“She wore her scars as her best attire.
A stunning dress made of hellfire”
I am a mother first and foremost. The wisdom I believe I have did not come from a book or schooling. Life has taught me what I know. My experiences have shaped me. I truly believe I can do anything. I have done things that people told me I couldn’t and I’ve done things I was told I shouldn’t. I’ve done hard things. When I write “About Me” I can say I’ve done all these things that might seem impressive but there is nothing I’ve ever accomplished that will compare to raising my two sons. I was fortunate to have been married to a good man who saw value in me being home to guide and play with my boys every day for 17 years.
Growing up outside New York City, I experienced trauma and tragedy for most of my formative years. I have had the opportunity to process and grow from the experiences that could have led me down a dark path. Relating to kids is my superpower. I have mentored and sponsored countless teens, hosted & taught children of all ages. Being a kid at heart helps but also remembering the feelings and emotions from that time helps me to be an approachable, understanding and challenging mentor coach. We aren’t taught how to master self talk or mindfulness during these crucial years. Making those topics palatable to kids is something that comes naturally to me. I have an intentional and pragmatic approach which cultivates a trusting relationship.
Women typically struggle to find themselves once their kids are grown. I am no exception. I inserted myself back into the workforce in my 40’s. I "re-invented" myself from mother back to blue collar worker. Maintaining a farm and having a background in construction caused me to gravitate towards the most physically demanding and dangerous jobs. I worked building massive wind turbines and later became the oldest female to graduate from high voltage lineschool. I worked installing underground high voltage infrastructure for a city utility. Alongside working, I was raising and training my horses to be competitive sport horses, went thru 200 hour yoga teacher training and received my coaching certificate from Coach Training Alliance.
I had an accident on my young horse in 2016. I got bucked high into the air behind him and was kicked in the face, breaking my jaw. I returned to my lineworker job a week after. Within a month my jaw bone became infected, then it began to deteriorate. I lost 7 teeth, had to have a port directly to my heart for IV antibiotics and 4 months of hyperbaric chamber treatments. It took almost 2 years and a dozen surgeries to recover.
Of course I kept that horse. He was appropriately named Vesuvius, he was dormant like the volcano,… until he wasn’t. I overcame the challenge and fear of getting back on him. I learned trust, forgiveness and self resilience that I had to drum up from the depths of my soul, as I have had to do so many times throughout my life.
I’ve done hard things. I helped my mother live and die with Alzheimer’s. I watched my 18 year old brother live and die in a coma after 10 years. I came from a broken home, watched my own family break and here I am, with gratitude and abundance. I am thankful for the experiences that make me who I am. It’s not a pretty story but it’s one of perseverance, courage, strength, hope and resilience. It’s what I have to share with others because I’ve done hard things.
Through all this , I have discovered that being a life coach is what I am called to do.
I do best when I set challenging goals for myself. I choose to view life from a place of gratitude and live a "fear-less" lifestyle.
If you find yourself stuck and need the encouragement & gentle accountability of a coach, contact me for a free coaching session. Together we can create an action plan to design the life you want.
We all can do hard things.
“Risk more than others think is safe. Care more than others think is wise. Dream more than others think is practical. Expect more than others think is possible”
