Confessions of a recovering perfectionist 2: trying to find my inner balance

10 Apr 2016 | 0 comments

I came across this quote a while back: “If you cannot find peace within yourself, you will never find it anywhere else.” -Marvin Gaye It hit me like a lightning bolt. I have spent years, on and off, doing yoga and meditation and reading self-help books (or thinking about doing all those things) to calm […]

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Self-care toolbox #1: Parenting yourself

14 Mar 2016 | 0 comments

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For the next week, I will be muting my feed and ta

For the next week, I will be muting my feed and taking time to listen and learn.

In my stories I will be sharing resources that feature and support Black coaches, educators, activists, entrepreneurs.
Thank you @darlenehawley for bringing this action to my attention and to @jessicawilson.msrd and @blackandembodied for creating this initiative and space to create change.
#amplifymelanatedvoices

How many plates did you break this week?⁠ ⁠ Ho

How many plates did you break this week?⁠
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How many did you want to break?⁠
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It's #forkedupfriday ⁠
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aka #fuckedupfriday if you've got a potty mouth like me.⁠
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It's time to reflect on all of the experiments that you put out into the world this week that didn't exactly give you the best results.⁠
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And, since it's the last Friday of the month, let's go even deeper and try to look back on what didn't go according to plan in May.⁠
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What did you learn? What will you do differently next time?⁠
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Look, we're all human. We were born to make mistakes. ⁠
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Even the Dali Lama makes mistakes (it's true! I follow him on twitter and he openly admits it!)⁠
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Making mistakes is awesome. It means that you are trying new things, taking chances, showing up in the world. It's also easy to make mistakes. ⁠
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The hard part is learning from them. But, when you learn from them, that's when you grow and expand and inspire others!⁠
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So, tell me! What did you fuckup this week and how have those mistakes changed you?⁠
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#mindfulness #nobodyisperfect #mindset #learngrowdiscover #learnfromyourmistakes #lifeisanexperiment #takechancesmakemistakesgetmessy #selfcoaching #parenting #momslife #coach #expat

The boundaries of work and life are getting blurre

The boundaries of work and life are getting blurred as we hold on tight to the twisting and turning #coronacoaster. 🎢

That's why I'm so excited to share my new offer! 🤗

As we start looking forward to reopening and the return to some "normalcy", I keep hearing (and feeling) two themes: ☝️While challenging, we've created some really amazing moments over the past few months as we've slowed down and reconnected with family and friends. We've gotten a taste of what it means to be more present and connected. ✌️ We're ready for things to reopen but we don't want to "go back" entirely to how things were before. Our priorities are clearer, we're ready for more balance.
You're not alone. 💞

I've been doing mindset work and personal development long enough to know that, with any change, even ones we're looking forward to, there will be a sense of loss. It takes time to process, adapt, rebalance.
Which can feel really uncomfortable and make it harder to commit to making the changes that we so desperately seek.

That's why I created Riding the Coronacoaster.
It's a 1-month, 1:1 coaching experience where you can start envisioning and designing what you want the future to look like for you and your family. 💖✨ And the support and guidance and encouragement you need to keep going even when it feels hard.
This time has been frought with emotions. But it's also an incredible opportunity to step back and realign with your values and priorities and create the life you want to live.

With Riding the Coronacoaster, I'll help you to find a happy medium and learn to trust yourself 🙏 so that you can create more calm, ease, and balance! 🌈 🔍 All the details, including booking link, are on my website. Link in BIO. 🤔 Questions? Please feel free to DM me privately. 🙏 Know someone who this could help? I'd love it if you'd share it via DM or tag someone who is Riding the Coronacoaster.

For a long time, I smiled on the outside but I was

For a long time, I smiled on the outside but I was breaking on the inside. ⁠
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People would ask how I was able to do it all and I would laugh it off and nervously change the subject. ⁠
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Thinking to myself: "if I showed you behind the scenes, you'd see what a failure and fraud I really am and you'd reject me."⁠
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It's the pressure of perfectionism, the overwhelm of overachievership, the uneasiness of vulnerability.⁠
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And, then, I met the kickass solopreneur @jo_bendle who asked me to characterize my inner critic. To give her a name, a persona - different from my own. To befriend her and honor her.⁠
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And, to invite my inner mentor to the conversation as well. ⁠
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From working with Jo to working with other amazing badass businesswomen like @jackiejohnstone @jennyshih @kendrickshope @laisscortegagna and so many others (I hope you know who you are and how much I love you!) who continued to encourage and inspire me.⁠
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Who hold space for me when the conversations get difficult. ⁠
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Who model how to let my inner mentor drive the car even if the inner critic comes along for the ride.⁠
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My inner mentor has started showing up more and more in her leadership role. She has become the chairwoman of the board of my brain.⁠
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Through compassion and love, empathy and kindness, her voice is rising and it's empowering.⁠
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What's your inner mentor telling you?⁠
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#innermentor #selfcoaching #conversationsinmyhead #conversationswithmyself #coaching #mindset #practice #patience #bepresent #parenting #nurtureyourself #mentalhealth #begentlewithyourself #yourenotalone #journalprompts #lifelessons

What are you doing today to fill your well?⁠ ⁠

What are you doing today to fill your well?⁠
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#selfcaresaturday⁠
#youareworthy #mindfulness #selflove #fillyourownwell⁠

Haven't had a real fortune cookie in a long time b

Haven't had a real fortune cookie in a long time but the universe keeps sending me this message in different ways and this seems like a delicious way to remember it.⁠
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Because, I used to be a total control freak! And I used to get really frustrated when I was around "go with the flow" people. ⁠
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But, when I actually started thinking about what I was trying to control, I discovered that I was trying to control EVERYTHING!⁠
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But, there are SO many things I'm not in control of. Like SO MANY!! Like, pretty much everything, actually.⁠
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What I realize is that the only thing I really want to control is how I show up in this world. ⁠
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I want to be authentic, open-hearted, passionate, compassionate, supportive, resilient, grateful, present.⁠
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And, when I show up in the world from that place, it's so much easier to adapt when things don't go according to plan.⁠
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It feels so much lighter to show up from that place. Like the weight of the world is no longer on my shoulders.⁠
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Give me an emoji in the comments if this resonates.

This is how I played today... Shrinky dinks! Or, "

This is how I played today... Shrinky dinks! Or, "plastique magique" in French. #expatlife

Through this #lockdownslowdown, we've been digging through out art supplies.

I can't even remember when I bought these sheets but my almost-9 year old had no memory of ever using it so it must have been a while ago!
I decided to create some simple #affirmations to keep with all the woo in my office/yoga space. In case, I need extra inspiration! ✨

How are you playing today?

Can I get an amen?⁠ ⁠ #lifemottos #playeveryda

Can I get an amen?⁠
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#lifemottos #playeveryday #findthefun

Sunday morning haiku from my heart to yours:⁠
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You are full of love 💓⁠
You touch more souls that you know🙏 ⁠
Hug 🤗 yourself deeply⁠
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#shineyourlight #youarelove #youareenough #poetry #mindfulness #affirmationrocks

It's FRI-YAY!!⁠ ⁠ It's a great time to reflect

It's FRI-YAY!!⁠
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It's a great time to reflect on the week!⁠
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What did you do that you loved? How can you get more of that in your life?⁠
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What did you do that felt not so great? What do you need to do to get less of that?⁠
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Grab your favorite drink, put on your favorite playlist, and ⁠
DANCE your way into the weekend!⁠
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Let's make this thread a virtual clubbing experience! ⁠
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Tell me your favorite song to dance too and give me a 💃 in the comments!⁠
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#danceinthegood #danceawaythebad #fridaymood⁠
#parentinglife #momlife #celebrate #⁠

As the weeks pass with COVID in our midst, the emo

As the weeks pass with COVID in our midst, the emotional rollercoaster can be pretty discombobulating. ⁠
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As a friend recently shared with me, you could even call it a #coronacoaster!⁠
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It's unsettling, unnerving, uncomfortable. ⁠
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Your feelings are normal. ⁠
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New on the blog is one of my go-to grounding activities for when I especially feel like I want to hit the pause button on life. ⁠
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It's quick, it's easy, it's effective, and it's for the whole family!⁠
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Link in bio⁠
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Drop a rollercoaster emoji in the comments if you're feeling the coronacoaster too! ⁠
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#mindfulness #pausebutton #feelallthefeels #useyoursenses #selfcare #coaching #mindset #mindsetcoach #family #familycoach #reallife

Does this quote resonate with you?⁠ ⁠ I struck

Does this quote resonate with you?⁠
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I struck like a lightning bolt to my core. 🌩️⁠
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I

Today is the 80th anniversary of our grandparents

Today is the 80th anniversary of our grandparents packing up their car with what they could, grabbing their 4 month old son, and leaving Belgium. A day before the Nazi army invaded.

They were fortunate. My grandmother came from a wealthy family. My grandfather was a lawyer. They had a gorgeous apartment but, probably most importantly for the time, a radio so they could listen to the news and better prepare for the realities of what was happening in the world.

With my grandfather's sisters and their families, they spent almost a full year driving through western Europe until they were finally able to get visas and boat tickets to go to Brasil.

The sacrifices we are making today, sheltering at home with the internet, curbside food pickup and/or delivery, these are sacrifices I'm sure my grandparents would have gladly exchanged for their experiences.

The war continued for 5 more years after they left. It would be another year before my grandmother would see her mother again. My great-grandmother was a Swiss national and had chosen to stay in Europe.

I know that it's easy to get sucked into the fear, overwhelm, discomfort of our altered reality. But, humans are adaptable. Nature is powerful. We will get through this. And, if we stay informed and relatively calm; if we follow the science, we will get through this.

France is reopening on Monday. It was promoted as a "progressive reopening" because we're still not out of the woods. There are still people in the hospital. There are still people who are carrying this disease with and without symptoms on the streets.

There is still a risk of a second wave.

When you come into contact with someone, you also come into contact with the people they've been in contact with.

This isn't to scare anyone. It's just to say, continue to be safe. To take care of yourself. To wear your mask and socially distance and stay home as much as you can.

We'll get through this. Just like our ancestors have gotten through difficult, unprecedented times in their lives.

If you read this story and it resonates with you, I'm glad. And if you'd like to share some of your family's history, I'm all ears!

#dance your way into the weekend!⁠ ⁠ It's FORK

#dance your way into the weekend!⁠
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It's FORKED UP FRIDAY. A chance to reflect on the chances taken and the mistakes made this week. ⁠
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After reviewing the lessons learned, we turned up the music (to 11!) and let go of what needed to be released.⁠
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Dancing really helps move energy! ⁠
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I didn't take any photos but I'm pretty sure I looked as good as I did in this incredible photo by @crowheartcreative. ;)⁠
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Do you like to dance? ⁠
What's your go-to feel-good song?⁠
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#forkedupfriday #weekinreview #havefun #letitgo #danceparty #healingmusic

What do you want to create?⁠ ⁠ #thoughtfulthur

What do you want to create?⁠
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#thoughtfulthursday #beyou #dreaming #creating #being #mindfulness #deepdiveintoyoursoul #coaching #journaling #creativespirit_playfuldiscipline

Life is messy. Kids are messy. Parenting is messy!

Life is messy. Kids are messy. Parenting is messy!⁠
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But, messy can be good.⁠
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To paraphrase Mrs. Frizzle, it means you're taking chances, making mistakes, and learning.⁠
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I started Creative Spirit, Playful Discipline thanks to encouragement from @antoinetteplacides @laisscortegagna@heartseeds.lu @writewithmegan as a way to remind myself of the learning I was doing. Especially during this #coronacoaster*.⁠
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And, when I shared it with them, they said: you need to share this with others! ⁠
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So, here you go! EEK! A bit scary. But, as Susan Jeffers says: Feel the fear and do it anyway! ⁠
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Creative Spirit, Playful Discipline is a podcast(ish) for parents who want to embrace their uniqueness, shatter the "shoulds", and find a rallying cry for their families so they can create fun, magical messy memories to last a lifetime.⁠
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Check it out and let me know what you think! ❣️🌟🙏⁠
Link in bio!⁠
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#parenting #parentlife #momslife #lifeismessy #lifeisgood #creativespirit_playfuldiscipline #findthefun #mindfulness⁠
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*What is coronacoaster? It's my new word for the rollercoaster that is coronavirus courtesy of the #expat community here in Bordeaux! 🎢

Are you starting to feel that #fullmoon energy?

Are you starting to feel that #fullmoon energy?

I connected with a wonderful friend yesterday. We

I connected with a wonderful friend yesterday. We haven't seen each other in 6 years but, within minutes of our hopping on our zoom call, it was like no time had passed.⁠
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She and I have been through a lot together. ⁠
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We've celebrated wins (passing our genetic counseling board exams) 💃 and experienced heart-breaking lows (miscarriages within a week of each other). 😥⁠
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Over the course of our incredibly heartfelt and energy-boosting conversation, we talked a lot about the state of the world right now. ⁠
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About the fears and worries and discomfort. ⁠
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About how to support our children, parents, friends, and families. ⁠
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And, the importance of putting on our own oxygen mask first. ⁠
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Because if you don't take care of yourself, you don't have the energy to take care of others.⁠
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We all struggle with finding the right balance. Because, the truth is, our needs are ever-changing. ⁠
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Our energy level, life experiences, routines, rhythms, responsibilities are ever-changing.⁠
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And, like a beautiful symphony, the dissonant chords are there to draw us forward towards the resolution, consonance. Resonance. ⁠
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Harmony requires them both. ⁠
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As we struggle with the dissonance that is going on in our world, in our lives right now. We feel thrown off, uncomfortable, uncertain. ⁠
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But, the universe, like music, is naturally inclined to ebb and flow towards more balance. And humans FEEL that pull. ⁠
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Listen to the dissonance within and trust in your innate adaptability to guide you towards the harmony. ⁠
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You can't have one without the other.⁠
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#harmony #balance #mindfulness #feelallthefeels

Still reeling emotionally from the past few days.

Still reeling emotionally from the past few days.
I pulled a card from The Mother's Wisdom Deck for guidance. 🌬️ Wind. 🌬️ "When you're feeling stuck, in a rut, stagnant, Wind summons our ability to rustle up some much-needed freshness." Today is a blustery day. It's been raining on and off. But, after lunch, the sun poked its head out.

And, as a family, we poked out our four.

And I immediately felt the freshness of the wind.
Five minutes. That's all it took to alter my mood.

Five minutes of
🌬️ feeling the freshness blow against my cheek 🌬️ smelling the scent of roses being blown towards me from our neighbors' garden 🌬️ hearing birds playing nearby 🌬️ seeing the shadows shifting as the leaves danced around 🌬️ tasting the cool, fresh flavor that seemed to fill my mouth

Five minutes in the wind and I feel more grounded, more trusting, more hopeful.
More present.
Life isn't easy. It's a rollercoaster of emotions and so much is out of our control.
But, in five minutes, surrounded by wind, I tapped into the moment, opened up to the freshness, and my spirits lifted. 🙏

And thankful to @heartseeds.lu who reminded me to tap into my 5 senses for extra gratitude.

#lessonsfromnature #bepresent #mindset #mindfulness #oraclecards #wisdom #gratitude #thisislife #lifeismessyandbeautiful #coaching #creativespirit #playfuldiscipline #parenting #lockdownslowdown #grieving #trust #rollercoasterofemotions #rollercoasteroflife #yourenotalone

11 yearsi France and we're finally going to have

11 yearsi France and we're finally going to have our own grapes!! #nature #expatlife #bordeaux #frenchified

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