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Take That First Small Step So this happened… A year ago, I took a chance and had no idea where it would lead me… All I knew was that I wanted to contribute to creating more opportunities for women to stand tall in their inner strength, truth, and power. It’s a mission I was already creating through my Radiant Living Programs. So, when I discovered Sseko Designs, a socially-conscious fashion brand that creates university scholarships and full-time jobs for women around the world, it felt only natural that I join this community of Dreamers & Doers… …Here I am, a year later, and I attended my first ever Sseko Summit last weekend where I was inspired by my colleagues and the impact & mission that we’ve collectively committed to…and as though my heart & spirit weren’t already overflowing enough, I was recognized with the Golden Award for Collective Ambition. “Collection Ambitiion - She is a full moon that beckons a rising tide. She knows that as she rises, her success will raise her sisters up. She has the drive to make the world brighter for herself, her team, and her sisters around the world. She moves energetically and unapologetically towards her aspirations.”  Do The Thing That Scares You I was so nervous… You may not be able to tell from the picture below, but I was so nervous… You see, I’ve gone “Live” and spoken to groups hundreds of times…from teaching yoga at large Expos to leading wellness retreats and group programs, to doing IG and FB lives, but you know what still happens every single time?…. Butterflies in my stomach and heart racing just before I go “Live…” I don’t think it ever goes away, you just get used to feeling the fear and doing it anyways… This past weekend, I was particularly nervous because I was invited to speak on a topic that is SO IMPORTANT and not something I’ve ever spoken about before… ALLYSHIP And, even though I was nervous as heck, I knew that this topic is so important that I had to do it. I had to do the thing that feels uncomfortable, vulnerable, and hard, because it’s the right thing… And, you know what? It led to other women opening up and sharing their hearts with me…things that they’ve never spoken about either, and that brings tears to my eyes…the power of stepping into your story and vulnerability invites others to do the same. And, this connection is the most powerful thing in the world. This is the power to heal, and learn, and grow…together…  Celebrate & Serve This week is my 1-year Sseko-versary and what better way to celebrate than with a Fundraiser Event, doubling the impact for women around the world. Here’s the thing… When you shop Sseko, you’re already contributing to university scholarships and full-time jobs for women around the world. It’s built into our business model. This year alone, my team has already fully-funded 10 full-time jobs and 5 university scholarships. We’re shooting for 20 jobs and 10 scholarships by the end of the year, and we definitely can’t do this alone. It’s a collective effort and every small step counts. We know that when a young woman is educated, she’s more likely to become a leader in her community and family, creating a ripple effect for generations to come. I’ve seen the value of education in my own life in countless ways. I was raised with the idea that “knowledge is something no one can take from you.” It is and will always be an asset that leads to opportunities, safety, and freedoms that may not otherwise be possible. That’s why, in addition to being a Sseko Fellow, I’m passionate about contributing to organizations that support the advancement of education and opportunities for women. One of those organizations is HER Future Coalition that provides education and vocational training to young girls and women who are survivors or at risk for human sex trafficking. Young women like Subhomita, the sweet 9-year-old girl who I personally sponsor in Kolkata, India. This week, I’m inviting you to be part of this impact and help me celebrate my 1-year Sseko-versary through shopping Sseko. This week only (thru Jul 23rd), when you shop Sseko, a portion of the proceeds will also go towards HER Future Coalition. One more thing... I’ll be going Live in my Facebook Group at 7pm EST tonight to share more about the impact and products. You can join the group and tune in HERE.
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Your body is always sending you signals. Always. Are you listening? It starts subtle. And if you don't tune in, the signals get louder... Ayurveda says that all imbalance starts in your digestive tract. This is the first place you'll get your body's signals. That is, if you're aware and paying attention to it. It'll show up as indigestion, heartburn, or feeling bloated. When you don't listen and make changes at that level, the "imbalance" travels to other parts of your body, mind, and emotions. It shows up as chronic pain, insomnia, anxiety and panic attacks. And the thing is, it's not only what you eat that's causing this "imbalance" in your digestion. It's everything - your life experiences, emotions, and processing of those experiences. You literally have to "digest" all of those things. And, when you don't, your body lets you know. In part 2 of my podcast with Melissa Barry, brand strategist and host of Conscious Matters, we talk all about digestion and tuning into your body's signals. In case you missed Part 1, I'm including the links to both below... Tune in and let me know what you think! What are you biggest reflections or insights from this episode? Leave a comment below and let me know! (seriously, I love hearing from you and I reply to every single comment) Oh, and one more thing, I'm sure you have a friend, family member, or colleague who could use this message today. Share this post! I sent this message to one of my clients last week, and I thought you'd find it helpful too. It's about defining your version of success... "Success is definitely self-defined. Do you choose to strive for someone's else's or what you think society's version of success is, or your own? Ultimately, you get to decide what success looks like for you. And, it's different for everybody. You also get to decide if you're going to make it easy for yourself to feel successful and proud of yourself, or if you're going to make it hard. That doesn't mean you avoid doing hard things, taking chances, or challenging yourself. Rather, it's the opposite - you find ways to celebrate and notice your successes daily and on a regular basis. Success builds upon success. The more you build up your own definition of success in a way that you meet that success on a regular basis, the more happy and fulfilled you'll feel." I'm leading a free webinar tomorrow where I'll expand on this idea and walk you through 3 Steps to go from Burnout to Restored Radiance. In this webinar, you'll:
Will you be there? Oh, and one more thing, I'm sure you have a friend or family member going through this too. Please share this post with them too! We're better and stronger when we come together <3 I'll never forget that time I went backpacking through Europe with my best friend after graduating college. I thought I was being minimalist and hip with my Eddie Bauer backpack that my brother gifted me before the trip. Packed to the brim with quick dry sundresses, toiletries, my camera and film (yes, this was back in the days of film!).
Little did I realize that my "minimalist" backpack was actually super heavy to carry around the streets of Paris. My friend and I decided we had to send back some of our stuff. There was no way we were going to be able travel around for 3 weeks in Europe with these backpacks on, not to mention get souvenirs along the way. We packed up all the extra "things" and went to the post office to mail it back to the U.S. Now, of course, back home, I would never wear the same 3 outfits in rotation, washing them in the bathroom sink each night and hanging them up to dry only to wear again the next day. But, when you're a fresh college graduate backpacking through hostels in Europe, that's totally normal. So, why am I telling you this story? Well, I thought of it for a couple reasons. First, I chatted with a friend from Paris last week on her podcast, and it made me think of all things Paris :-) Also, because life is always changing. What you need in one moment is completely different than what you need in another moment. Depending on where you are and the circumstances, you need to adjust, adapt, and flow. But, so often you're looking for balance.... ...the complete opposite of what you really need, which is to be able to flow with ease through the ever-changing landscape of life. So, in this podcast that I recorded recently with my new Parisian friend, Melissa, we talk about why:
Listen all the way to the end for my invitation to a "challenge" that'll set you up to start feeling happy in the now...it's completely free and easy to do! Oh, and after you listen, leave a comment below to let me know if you accepted my invitation and what you thought of the episode! Can't wait to hear from you!! A friend of mine told me this story and it made me think of you.
You see, she has a garden in her backyard and her neighbors had to cut down a tree that was, surprise surprise, right next to her garden sanctuary. The crew was able to cut down the tree without it falling onto her garden. Phew! But, as they plodded back and forth to pick up the debris, they stomped all over her garden sanctuary. She was furious because this was her little safe haven that she created for herself and her family to enjoy. She went out to speak with the "guy in charge" and asked him not to walk through her garden. He said OK, that he’d let his crew know. But, lo and behold, they went right on stomping through her garden, not respecting her property or her request. That’s when she knew that she had to take more action. So, the next day, she went out there with a yellow string, marking off her garden sanctuary. To create a boundary. To communicate that, "This is important to me, and you can't step all over it. That is not ok." Boundaries are important. Super important. If you're looking for work-life balance, feeling drowned by other peoples' obligations and expectations, or get mad at yourself because you can never say "no," then you need to work on your boundaries. And, it’s not just setting boundaries, but sticking to them even when you get push back. You need to: 1. Get clear on what your boundaries are 2. Figure out if it needs to be communicated to someone (or is it a boundary just for you?) 3. Analyze the consequence of setting the boundary vs. not setting it (and, yes, there are consequences to not taking action as much as there is to taking action) 4. Communicate the boundary (if needed) 5. Be willing to follow through on the consequences There isn't a single thing about this process that's easy or comfortable, especially if you're a born people-pleaser like me. And yet, it's one of the most important things you can do to preserve your sanity, energy, and compassion for yourself and others. If any bit of this feels stressful to you, don't worry. The Reclaim Your Radiance program has an entire module dedicated to setting boundaries and will take you step-by-step through this process. You'll get a framework to stand firm in your boundaries with confidence so you can live your best life, without feeling drained, disrespected, and overwhelmed in your everyday life. Be the first to hear when the doors open to Reclaim Your Radiance. |
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