Essence Blog

In the past month, I’ve woken up a few times with the pressure of a heavy heart in my chest. I’ve been feeling some anxiousness, grief, and unsettling fear. Some of that is from the big events happening in the world, and some of that concerns people I care about and situations happening in my own life. 

It’s not one thing. But they all pile up. 

Thankfully, I have self-care, spiritual practices, and lots of tools. I know about what to do to support myself, ...

This email is long. So feel free to skip it and come back next week. 

I wrote most of it in my journal. I decided to share it because you most likely remember this, are experiencing it, will be, or know someone who is. 

Last August, we helped Ethan – our only child – move into his dorm for his first year of college. 

It's a big milestone moment for any kid, but it felt like one of the most significant in my journey as a mother. 

On the one hand, it was ...

Have you heard that expression to go all in?  

I've determined that I'm not all in. 

"All in" is a phrase marketers and coaches will use to motivate. I may have even used it myself in the past. If you go "All in," then you'll...do this, buy this, join this, achieve this...etc. 

But most of the time, I'm just not ALL IN. 

I love my business, but I'm not all in, certainly not "all in" on posting 3x a day on social media and all the other things I should be doing if I...

For a while now, I’ve felt hyper-aware of the yin and yang of social media.   It’s a source of entertainment and connection, but it also houses a darker side filled with manipulation, fear-inducing content, and vitriolic exchanges. Even if we agree with the point of view being made, the dehumanization we witness in comment sections can be heartbreaking. 

Rather than avoiding it altogether (although breaks are really good), I developed a little practice I use for social...

July marks the mid-way point of the year!

As an education major, I trained in how assessment and review are key pieces of the learning process. It’s how we determine progress (or lack thereof), what needs attention, and if objectives are met and on track.

In my own life, I do reviews and reflection rituals. I’ve shared them with clients to do in your personal life, for your work, and especially for your business if you are an entrepreneur. 

The following review process can be...

I was going to write you a love letter, but it became a letter of longing. 

I long for time to slow down. I’m not ready for it to be the halfway point of 2023. 

I long for connection and conversation that feels meaningful + warm, + uplifting, even if the topics are heavy and emotional. 

I long for a break from the bad news of corruption, hate, dysfunction, and destruction that comes at us from all sides.  I long for a respite from the heartbreak of the comment...

Did you know that, on average, each day, you generate 50,000 words in your private thoughts? 

That's equivalent to a short book or roughly 100 pages.

It's fascinating to think that your brain is constantly writing a book of thoughts (which could become beliefs)  regardless of whether you're aware of it. This is why I work intentionally with my thoughts. Once I realized how much we "speak to ourselves," it prompted an important question. What genre is your thought book? 

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Do you have a graveyard of notebooks hidden away somewhere in your home? Do you keep a journal but rarely revisit the entries? If so, you may be missing out on valuable insights and inspiration.

It's easy to forget the value of our notes and journal entries, but they often contain a wealth of ideas, thoughts, and aha moments that can spark creativity and offer guidance. If you attended a course, workshop, or conference and took notes, go back and read them. If you keep a journal, go back and...

Have you ever made something harder than it needed to be?  

Once, I gathered with some entrepreneur friends. I had my head in my hands, stress in my chest, and dread in my gut over what seemed like an impossible mountain of work I had in front of me.  

They patiently listened to my pity party-esqe whine and then pointed out a few things. What if I simply send an email about problem A, switch around problems B and C, and drop problem D altogether? 

I, of course,...

Did you see the Oscars this year? I was in NYC, and after seeing Little Shop of Horrors, my family returned to our hotel room and turned on the TV immediately, hoping to catch the end of the Oscars. 

And that's when we watched Michelle Yeoh's historic win for Best Actress. Of course, seeing someone achieve a dream they worked so hard for always makes me emotional, but this was bigger than that. My eyes filled with tears. 

In 95 years of awards given by the Academy, only two women of...