Your Extraordinary Self is Calling

Given that my first house was -- from what I can remember -- a rundown single wide on a rundown farm owned by my grandfather, I grew up thinking I was trash.

Given that my alcoholic father -- the same father I haven't had a relationship with in 40 years -- used to leave me in the car while he'd run inside to the liquor store for his next bottle, I grew up thinking not much was possible for me.

Given that my young mom worked three jobs to take care of me while we lived at my grandparents house, I grew up thinking college would be an absolute impossible dream.

Given all of that, I desperately wanted to be somebody.?

Just beyond the "who do you think you are" voice there was always another voice, a voice that was just a bit louder.?

A voice that wondered if I could be somebody beyond the teenage parents, beyond the Vodka, beyond the divorce, beyond the fact that at one point for a few years my mom and I shared a bunk bed in a tiny spare bedroom. I was on the top bunk -- only fell out once.

A voice that kept insisting I go for it.

For many years, when I was young, I would pretend to be on stage, speaking to what would I would now see TedTalk audiences.

I would record stories into the old cassette tape recorder in my grandmother's back bedroom, something we now call podcasting.

I would write and write and write on topics about changing the world.

Brené Brown says that the biggest shame we all carry is the shame-based fear of being ordinary.

Perhaps this is why most people share so much of themselves on social media.

Or, why so many hustle.

Maybe this is why we tangle our self-worth up in our productivity.?

The idea of disappearing, being invisible and being ordinary is always there … underlying, unconscious, dripping with fear.

The little girl in me still vacillates between voices of …?who do you think you are?AND?don't be ordinary, don't be ordinary, don't be ordinary.?

But, I'm not afraid of those voices anymore.

I've learned how to work with them through taking action.

• I went to college despite very little support and I’m still the only college grad in my family and may always be.
• I built a create a career in journalism, writing and speaking that I am proud of. I won journalism awards.
• I rose above the ordinary life I was destined for back then and found a way to shine and to empower others to do the same.

Still, if I knew what was possible for me back then, I might have dreamed bigger.?I might have spent less years believing I was trash. I might have … believed in myself more.

Does any of this resonate with you?

I’m building a movement of?Brave Business leaders?who are ready to move beyond their little selves and dream bigger because you know you are capable of so much more.

And as long as you’re blocked by that little voice inside that says, "Who do you think you are? -- it's hard to build a new, braver world where YOU can help others thrive and flourish.?

One of the ways we work on this in Brave Business Coaching is by mastering the Brave Yes CEO mindset.?I am sharing all about this in my latest podcast.

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Are you Ready to Design a Brave Business Plan?

Let’s connect and chat on Zoom. I offer a FREE coaching call to you — sales pitch free. I’ll even give you homework to try out. And, if you think coaching is for you, we’ll schedule a follow up session to discuss your homework outcomes and my coaching program.

Brave Business Coaching offers you two coaching sessions a month (55 minutes each) + 20 minute emergency sessions as needed when fast decisions need to be made. Plus, get access to all my behind-the-scenes resources, checklists, workbooks and courses as they are created.

At this moment, I have 1-2 spaces open for Summer 2022 (depending on the timing).

Learn more and schedule here.