Values: A roadmap for life

Close your eyes.

Think about those things you hold most dear in life. 

Take 60 seconds to write down all the words that manifest themselves. 

These words are your truth. Your essence. Your guide. The way in which you choose to show up in the world. 

The other night I had the esteem pleasure of sitting down with goal coach, Jacki Carr, and seven other incredible woman. All of these women showed up with open hearts and minds; choosing vulnerability as a place to begin from. It's amazing to be a witness to others vulnerability. When we choose to let others see us when the guard is down, when we feel lost, when we feel lonely, when we feel uncomfortable; amazing things happen. 

We spent the night opening our physical heart space with a restorative yoga practice, then jumped into some heavy mental lifting of the spirits with Jacki, and then spent some time talking really openly about woman and money with my beautiful friend Anna Marie. This was a truly transformative night ya"ll and it all started with a few little words. 

Words have power and deep meaning, but words also serve a multitude of contexts and each and every one of us sees our truth in different ways. 

Truth for me is family. It's honesty. It's gratitude. It's balance. It's stability. It's community. It's support. It's love. It's connection. It's change. All of these values make up who I am at my most vunerable self. It's takes a lot of courage to live up to your values: to live a life that reflects those values and to choose to honor them everyday. 

But as Jacki so poingiantly reminded us, "When you love yourself enough to give it all, you get it all". Vunerability is where the best stuff begins. 

For a few minutes find somewhere quiet and beautiful and then find those words that guide you, that move you, that rock you, so you can find your roadmap to creating a life set in infinite possibility. 

The Woman I Live Up To Becoming

This is my mom. My guide. My warrior. My champion. My strength. My inspiration. My courage. My beauty. My challenger. My listener. My partner in crime. My predecessor. My advice column. My teacher. My lifeline. My rock. My shoulder to cry on. My backboard. My best friend. My gardner. My wisdom. My supporter. My biggest fan. My risk taker. My source of creativity. My inspiration. My go-getter. My refusal to give up. My self-sacrificer. My open heart. My smile. My joy. My unconditional love. My role model. My reason for existence. My badass. My curly hair. My scarf wearer. My always doer. My can't sit still. My pusher. My independent woman. My goal maker. My identity. My sense of self. My lunch date. My wondrous dreamer.

To you, my beautiful mom, thank you for all that you are and all that I am becoming.

I am so lucky that you are mine forever and always.

A guy + a girl + a couple of years

"When we accept each other, we help save each other." - Stephen Chbosky

Year One

Year Two 

Year Three

There are those people in your life that change everything. Thom, you are one of them. 

I've have lived and breathed transformation these past three years. I've seen several versions of myself emerge and be irrevocably altered. I've been at my worst and try everyday to be at my best. This man shows me how to be my most honest self, my most vulnerable self, my most secret self, my most happy self, my most beautiful self, my most confident self, my most open self, my most challenged self, my most blessed self, my most intimate self, my most trusting self, my most transformative self, my most buoyant self, my most loved self; my MOST self. These past three years he has taught me more about myself that I ever thought I had to learn. 

I felt the need to say thank you to the man in my life. Thank you for being you and for chasing your dreams, and for always making space for me and mine. 

Late Night Thoughts on Gratitude

Tonight, in a moment of stillness, I truly missed writing on here. So here's to recommitting to share and grow through this space. 

I've been reminded a lot lately of of the impact that gratitude plays in our lives. When life throws us curve balls and we find ourselves struggling with our demons every hour of the day; find time to just stop, breathe, and get grateful. Just for a few quiet moments, be open to finding space to create something new and potentially life changing. 

These moments of trial and tribulation are opportunities to show us how much a friend means, how much we need a few more moments of love towards ourselves, these moments teach us how we are supported, how we are loved, how we are appreciated, and how we change the lives of those around us. When we can quiet our minds and find a moment of stillness, gratitude can be the ripple. That first thought creates the multitude of thoughts that come after, so concentrate, and make that first thought one of love and understanding. Be compassionate, first and foremost to yourself, we are all on the same road through struggle. Start with you and create a ripple effect in the lives of those around you. 

When you find that you can't possibly move forward, just get grateful, it will light the way to begin again.