May it Be Well with Your Soul

The Seasons of Life

I worked in healthcare before my children were born. My first two children were born consecutively. Olivia was born in 2004, and Noah in 2005. I went back to work right after having Olivia. Then after having my Noah, my heart was not called to go back to work. My career served me well until I became a mother for the second time. I think after Olivia, I still felt the need to work, feel that sense of community, and have adult interactions. After my second child, I wanted something different. I am now the proud mother of four children, Olivia, 18, Noah age 16, Emily Grace, 12 and Lillyan Joy, 8.

Purposeful Inspirator

If I had to describe myself and the work that I do now–the work of my hands- I am a purposeful inspirator. Inspiring others fills my cup. The word inspire means to breathe life. I try to breathe life into other people physically, mindfully, spiritually, or however, I can be of service. I believe that I was born to teach, guide and inspire others. 

I wrote my book—Midlife Clarity: Use the Lessons of Your Past to Sparkle Your Future as an attempt to get my thoughts out of my head and down on paper. I didn't write this book initially with the intent to publish it. Then I realize that sharing my journey can be a beautiful way to put courage out there. I believe that when you share your journey vulnerably, it gives you more courage to keep sharing. Others then feel empowered.

It's good to be attentive to the wisdom shared by others through storytelling. My story may not be your story today, but it could be your story in the future.

Finding Clarity on the Yoga Mat

When I was younger, I was not physically active. I didn’t participate in any school sports or sports-related extra-curricular activities. I didn’t experience the benefit of physical movement until I was a junior. After my second child was born, I found that going to the gym allowed me space. It also had childcare so I could take my child to the gym while also reaping the benefit of an hour of me-time. One day the cycle teacher in the spin class I was enrolled in was not available. I didn’t wasn’t to give up that hour that I had devoted to myself, so I joined the yoga class that was offered at the same time.

I’m not sure why, but at the end of that class, while lying on my yoga mat, I started unloading my emotions—I cried. Perhaps it was the last part of yoga, the stillness that triggered that response, but I felt so still and connected with my spirit. I enjoyed this class so much that I began doing it once a week. I became friends with the instructor.

Yoga was something new and different at that time in my life. I wanted to know more about the practice, so I delved into it. There are so many fantastic layers to yoga. It’s meditative and reflective. It creates stillness within, allowing you to be alone even when you’re in a crowded class. I’m able to tap into my breath. The more I felt the benefit of yoga, the more I wanted to share its benefits with others. Yoga is also how I inspire other people to tap into their energy instead of getting lost in the chaos of life.

Finding Clarity on the Yoga Mat

Visually life is like a marathon. Some people's strategy is to go hard through life the whole time, while others will walk through life, enjoy it, and pick flowers. My point is that there are many ways and a million strategies to the race. However, I believe that the only goal is to start and finish.   

When you’re born, you start. When you finish, that is the end of your life. What you do in-between and how you run your race is yours to decide. If you fall, you get back up again. If you’re running fast and you trip or get knocked down, which slows you down, pick up speed. 

Some people may be in mile ten and look back and discount the people at mile one. We need to give people time to grow and mature, make mistakes and learn. The key to recognizing the levels of greatness in life is to guide and encourage others. 

Life is also a series of seasons.

I believe that the only way to truly live well, sleep well, and die well is to give life your all. Not to have any regrets no matter how things work out. 

I lost my father in 2020, before the pandemic. I lost him in February, and the pandemic started in March. Part of what my father instilled in his children–not necessarily through his words, was love. My father was a very loving man. Anyone who knew him could see how much he loved his wife and children. He would fight to protect us.

He lived to be eighty-four, and every day of his life, he expressed love and joy. The last time I saw my father, I expressed that same love. 

The best gift any of us can give ourselves is to live with no regrets. Love everyone that comes into our space. Continue to search our soul for those moments to live fully so that whatever we do, it can be well with our soul.

Motherhood Unmasked

As a young mother, I don't think I gave myself the allowance to parent my kids differently. 

I thought that I had to stick with one style of parenting. I wish what someone would have told me earlier or what I would have realized earlier is that you have to meet your child(ren) where they are and design the relationship around them. I am delighted to be exploring this now. When you parent this way, it makes motherhood fun.

I want my children to be able to express themselves. I want them to feel okay when I correct them and for them to know that it is also okay to correct me. I don't want to be rigid. Children should have the flexibility to explore and learn about us as parents. As parents, we should continually learn from each of our children. To impose the same rules on your children causes frustration. Essentially, I have learned to show up and view motherhood as a blank page. I constantly ask myself—what I can learn today. 

If you wear the same hat as a mother and mother the same way for all of your children, you stifle who they are, and you stifle your ability to help your kids reach their full potential. Motherhood has its challenges, but this type of mothering has been very satisfying. I can discover how to touch their souls differently. 

That is my definition of deliberate mothering. 

My Ambitious Mother and Ambitious Motherhood

Mom shared a very vulnerable and intimate moment that she allowed me to put in my book. Mom was a stern mother. One thing I knew to carry forward, which she did not tell me until after I had my third child, was how much she regretted being so stern.  

Looking at her as an almighty figure in my life and hearing her admitting that showed me that you could intentionally choose the type of mother you want to be. I consciously decided how I mother, and I am so grateful.

I have the type of relationship with my children that is open and honest. We get angry, forgive, apologize quickly, and look to encourage each other. 

As mothers, some of us are constantly wishing things away—we wish the diaper stage away; we can’t wait to get past the preschool stage. The life we crave is now—however it looks. 

My number one job is at home. If any of the things that I enjoy conflict with my home life, I let them go. Home is my number one priority. There is no amount of joy and no amount of success that feels good if it comes to sacrificing my home life. My children, my husband, my immediate family—that is what is essential. A sense of being grounded is the foundation I ambitiously mother and purposefully inspire.