"Who do you think you are?"

I recently completed the LifeForward program at the Hudson Institute of Coaching in Santa Barbara. The four-day experience was transformative. It was humbling to immerse myself in the depth of insight and wisdom my cohort contributed to my journey.

My biggest insight: In order to inspire and teach women how to design a life that lights them up, I must LIVE a life that lights me up and incorporate my insights - amazing, raw/real, bad/ugly - into my work with others.

While living my best life sounds fun and inspiring, it’s actually quite intimidating. As an entrepreneur, I can no longer say, “My boss won’t let me,” or “I simply don’t have the time.” That victim story is no longer a realistic avoidance strategy. I’m literally 💯 responsible for the choices I make and the life I create for myself. I feel like that’s always been true, but the concept feels much more real now.

More often than not, the only thing getting in the way of living a life that lights me up is my own mindset. The voice in my head that asks, “Who do you think you are?” My inner critic is kind of an asshole.

My goal post-LifeForward is to continually challenge myself to LIVE a life that lights me up. This means I’ll say YES more often to experiences and opportunities that truly light me up, even when my ego is scared as hell. It means tons of experiments that may not always work out.

Most importantly, it requires a support structure that will help me be sustainable (and maintain my sanity). For me, this includes somatic therapy, spinal network care, meditation, yoga, coaching, strong friendships and journaling daily.

The coolest part is that this is just the beginning. I’m so ready to dig into this deep inner work, on myself and with others. John O’ Donohue perfectly describes my current approach: “I would love to live like a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding.”