We are officially 60 days into the New Year! Can you believe it?! The first 30 days into a year is important because how you begin your year will create the pace and flow for how you continue your year! However, we are 60 days in now so, this is the perfect time to stop and reflect on the last two months and decide if some changes need to be made! 

So how's it going? If you came up with a new year's resolution, are you still focused on that resolution? If you came up with focus word for the year, is it still a focus?

How are things with family life? Work? Church? Health? Finances? Social life? How are you feeling? How's your attitude?

I know those were a lot of questions to think about and reflect on but to live well is to live whole. If you want to live well, if you want to have your best year yet, then it is important to look at ALL areas of your life because if one isn't well then ALL is not well. It's important to understand that no one can ever be 100% in every area of life - being perfect is not achievable but we can all still try. Every day, we can all do just a little something to be better. 

My favorite example of striving in any area of life is a baby learning how to walk. When a baby learns how to walk, he or she takes a step and maybe wobbles a little. The step feels unbalanced and may even cause the baby to fall. It's not until the baby becomes more balanced and stronger that he or she begin to take strides. The baby starts off with a little step, wobbles, and then falls down. They practice until they aren't wobbly. They keep taking that next step and before you know it...they are running! 

Sometimes when we step into a new direction it feels uncomfortable - we wobble and maybe even fall! It's part of life. We are going to make mistakes, but we can glean wisdom from it. Without mistakes, we really don't learn. John Maxwell calls it "failing forward." More than likely, you have learned something in your life that has helped you because either: 1.) you did it wrong the first time 2.) someone else did it wrong the first time. In the book, "Sometimes you Win, sometimes you Learn" John Maxwell says that "Our greatest lessons are gained from our losses." This is encouraging because we know we can grow from our mistakes and from the mistakes of others. 

We still have 305 days to hit our goals, to make our dreams happen this year! Don't give up now! Don't settle. Keep going!! Keep growing!!  Let me encourage you to think about the mistakes you have you made so far and learn from them. Don't waste the mistake, fail forward! 

If there is an area of your life that you want to fail forward but need a little help, I would love to go on journey with you. You drive the car; I'll hold the map. As a life coach, I will ask the right questions to get you thinking so that when you pull over, you can readjust and modify your route to help get you to your destination safely, smoothly, and as quickly as you would like. 

Having a mentor helps! Even as a life coach myself, I still have lots of mentors - I have and continue to get coached from my fellow John Maxwell coaching community and from my pastor. In the past year, I have grown significantly in my health, in my relationship, in my friendships, and in my faith. I've grown and learned more as a hairstylist even after 18 years of hairdressing. Currently, I'm working hard to grow in the area of life coaching, writing, and podcasting. Am I completely where I want to be? No way! Have I made mistakes? A lot!! (In fact, I'm sure my writing in this blog, right now, is not 100% grammatically correct). However, my mentors and coaches have helped me turn my baby steps into strides and that is what I want to do for you! 

So, how is your 2022 going to unfold? Do you have a plan? 

Maybe you are starting a new job this year or a new hobby that you want to excel. How are you going to that? Do you know the steps you need to take and the timelines to take them?

Maybe you are wedding planning or growing your family. Some people might right now be in the season of retirement while others are in a season of starting their career. Either way, no matter what season of life you are in, life is changing and having the resources, tools, and support to guide you through the process makes the adjustment so much easier.  

I wish you the best year yet! Enjoy this year and remember, 305 days are left so make the very best of it! God bless. 

I love the excitement of New Year's Eve! I love staying awake until midnight, watching the Time's Square ball drop in New York City, the countdown, and the big "Happy NEW YEAR" yell.  Without the fireworks, confetti, and noisemakers New Year's Eve probably would be a bit boring but there's another reason why I love it so much. It feels like a second chance every new year! And seriously, who doesn't love having a second chance?

So, how excited are you for 2022? Do you believe this will be the best year yet? Are you ready to go? 

Wherever you are in this process, there are three questions that Ray Popham taught me from the John Maxwell Team that I believe will help you review your previous year while jumpstarting your new year! They are:

1.) What is life pushing up? 
2.) What is life pushing out?
3.) What is life trying to push you toward?

I love these questions because they make you think outside the box. Let's start with the first one - What is life pushing up? When you reflect on your previous year, do you find a reoccurring theme that pushes up into your thoughts? Think about your months, weeks, and then days - was there anything repetitive that comes to mind? This could be a word, phrase, an idea, or activity.  Do you have any new desires such as hobbies, career, or life events like marriage or starting a family? Maybe you have found an interest in a new sport or extra-curricular activity. What is pushing up into your life and is this something you should be embracing this new year?

Second, what is life pushing out? This is a great question to help you "let go." Do you have something in your life that you need to say goodbye to? Is there something that your heart no longer wants to do? What passions did you once have that you are no longer passionate about anymore? What about your commitments? This is really important to review especially as the new year begins. Don't continue to give your time, energy, and quite possibly money to something that you are not excited about when you could be giving to something that lights your soul on fire.  What do you need to say "no" to so that you are able to say "yes" to something else? 

But that's not all, sometimes to achieve more in life, you have to make sacrifices. In John Maxwell's book 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, he teaches that you've got to give up to go up. It's the law of sacrifice. What do you need to give up that will help you achieve a goal? Maybe it's less time on social media so that you have more study time? It could be that you spend less time watching TV so that you have more time to exercise. If you are wanting to advance your career, maybe you need to quit a hobby so that you can take an online course. I don't know what it is for you, but I would be willing to bet that there is something holding you back from what you are really wanting out of life. What is it?  What is life pushing out? 

Lastly, what is life trying to push you toward? This is a fun question to ask the people you trust the most in your inner circle. Sometimes we have blind spots. Maybe you looked in your rearview mirror, you checked your side mirrors, and even turned your head but still didn't see that car coming! It happens. What is something that people tell you to think about doing or something they think you should do more often? It just might be something worth looking into especially if it is in alignment with your life purpose. This one can be tricky though and as a woman of faith, I feel that it is important that you pray over the suggestions you receive. Just because someone thinks you should, doesn't always mean that you actually should. 

So, there you have it! I just shared with you three questions to help you take control over your new year.  I heard Christine Cain say once in a leadership seminar, "Healthy things grow and growing things change, and changing things changes things." So, don't be afraid of change! If you want your new year to be different from last year it will require some change! I want to encourage you to spend time this week reflecting on these questions to help you jumpstart your year. I pray that these questions help grow you into the person you are intended to be and the life you are intended to have. Happy New Year! 

I'm starting an online ladies bible study this year and I am excited to invite you (well, if you are a lady anyways).  This is something I have been wanting to do since 2020 and I'm finally ready. My schedule is ready, my technology is ready, my focus is ready, and I'm just ready!! Staying connected to a faith community the last couple years has been hard. Churches were closed down for so long and then when they finally re-opened some were very careful to not do too much to spread the virus. Small groups went online or just stopped meeting completely and most of the volunteer serving somehow faded away. The truth is though, we need connection and community and so I am excited to provide a way to do just that all while growing in our faith. 

Ladies bible study will begin Tuesday January 25th and will meet every Tuesday evening at 7:30 for 6 weeks straight. Each study will be about 45 minutes long and end at 8:15 so that you still have some time to wind down, put your children to bed, or enjoy some family time. 

This is something that I am passionate about and love doing. I spent three years leading a women's bible study at my previous church and it was one of the most rewarding times of my life. If this sounds like something you would like to be involved in, please visit the above "Bible Study" tab under "Coaching" and register. As soon as I receive your registration, I'll send you all the details. 

Ladies Bible Study starts in exactly 15 days. It is free; however, if you choose to follow along with the bible study book guide, you may purchase one with the link that I will send you. I hope you consider joining me and starting the new year growing in our faith. xoxox
 

I am so excited to blog about First and Main! For those of you that do not know, First and Main is a podcast hosted by my wonderful friend, Debbs, and me! We have launched 24 episodes already from season 1 and we have a season 2 on the way! Have you heard it yet? 

So, why in the world did we start a podcast and why am I just now blogging about it 24 episodes later? 

As a certified John Maxwell life coach, this podcast is a way that I can spend time with a great friend and talk about life and the avenue we can take that will lead us to a life of abundance. It's a way that we can encourage, inspire, and help others while networking testimonies from some of our special friends and show guests. Oftentimes we learn the most by listening to other people's experiences and stories. What better way to do this than to meet you, wherever you are, through a podcast?

The name of our podcast, First and Main, actually came from a scripture in proverbs 8. We began praying about what we would name our podcast and one day while Debbs was reading the bible she found First and Main in the message translation from proverbs 8. We found our tagline "living well" from that same scripture and First and Main was born. I have the actual scripture posted above. 

We recorded our first episode in January 2021 and committed to 2 episodes a month. In fact, we planned the whole year and came up with 24 topics - one for each episode. Little did we know how much time and energy this podcast was going to cost us and how much our one year plan was going to change! That's the beauty of planning though - it keeps you on track and gives you a guideline but just about anything can come up along the way and mess it all up!  And let me tell ya, we have had all kinds of things come up along the way.

On the day of our very first recording, my internet at home was down and so I wasn't able to get online to zoom and record. Because I couldn't get connected in enough time, we wasted a whole day. The next day, I ended up driving an hour to Debb's house to set up my mic and get it done. Our first episode took WAY too many hours to put together. We were nervous, scared, and kept "messsing up." It was the first one - the make it or break it episode. We made it though. 

Our second episode, I recorded while having covid. That was fun, not. I was congested, tired and sounded nasally. Thank God for an amazing editor that was able to help make our audio sound flawless.

In March, Debbs and I had just recorded our fifth episode about leaving legacy behind when my Mother in law passed away. It was a timely episode that only God could use to give me and my family comfort and peace. I returned a few episodes later as we began a series on attitude - and at this point, I was still experiencing post covid symptoms such as fatigue and brain fog and it made me feel terrible. I thought that I was experiencing just a poor attitude influenced from all the negativity around me but really I was extremely anemic, and I needed surgery to help get my health back. I ended up having surgery in October and taking 2 weeks to recover.

As I was undergoing testing and scheduling my own doctor appointments, Debbs contracted covid. She was hospitalized with blood clots in her lungs and put on oxygen. This kept her from podcasting at all and as her lungs recovered, for voice weakened. From September to end of December, Debbs was not able to record with me at all. Although she couldn't record, she stayed busy behind the scenes setting up interviews, scripting, and working on our social media.  She entered into vocal therapy and God willing will return to record in January.

For some, just the first 6 months would have been enough to stop the progression of podcasting and trust me, there were plenty of times we both felt that way but we pushed on. We continued and as we did, we gained listeners and attraction from nearby states and other countries. We received amazing feedback and even testimonies of how our podcasts helped and encouraged certain listeners.  First and Main was a calling from God that we answered and let me tell you, the enemy tried SO very hard to push us off track but we stayed strong to our calling. 
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Along with the positive feedback - we of course also received some negative. Really, the truth be told - We did make a lot of mistakes and so, we learned a lot! We learned that we rely way too much on scripting and that either we talk too fast or too slow. We noticed that sometimes when we record we sound like we are reading a script and not actually connecting with our audience, and that we need to check to make sure our mic is actually connected BEFORE we begin recording. LOL We learned that we need to double check that we are all wearing earphones and that everyone is prepared well in advance to be a show guest. We learned so much but most importantly, we were reminded that WE CAN DO ANYTHING THROUGH JESUS CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS US. There were so many times we felt stuck insecure, judged, and even self-doubt and it was only through the Holy Spirit that helped us move forward.

First and Main helped me dive deeper into scripture which helped me grow in my faith. It gave me an avenue to practice life coaching and mentoring and a platform that made a dream of motivation speaking come true. And even though we are well on our way to season 2, it really is just the beginning. I am grateful, honored, and humbled that of all the people that Debbs knows, she asks me to join her in this journey. Thank you Jesus. Thank you Debbie. I love you both.

You can find First and Main on most podcast platforms including iTunes, Spotify, and Anchor. You can also listen to the podcast episodes directly from this website! Just click on the toolbar above "podcast" and each episode that has been released will pop right up!  

At the end of 2020, I decided that I wanted to become a blogger in 2021. At the time, I had just created and launched this NEW website and added the "Blog" section to the toolbar. I was excited! I was focused! I was determined! But...

​The beginning of 2021 didn't start off super smooth because, well, Covid-19.  Don't you just love how we blame Covid for everything?! The truth is, my salon work schedule was hard - at the beginning of the year I was still working in complete isolation from the rest of the salon trying to keep the six feet rule, mask mandate, and sanitation guidelines until Governor Kemp lifted all the restrictions. I also started a new podcasting adventure with my friend Debbs. Unfortunately though, I completely underestimated how much time planning, organizing, recording, and editing a podcast would take! Nonetheless, it has been a really fun experience. Have you heard it yet? It's called First and Main.  I'll write more on that later because it has been a really great and humbling experience that I want to tell you all about.  

But back to the beginning of the year... If that wasn't enough for the month of January then contracting covid at the end of it sure felt like enough. Both my husband and I (Thank God) both had very mild symptoms and by February 12th we were back to work! I, however, (again) underestimated how much energy covid would actually take from me.  Going back to work after missing two weeks from the salon was tough but going back with much less energy than before was even harder! Several nights I would just cry driving home from work and I would dread almost every morning that I had to go into work. It was awful because not only was I lacking energy, I was also trying to heal from the covid symptom, brain fog! It was so bad that I actually cut back my work schedule from four days to three and on some weeks down to even two days. I couldn't keep up and the days that I had off I stayed busy working on the podcast. I felt like I just couldn't get a break and then March happened. 

In March, my sweet mother-in-law, Ginger, passed away very quickly from leukemia. We had a planned family vacation to Biloxi (one of our favorite family spots) and the Thursday before we were going to leave, my mother-in-law was rushed to the hospital where she eventually passed away Sunday morning.  The grief I felt was unbearable and the sadness and hurt I felt for my husband and his family was even worse. I'll never forget that phone call my husband answered at 5:26am Sunday March 21st - just 10 days before Ginger's birthday and the week that we all were supposed to be in Biloxi, Mississippi celebrating. 

I took the next 10 days off from work and even had one of Debb's friends cover for me on the podcast. I was still fighting fatigue from covid and began fighting a new type of fatigue emotionally. Loss is hard and it was really important to me that my husband felt both loved and supported by me as he mourned his mom. What I didn't realize is how much pain I would feel as it would bring up emotions and memories of my own dad passing away six years prior. 

Those ten days and thereafter were not easy. In the midst of everything, I found it within me to style my mother-in-law's hair one last time for her viewing. I cannot even begin to explain the type of emotions that came along with that.  That same week I helped my father-in-law clean up and remove some of her toiletries, jewelry, and personal items from the bathroom, bedroom and closet. We arranged food to be delivered, wrote out thank you cards, and basically hosted family and friends almost every night including the day of her memorial service.  I was absolutely worn out but I kept going. 

I returned back to work and my podcast in April and just continued to struggle emotionally, physically, and even mentally.  The back and forth opinions about covid such as masks, vaccines, and all the political jargon was excruciating. Witnessing the daily judgment, harsh words, thoughts and opinions both verbally and socially on the internet was too much. I felt myself slipping away. I was constantly tired and irritable and I wanted to quit my job for the very first time EVER in my career.  But, I kept going. 

During the summer I started to experience some health issues and began  bloodwork. I was anemic and low on all my B vitamins except B7 (biotin). The process of getting to the doctor, getting results, and then getting a solution actually lasted about four months! Everything was backed up from covid! I had to wait almost two months just to get an appointment  and begin the process to getting well. 

Let's fast forward to now - October 4, 2021. Currently, as I type this blog - my first blog of 2021, I am healing from some minor female surgery... the surgery I needed to heal my anemia, level out my blood and its vitamins and put me on the path to a healthy 2022. I'm out of work again for two weeks and as I recover I pray that this is the last time I will have to be away from the salon unexpectant. I've been taking iron now for about two months and WOW, that has made a huge difference in my energy, attitude, and brain fog! I'm experiencing some pain from my surgery but overall, I am already feeling so much better. My husband has been a great caregiver and I have had great support from family and friends. I feel blessed and so today I wanted to pay forward the blessing and reach someone, anyone that needs to hear "keep going." 

Keep going even when you feel like you are ready to quit. Keep going when you feel tired and keep going when you feel overwhelmed and "done!" Just keep going and trust that God has a plan for you and everything will soon be ok.