — ever, or to someone in particular.

Reflect on what emerges

You may be surprised at what shows up for you. If so, sit with the insights and see how they settle in your mind.

If truths about which you had awareness have been confirmed in your exploration, you will likely feel more sure and clear.

With the insights and clarity that come to light, it is also likely that you will feel more positively about (and maybe even eager about) speaking your truth in a bigger way, and with more confidence.

And if you still feel tentative about giving voice to or acting on those insights, that’s fine. This is a process that unfolds at different paces and in different ways for everyone. 

Acknowledge yourself for taking action

Every step you take to gain clarity and perspective is significant. Give yourself a smile in the mirror and a “Yay me!” each time you carve out time to probe your heart and reflect on what shows up.

Next week, I will share ways to practice speaking your truth — or speaking more of your truth — with more confidence and ease.

Until then, why not envision yourself experiencing more satisfaction and comfort doing that? (There is more power in visualizing the outcomes you want than you may know!)

I am always happy to hear about your explorations and your aha’s, as well as your questions. 

And if you want to consider having support so you can step into living the truly fulfilling future you yearn for, let's talk soon. I have a several program options that may be a fit for you, and one of them kicks of in a few weeks. Email me and we’ll make a date.

Are you ready to stop second-guessing yourself?

Maybe as you grew up, you were not encouraged to share your opinions and ideas. That was my experience.

And maybe it took you time to find the courage to speak up without frequently second-guessing yourself. (That was my experience as well.)

Whatever the root, many accomplished women have shared with me that it can be hard for them to speak up with ease.

Sadly, many brilliant women find themselves holding back or feeling doubtful about speaking what they know is true and important.

Why we second-guess ourselves

Some women have had a hit to their confidence — confidence that used to be solid. Often a toxic work environment has left this mark, but personal challenges can also be the cause.

Some women — maybe those you’d least expect — have struggled with speaking their truth over many years.

Whether it is in a meeting, in an important conversation, or another setting, some women compare themselves to others and feel they do not measure up.

Some feel like an imposter, and are fearful they will be “found out” as a fraud.

Some have a story lodged in their brain (often having been planted by a family member, a teacher, or a sports coach) that they were not good at something specific, or were generally “not good enough.” Those stories feel real, even when there is evidence that they are false.

While it can take some time, these are all limitations we can learn to overcome when we have support and good tools.

Self-awareness provides insight

In my next Big Ideas email we’ll dive into gentle, revelatory ways to connect to your truth and your deep desires — even in the midst of a busy life.

Until then, I invite you to think about reasons that contribute to your moments of self-doubt.

If you feel less confident than in the past, are you clear about the reason?

Can you take an objective look back? Can you try and reframe your perspective when you find your confidence MIA?

If you recall being told something that lodged a limiting belief in your mind, can you look at it through a different lens now? 

Whether a hurtful message was imparted when you were small, when you were starting your professional career, or was experienced recently, it is helpful to notice when it shows up, pause to reconsider it, and reflect on it clearly through your eyes today. 

Can you think of times that disprove the limiting belief or lack of confidence?

Each time I have asked a client, she can think of multiple times in the past when she was able to do a thing she doubted in the moment. 

You, too, can think about times in your past when you were able do something you currently doubt. When you take note of that evidence, you can bring new energy to what is in front of you!

Can you feel a difference now?

Every time you tune in, get clear, and are able to take a small new step to show up in a bigger way, you grow. And over time, with ongoing focus and commitment, your growth accelerates.

Give yourself a “Yay me!” each time you gain new awareness, and each time you are able to show up in a bigger way (even it you start with small changes).

If you want support to get to the root of your doubt and turn it around, email me and let’s talk. I have a several program options to support you.

Let’s figure out what you really want

Here’s a question that may sound simple: Do you know what you want?

It’s an important question, but many women consider it in a superficial way.

Knowing what you truly want matters

In the midst of a busy life, it’s rare to take time to ask yourself what you deeply desire.

In the moment, you may want space to think, or to feel calm. You may want something yummy to eat, or feel the desire to connect to someone you miss.

Those desires are meaningful and always worth honoring.

It’s the the desires in your heart that lie deeper — those about which you have awareness and those that may be buried and need to be mined for — that many of us rarely explore.

Those deep desires are the key to creating a future that will be truly fulfilling.

You can learn to explore your deep desires

My life was on autopilot for decades. I had no idea there was another way to live. I took each day as it came, put out fires that flared, made the best decisions I could, and kept going.

It was not until I started working with a brilliant coach that I began making shifts — small at first — that opened up a world of new insight and new ways of being.

I learned to slow down, to tap my heart and listen to my intuition. I was asked great questions I hadn’t ever considered. Answering those questions lead to tremendous new awareness.

Everything I have learned, including my formal training, informs the work I now do with other accomplished women who are at a crossroads, in a transition, or are figuring out what's next.

And it’s a joy to share my approaches with great women.

Here are 3 ways to start finding your answers

1. You can begin slowly and take steady action

If you like to start with small steps, I invite you to order a copy of my book, Live Big: A Manifesto for a Creative Life. It’s full of wonderful small practices you can use each day to bring meaningful shifts into your life. (And the book is so lovely that you will want to pick it up often!)

2. Say “Yes” to a workshop experience

I developed a my Dream Big Vision-Board Workshop to help women go deep into their hearts and find their desires and truth — and capture it all visually, so they can stay committed to what they want in their lives.

I led the workshop this past weekend (see the photo below of the amazing boards that were made!) and I am exploring a date to offer the workshop again.

Sign up for my emails to get announcements, and reach out if you want to plan a special workshop for your team or group.

3. Explore what a breakthrough can look like for you

Check out my signature program Live Big Live! The spring retreat is launching soon, so this opportunity may be perfectly timed for you. (And, there are other coaching options, too.)

You can read what many remarkable women have said about their coaching experiences and outcomes, and see what resonates for you.

Self-awareness makes everything possible

All of the suggestions I included above are paths to personal insight that will set the stage for you to gain clarity and experience significant personal growth.

I would love to hear about the future you yearn to create.

And I would be delighted to provide you with new perspectives and insight, to help you gain some self-awareness right away.

Email me, or book a call here.

I look forward to our conversation!

Here are the beautiful, exciting vision boards each woman made at the workshop on Saturday. Each board shines with the clarity that was revealed in our time together!

What decisions are you making now?

When late last year, on a whim, my husband and I planned a month-long winter stay in Paris, I expected to return home, rest up to adjust to the jet lag for a week, and then head out again for another trip (this time to Arizona), that had been booked nearly two years ago.  

And then the universe offered me another opportunity.

It turns out that my coach settled on dates for a winter retreat for the mastermind program I am in, that I’d thought I would have to miss this year. The dates she picked had the retreat starting 4 days after my return from Europe.

My first thought was to skip the retreat.

I figured all the travel (2000 miles west of home this time) would be too much — too much time on planes, too much time away from my home, too much time away from work (this retreat means being off the grid!), after having had too little time to fully catch my breath.

And then I thought some more.

Some things are worth reconsidering

I thought about why I had committed to being in the program, and I thought about all that it does to support me to stretch, to grow, to learn and expand.

I focused on how it supports me to let go of more and more limiting beliefs and to bring deeper levels of insight and awareness to my life. The weekly meetings I attend are great, but the retreat is an especially powerful part of the program.

Doing this work allows me to become more of the woman I know I can and want to be. And in turn, I am able to better lead my clients to become the biggest, best versions of themselves, and create the lives they truly desire.

I was clear: To reap all of those outcomes, I knew I needed to be at the retreat.

And so, rather than focusing on the fatigue and time away, I decided to focus on the gifts of attending the retreat.

The outcomes can amaze you

The gifts of being at the retreat were tremendous!

I shared the experience with the fabulous crew in our program, all wonderful people doing superb work in the world. Led through a carefully designed sequence of exploration that ranged from deeply emotional to expressively fun, we all inspired one another to face the shadows, dive deep, claim our unique gifts, and rise high. 

I have just left the retreat as I am writing this.

I have much to savor and reflect on, and I am filled with exciting new insights and ideas to bring to my clients.

Rather than feeling fatigue, I am fueled!

What lens are you looking through now?

When you consider the life you are living now, what do you see?

Maybe you have suffered a setback. Or you may be figuring out what’s next that will light you up every day. Perhaps you are at a crossroads, or there is a big dream you have tucked away in your heart. Maybe you are stressed and burnt out. Maybe you feel you are meant to do something bigger.

Whatever it is, do you see opportunity or challenge?

I invite you to consider your perspectives, as well as the ways you invest in yourself and the future you desire.

Something bigger is possible

I know it’s easy to settle. It’s easy to drift through life, and let life happen. And that is fine — if it feels satisfying.

I lived that way for a long time, until I discovered there was an opportunity to wake up in my life, and I learned to create what my heart really desired.

I learned about the tremendous power we all have to leverage our innate creativity, to bring more of our greatness into the world and live our biggest, best lives.

I am honored to support to great women who are clear that something better awaits them. I love bringing these accomplished women together and guiding them to experience live-changing expansion.

One client recently marveled that when she thinks back to herself a year ago, she would never have believed the woman she has become. She left a toxic job and is launching a big new venture with confidence and excitement. And what she loves the most is the joy and satisfaction she enjoys in her daily life, that had felt out of reach for years.

You can have support, too. You can be surrounded by people who inspire you and lift you up. You can honor yourself and devote time for your well-being and your growth.

If you feel the call to explore what it can look like for you to embark on a journey of meaningful self-discovery and growth — or if you know you are ready to dive in — let’s connect.

I always welcome a conversation. I invite you to email me, or book a call with me here.