What you create begins in the unknown.

Have you ever had a moment when you knew your life was forever changed?

I've encountered several things throughout my 53 years, but in 2018, I had an experience that caused me to pivot because my intuition was screaming at me to wake up and make the changes I needed to create what I was meant to share with the world. It was so profound that I knew I would never go backward again.

Six years ago, I went on a road trip from Little Rock, AR, to a beautiful cabin tucked in the rolling hills of Southern Illinois to reconnect with college girlfriends. We met at SIU in the fall of 1991, remained in touch, and would periodically meet at various locations for female time and reminisce about days gone by.

Like most dynamics with women, we were all different. We laughed and cried; some got married, had kids and careers, some divorced, etc., yet the common denominator was our college memories. Some of us were tighter than others, but somehow, we always stayed in touch.

Before this particular trip, I had been trying to find any excuse to skip it because, like many of the trips before, I didn't feel good about it. My uneasiness was causing a sinking feeling in my core—the thought of giving and receiving anticipatory judgment pulsed through my veins. The bouquet of feelings brewing in my belly wasn't nerves of excitement but awkwardness of courage and knowing that it was time to lean 100% into my authenticity rather than conform to the crew.

These women had been part of my life for almost 30 years, so why were my feelings screaming at me to get out and move on now?

Looking back, I realize I was ready to live free of expectations, judgment, rejection, and shaming of others. I had been participating for decades in the drama of these limiting beliefs and behaviors, not just in this friend group but within all my relationships. I was done with my conditioned self-behaviors and ready to live authentically and harmoniously.

Could I have articulated how I was feeling like this six years ago? Nope! Why? Because I had no clue what it meant to invest in myself. Since that trip, I have consciously invested in myself by creating a mindfulness practice and asking myself why I made past choices.

• Why did I participate in disrespectful conversations about people behind their backs?

• Why did I desperately want others to change so I would be more comfortable?

• Why was I spending time with people that left me feeling drained?

• Why did I think it was ok to get drunk and be an ass instead of having an authentic conversation about the fear and pain I was feeling?

• Why was I so desperate to get people to see and hear me?

• Why did I continue to devote my time to relationships that left me feeling empty, confused, and downright yucky?

Through almost two years of consistent meditation, journaling, prayer, conversations with my therapist, and infusing energy work into my daily life, I found a simple yet profound answer to all the questions above and more.

The problem wasn't anyone else. The problem was me.

I had been waiting for others to change so that I could be happy. I had been waiting for almost 50 years until I stopped and realized I had an abundance of choices, and so did everyone else.

I had choices yesterday.

I have a choice today.

And I have a choice tomorrow of who I want to be, who I want to spend time with, and what I want in my life.

Again, it sounds simple, yet I was taught to worry about what everyone else would think about my choices. Then, to shift myself forward, I adopted a new tagline/mantra for my worrying.

Worrying is praying for what you don't want.

When I began making new choices, they were confusing and unpopular to some, and they were still awkward and often caused discomfort for me until they weren't.

Each day is an unknown. By getting curious about where I gained my pain points and cultivated my limiting beliefs, I've not only deepened my self-awareness but also gained a greater understanding of why humans behave the way they do.

When that weekend began six years ago, four of us were friends, but by the end, I had chosen to keep only one in my life.

Out of this experience, I became a Reiki Master, Meditation Instructor, and Intuitive Transformational Life Coach. And then, I created my Shift Towards Clarity Program. I took all the work I did and continue to do daily and developed a process so that when someone else is knowingly ready to embrace their authenticity wholeheartedly, they have a process to follow that will support them as they navigate the simplicity and newness they crave out of life.

Shift Towards Clarity is my Signature Program. Signature, why? A signature represents a distinct form of identification. I was hungry to live free from my limiting beliefs and pain points and uncover my identity. I also know what it's like to want others to change so that I would be happy. I know what it's like to crave recognition, being seen and heard. I know what it's like to hear my intuition telling me to take the respectful road of authenticity only to make a poor choice and follow along with what everyone else wanted me to do so that they were more comfortable, yet I was left feeling forgotten.

The process, activities, methods, meditations, and self-exploration exercises are all tools I created to share with others who are done trying to fit into a societal "normal" role of what you “should and shouldn’t do” and ready to make new choices that will bring compassion, grace, and tenacity into their lives.

In 2018, I became a teacher on Insight Timer and posted a generic version of this program. Insight Timer is a meditation/mindfulness app with the world's most extensive free library of more than 210k guided meditations, 17k teachers, and more. Within a year, over 2,200 people taking my course. The feedback was fantastic, yet they wanted more, and so did I.

So, I went deeper and created a framework for personal growth and success. Now, Shift Towards Clarity is a six-month program that offers:

• 20+ guided video/audio lessons

• Tuesday night weekly group Zoom Coaching with me

• Four (30-minute) one-on-one coaching sessions

• Weekly connection points via MarcoPolo

• And recorded meditations

• This is easily a $10,000 program with personalized weekly coaching alone, yet I market it at half that price, which is a significant deal.

During this past Tuesday night's Shift Towards Clarity Group Zoom Coaching Session, I left feeling excited and admiring my clients as I witnessed their weekly transformation. Why? Because they are truly investing in themselves. That is the point behind why I created and chose to share my process.

This isn't about me; it's about witnessing others invest in themselves. I watch and support someone as they lean into the essence of their soul, unpack what is no longer needed from the past, recognize where they are and how their choices are keeping them stuck, and then make new decisions to activate their desire to walk forward with pride into the wonderment of the unknown.

Ahhh, and we're back to the unknown.

If you're ready to make a change, give me a shout and schedule a Connect Call. I'll share more about my Signature Program, Shift Towards Clarity. If you choose to walk the talk about the changes you seek, I will have a discount waiting for you when you sign up, but it will only last until September 1st, 2024.

I didn't get into coaching for the money. I chose coaching for the change that sticks.

What you create begins in the unknown.