A few years ago I was laughing at something that my children had said and my oldest son looked at me and said, “Mom, I love when you laugh like that. You don’t do it very often.” I was shocked and a bit taken aback until I realized how right he was. I hadn’t felt joyful and engaged in the world since I had graduated from my doctoral program in psychology. I loved being home with my children yet something was dramatically missing from my life.
After doing quite a bit of soul searching and training to be a life coach, I realized that I’d been living a “should” life. I should be putting everyone else first. I should be happy to be focused on my family and not my own dreams and wishes. I should be thinner, prettier, and younger looking at all costs. I shouldn’t use my voice to ask for what I want and I should have perfect children, a perfect marriage, and a perfect home. I decided to shed the “shoulds” and add the wants and the dreams and the joyful fun back into my life. I got clear on what I wanted for my family and myself and I’ve never looked back.
Now I help overwhelmed and exhausted women who have that “something’s missing” feeling. I help them face their fears, step out of their comfort zones and walk right into true happiness and fulfillment. I am now the proud owner of Smart Women Inspired Lives where I do individual and group life coaching, blogging, and public speaking. Helping other women to step out of that stuck feeling and into calm, confidence, and joy is a dream come true for me. I’ve been laughing a whole lot more and I help the women I work with to do the same.
