The photo above is me in 1995, my first L.A. photo shoot. I look powerful and badass, which I should have felt because I had just been scouted on the sidewalk, introduced and set up for a shoot with an impossibly cool photographer.

During the shoot, he nonchalantly said, "Huh? You're prettier than I expected." and at the end, he referred me to Elite and Ford the two most significant agencies at the time. I signed with Elite a few days later. It was a dream come true for a girl raised on Seventeen Magazine in the era of supermodels.

But... there was a problem, well many. At that point in my life, my beliefs were strong and consisted of, I'm not worthy, and I don't belong. I felt anything but badass. I blushed anytime I was asked what I did, I would squeak out almost inaudibly, "I model" then I would turn into a beet. My blushing was severe and debilitating,  and the embarrassment about the blushing only made me redder.

One way I could feel in control was my severe eating disorders that had started before but got really real during that period. What I see now is, I didn't feel worthy of being nourished, and I didn't feel worthy of taking up space, so I attempted to shrink myself. I used outrageous workouts and rigid scheduling for eating, sleeping, and exercise as punishment. I was a literal "hot mess," even though those old photos show something completely different.

​It was like living in a cage of pretend. I pretended to be cool and together and perfect, but I was coming apart at the seems under that sleek exterior. I never experienced much success in that career because I didn't own my power, my truth, or my beauty. In that state of mind and that state of being, I was caught by dysmorphia, and when I looked in the mirror, I saw a troll.

​My saving grace and my versions of power posing through this period were my three besties; we were all seekers, navigating our way through young adulthood. We had precious conversations about who we were and why, and who we hoped to become.

I also did extensive work with Landmark Education, my first exposure to a-ha moments and transformation.

Additionally, yoga and the study of yogic philosophy were starting to get super interesting to me.

Finally and thankfully, I had enough. I woke up one day and chose healing, self-compassion, authenticity and my brilliance  I quit modeling because in fact it was killing me, and at the time it was taking me far away from my truth. I was completly out of alignment.

I'd like to say my journey was quick and I had it all figured out in 6 months, but no... It's been 23 years, and I'm still tweaking behaviors and beliefs every day to uncover my truth. However, the growth and healing that has occurred in the last five years have been exponential.

How? I finally invested in support and structured accountability in the form of therapy, coaching, and personal growth study. I  also chose to open my heart over the old pattern of isolation so that I could establish and in some cases re-establish a tribe of supportive, loving, souls.

Flash forward to today. 
Work in progress? Always! 
A woman who practices non-negotiable self-care, rest and fun based on self-love? 
Check! 
A woman who surrounds herself with supportive energizing people who love and want her to succeed? 
Check!
A woman who is ending a family legacy of self-sacrifice, depression, hiding and self-medicating, by modeling self-love, authenticity, and bold self-expression to her daughter? 
Check!
A woman who has found her purpose and is willing to share her gifts with the world? 
Check! 
A woman who can get up in front of almost 1000 people and share her truth in service of people breaking open to their version of brilliance? 
Check!

I don't share this in a "look at me I'm so great and evolved" way, but, as evidence that if I can do it... your dreams and your best-fulfilled life are possible too. If you have had enough of the limiting behaviors and beliefs that hold you back and you are ready to uplevel and move towards your dreams now. I want to invite you to The Oxygen Mask 3 part Workshop series starting on May 4th.

​I have carefully curated, exercises and practices to make a perfect starter course. I intend to help you bring awareness to the patterns that are holding you, hostage so that you can finally move through them and find some freedom on the other side.
Click here for more info

​Our plane was shifting in a big way seemingly on every available axis. We were warned over the loudspeaker that the ride would be rough, but this was ridiculous! My family was in the back, my daughter next to me and we were thoroughly experiencing the "tail slide" that the pilot blamed for canceling the drink and snack service. Several times I thought about those little oxygen masks falling from the space above us, and as my daughter lay in my lap battling motion sickness. I kept playing "in case of an emergency..." in my head.

"Put the mask on her first",  my head and heart exclaimed.

I quickly corrected my self, "No my mask first."

 It was the weirdest thing to observe the argument in my head. 

"No, it feels right and makes sense to take care of my young, scared, almost ill child, actually it seems absurd not to put her first. "

"Wait wait wait, me first so that I can serve others! "

Back and forth it went. We never had that emergency, and if we did, I would have followed the instructions and masked myself first. But, holy cow what a clear picture I got that night about how and why it's so hard to commit to self-care.

Most of us are experts at self-sacrifice, we somehow believe that if we put everyone and everything else first, we will be satisfied because we feel in control,  and everyone else will be happy due to us. Self-sacrifice is seen mistakenly as a sacred duty. Well let me tell you, that is absolute B.S., but that pattern runs deep in us. The truth is when we put ourselves last, not only are we miserable, withdrawn, and resentful, but our relationships, passions and purpose suffer as well.

The Commitment to self-care is just like the oxygen mask argument I was having with my self. Me/them? Me/them? Where we get confused is in the plane our lives depend on a commitment to self, and in real life it doesn't feel that way. I would argue that those feelings are incorrect and that your life, if you want to be well, fulfilled, connected, impactful, and in full expression of your greatness, entirely depends on it!

​So if...

• You feel guilty about setting quality time aside for yourself.
• Your inner voice says, “There’s not enough time” or “Something, or someone else is always more important.”
• You feel drained, unmotivated, or filled with self-doubt, but are willing to find another way.
• Your relationships at home, at work, and out in the greater community are suffering.
• You want to make a bigger impact and have a deeper connection, but you feel too spent?

I invite you to The Oxygen Mask 3 part Workshop series. Over the course of 3 sessions using mindfulness, gentle movement, and communication we will work through specific steps, befriend and revise our limiting beliefs, and create a system for successful self-care based on self-love. 

The Steps:
​
Step 1. Step back so that you can connect to the vision of what life would look like if your prioritized yourself - build awareness around those automatic and sometimes subconscious limiting beliefs around self-care so you can choose differently at the moment.

Step 2. Let go of habits and beliefs that hold you back from self-care and self-love.

Step 3. Say yes in an empowered way to yourself and what you want to create.

Step 4. Discover what your next best step is, formulate a plan and take empowered action.

Step 5. Set up accountability around your self-care so that success is inevitable. 

​Thursdays 5:30-7pm,
5/3, 5/10, 5/17
@ Pure Body Bliss.91 E Croy St B, Hailey
$75.
Space is limited, contact me for more info.

If you ready for this workshop, but not near Hailey, Idaho. Please contact me to share your interest. I have a virtual version in the works, with a wait list.