Essence Blog

Today is a national holiday here in the States. Last night, I got together with friends and family for good food, laughter, and a fireworks show over Lake Baldwin. It’s a tradition I love. 

And yet, I’m not feeling particularly patriotic this year. I worry and grieve about the upcoming election as more examples of corruption, system breakdown, hypocrisy, division, and the lack of compassion and leadership are revealed. But this isn’t an email...

1. THIS SALAD - HEALTHY CAESAR

I’ve made this recipe a few times and find it addicting. It's perfect for lunch or a summer dinner. I got recipe inspiration from @healthyeatgram and Sara Tercero.  

 2. THIS SERVICE - PHIL MY CUP

Every morning, Phil Cooklin sends me an inspirational, vibe-raising, loving reminder of my power and the wonder of life in what feels like a personal WhatsApp voice message. Phil is a fellow IP Trainer who has worked with me on the...

As promised, this is part 2 of my Parisian adventure, and I thought I’d share tips on planning and packing from my recent trip to Paris.

Planning

Flights

We booked our flights through Capital One Travel. We paid a little extra to get their flight guarantee. If a flight is significantly delayed or canceled, they will book you on another airline or give you a refund for your base price.  

Layovers

Since there are no direct flights to Paris, we opted for our connecting...

Bonjour  

Last Thursday, I asked you what you most wanted to hear about regarding my trip to Paris. 

There are many stories and lessons from our trip, but I’ll distill them down to 10 short takeaways. 

• A croissant tastes so much better in Paris. I’m still dreaming about the eclairs. 
• Getting too comfortable made my world small. Getting uncomfortable is how we find adventure and new things to fall in love with. 
• You can express your unpleasant emotions...

For many of us, growing up involved asking permission from our parents, caregivers, teachers, and authority figures to do almost everything- including using the restroom! When we wanted to go on a trip, our parents had to sign a permission slip; if we wanted to miss a day of school, our parents had to write a permission slip. Imagine how this good girl/ nice guy programming affected us subconsciously.  

When we spend the formative years of our lives seeking permission from others,...

Over a decade ago, when facilitating my groups with women, we talked a lot about the "Yeah, But" part of ourselves, which added a discrediting disclaimer to any personal acknowledgments or shout-outs. 

For example: 
You: I walked 3 miles yesterday
Yeah, But:  I sat on the couch today. 

You: I held a boundary when talking with my sister.
Yeah, But:  Then, I snapped at my partner this week.  

You: I got new signups for my class!
Yeah, But: it’s only...

I am one week away from leading Mike Dooley's Infinite Possibilities Certification Conference and completing the fourth round of the In the World Mastermind. This means time feels compressed, my to-do list feels impossible, I am sitting in front of my computer way too much, and I am holding stress in my body. 

Have you had weeks that felt like that, too?  

So, right now, I have to be very intentional about moving, sleeping, breathing, and eating nourishing, healthy food....

Last week, I didn’t send out my weekly email. Technically, I broke my 25-week/6-month consistency streak. It was a rollercoaster week, and I had to focus on priorities.  

Guess what? It's ok. I can restart.  

Because consistency doesn’t mean perfection.  

Missing a day or two of not posting to social media, exercising, meditation, or anything else you are trying to do consistently doesn’t mean you aren’t or can’t be consistent. It means ...

Last Thursday was one of my favorite days of the year, and it made me think deeply about why and how I can cultivate more days like that. 

I took a day out of work for a Friendship Ritual. 

A friendship ritual is a regular occurring friendship date or tradition to deepen your relationship and increase your life satisfaction and joy. 

Here are the details… My dear friend Lisa and I had our 13th, 12th, or maybe 11th annual friendship ritual. ...

Since I was a little girl, I’ve been afraid  of looking stupid.  

It started in 3rd grade with the popular math game “Around the World.” Processing math quickly when put on the spot sent me into a panic. I made a huge math error, and the entire class laughed and called me stupid.  It was a day no one would remember in that class except me and my nervous system.  

And while it’s the first time I can remember feeling...