Challenging people can trigger old stories about your worth, your body, and how you "should" show up. In this post, I share practical tools for staying centered in your own values and image- so you can respond and act with clarity instead of shrinking, people-pleasing, or over-performing. Imagine you have just woken up and you are ready for another day to make magic happen. You get dressed, look in the mirror, and feel ready to take on the day. At the local coffee shop, you r

We all know not everything we see on the internet is real. But, real or not, there's a damaging message being sent: Don't be you, be them. Authenticity is frowned upon, while following the herd is rewarded with likes and hundreds of comments. Endless style tips online, especially viral TikToks, can leave you more confused and self-critical. Then there's the curated clothing boxes and AI color analysis. Neither one gives you the style or accurate colors best suited to you. I k

You may have noticed the purple in my hair at times. I do it almost every spring for Lupus Awareness. Many people used to see me at conferences and conventions, in my newsletter, and at my retreats, where I taught about healthy living and eating. Most people assume I've always been healthy. You may have taken one of my fitness classes or read one of my healthy living books. The truth is, I live with several autoimmune diseases, including Discoid Lupus. There are two main type

When I was younger, a neighborhood friend cut my hair short. My mom yelled at me for letting her do it, and then she did what she could to fix it. She brought me to her hairdresser and decided my hair was unsalvageable. The rest was cut into a popular pixie cut of the time, which was unflattering. I cried for days and was made fun of by other kids. They called me a boy in a dress. You can imagine how hurtful that was to hear for a small child trying to find her place in the w

I smile every time I see this old picture of myself. Of course, my son had no idea at the time, but his mommy had just won the confidence lottery. I separated from my ex-husband of 18 years in the spring of 2014. My son Adam was five months old, the last of our four children together. I was significantly overweight, broke, going through postpartum depression, and miserable with my situation. Figuring out how I was going to make sense of it all was mind-boggling. I was just ab

A few years ago, I was not living life authentically. There were days I could hardly get dressed due to depression caused by living an...

What’s holding you back? Is there something you really want for yourself but feel will never happen? I’m here to tell you: You’re never...

Over the past few years, my main focus has been on nutrition and emotional well-being. Both are extremely important to live a happy...