Invisalign-ing Patience - The Parallels between Orthodontics & Starting a Business

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Invisalign-ing Patience - The Parallels between Orthodontics & Starting a Business

It was around this time that I had also started my business and was navigating the world of being my own boss and learning to charge for my services. I thought committing to a multi-year journey with my teeth was challenging. Starting my own business, however, there was no preparing me for this ride.

It’s one thing to enter into something knowing how long it will take; it’s another to enter into something blindly believing it’s going to happen right away.

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A Brief History of Transformation

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A Brief History of Transformation

How often do you reflect on your journey and how far you’ve come?

Lately, it seems like experiences from my past are resurfacing. I’m back to living with my sister and her family after 3-4 years of living in other places. I’m back in Dallas where I left 2 years ago while starting my nomadic journey. I’ve reconnected with relationships in my life that took various turns in the past. I said ‘Yes’ to a retreat not knowing where the money is going to come, and trusting that it will.

While these experiences feel the same, they’re different because I’m not the same person I was 5, 3, or even 1 year ago.

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My Surrender Experiment: 30 Blogs in 30(ish) Days

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My Surrender Experiment: 30 Blogs in 30(ish) Days

What is My Mountain?

This is the question that beckoned my attention while I was climbing an actual mountain. Early on the morning of June 30, I woke with the clear knowing that I needed to go on a hike, and not just any hike, one that would challenge me. I followed this urge and headed to Mount Garfield. I had no idea that this hike—this climb—would lead me to write 30 blogs in 30-ish days. After I climbed the mountain, I knew I needed my own challenge. After I returned from my climb, I walked the labyrinth at Six Eagles Haven and asked the question, “What IS my mountain?”

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No One Deserves to Disappear

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No One Deserves to Disappear

I believe at the core of being human, we all want to be seen and heard.

It’s scary to be vulnerable and share your fears, concerns, and heart with other people—especially people who don’t have the same skin color as you. And not everyone has earned the right to hear your story. This is why it’s so important to create safe environments where authentic conversations can be had; to create a space where others trust that you are truly listening to what they have to say, and to create a space where the person sharing feels they matter and are fully seen.

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Permission to Be You

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Permission to Be You

As I near the completion of my 30-day (ish) blog challenge, I find myself filled with peace and gratitude. And, of course, satisfaction over the act of writing daily and showing up for the challenge. It’s more than the challenge though. It’s the peace and gratitude I’ve gained through owning and accepting who I am with love.

I’ve learned throughout this process and this year to tune inward and show up for myself first.

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Bringing Your Gifts to the Present

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Bringing Your Gifts to the Present

What gifts do you have to offer the world that you’ve been hiding behind or pretending are not valuable?

This morning as I sat down to meditate, I opened Insight Timer and came across a mediation titled “Your Gift, Your Purpose.” The description was enticing to me so I chose to tune in.

This opening story or inquiry was very confronting for me. First of all, I have been in a similar situation (as described at the beginning) where I’ve poured my heart into a gift only for it to be left unopened and underappreciated. And the feelings I experienced were hurt and shame over ‘why did I buy this gift in the first place?’. In other words, it didn’t feel good. And second, it caused me to ask, “What are my gifts? Do I have any gifts that I’m not using?”

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Finding Resilience While Wandering in the Desert

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Finding Resilience While Wandering in the Desert

My 7-year old niece loves to play the ‘Would You Rather Game’. Would you rather smell like a dog or smell like a cat? Would you rather have a pet fish or a pet turtle? Would you rather be 10 feet tall or 10 inches tall? She often sends me these questions from the Facebook Messenger Kids app. I always reply with the first answer that pops into my head.

This afternoon we were chatting and she asked me, “Would you rather spend a year living in Antarctica or spend a year living in the desert?” I thought about this for a moment. “The desert,” I replied. “Because I know that it will at least cool down at night and offer some relief.”

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Learning to Trust Your Intuition When Bobcats are Near

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Learning to Trust Your Intuition When Bobcats are Near

I went for a hike at my favorite nature preserve in Dallas this afternoon. It was slightly overcast with a light breeze which is rare this time of year. As I was walking, I passed a mother and her daughter whom I’ve seen here before. I smiled and waved as I saw them coming. The mom quickly told me, “Be careful. We just saw a bobcat in the woods.” I told her that I was glad they were okay and asked exactly where they saw it. I wanted to get a sense of how close this bobcat was.

In this moment, I had a choice to make. I could take the “better safe than sorry” route or continue on my way.

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