What defines you? Is it your hair color? “I’m blonde so I must be ditzy” “I’m a redhead so I am short tempered.” Is it your gender? “I’m female so I’m supposed to enjoy cooking.” “I’m male so I must know a lot about vehicles.” Is it your education? “I have a PHD so I know everything.” “I dropped out of high school, so I know nothing and cannot be successful.” …. These all sound crazy don’t they.

Try these one on for size:

“I don’t have a partner so I am not loveable.”

“I have a chronic illness, so I cannot be happy.”

“I was abused, so I cannot have a healthy relationship.”

Are any of those true? Or just as crazy as saying your hair color determines your attitude?

You are not defined by the way you look.

You are not defined by the things that happen to you.

Yes, there are defining moments in your life. The...

I once heard a story of a new teacher who had been called into her principal's office for a discussion about her class. As the story goes she was told to not expect much out of these kids as she had a few students who were just getting shuffled from class to class to get them out of the school system. Being a new teacher, full of hope and passion, she didn’t think she could do that. Instead, she thought she better figure out which students he was talking about and offer them extra assistance. While the principal stepped out to get coffee, she snuck through the student files and found numbers at the top of each student folder. She was sure that was their IQ and committed them to memory. When it came time to teach these kids, she set the bar very high as these children were all very smart with outstanding IQs and it was her job to bring it out of them. She worked tirelessly that year to mold the minds of these students and they all did an outstanding job. When the year-end came...

Do you remember the old story of the tortoise and the hare? They are racing towards the finish line and the hare is so sure he will win that he got distracted and decided to take a nap. Not because he was tired. Not because it was his normal time of day to rest, but because he was being arrogant. The tortoise, on the other hand, continues slow and steady until he wins the race. He does not rest, but he does not hurry through either. 

What lessons we have to learn from these two!? 

The hare hurries in the beginning, becomes sure he will win, so he rests and misses his opportunity to cross the finish line first. How many times have you done this with your own goals? Maybe you decide you’re going to “get in shape” so you start by running a mile on day one, even though you haven’t run a mile in years. On day two you’re so sore that you need to rest. Day three hurts worse than day two, so you rest a little longer. By day four your...

The new year is coming, for so many of us, that means a new resolve to do better, be better, make a change. Maybe New Year’s Resolutions are not your thing, but constant growth and evolution should be. The concept is the same. The problem with change is that it is hard. It takes time. It takes commitment and dedication. It takes baby steps.  

That is the ticket to any change. Small, consistent steps.  

I want you to be successful. I want to see you reach your goals and become the best version of yourself that you can be. So how can you do that? First of all, your goal/resolution has to be specific. “Lose weight” isn’t enough. “Eat healthily” isn’t enough. “Pray more” isn’t enough. “Be happier” isn’t enough. All of these ideas are good, but your resolution needs to have a bit more of a step-by-step process to be truly successful. Did you know that less than 10% of the resolutions made...

How well do you know yourself? Seriously. Not just that you like pickles and hate spinach. Or that you know you’d prefer a fuzzy sweater over a fancy dress. But the real stuff. Do you know what type of support you need when you’re feeling overwhelmed? Do you understand how you react when you’re stressed out? Are you aware of your strengths? Do you know how to listen to the signals in your body? Are you even aware of your own body?  

You see, each of those things is a part of what makes you, you. But so often we are unaware of those things. So often we just do whatever it takes to get through the day and overlook everything else. We ignore our bodies, we ignore our preferences, and we certainly don’t take time to honor the signals it is providing us.  

Coming into the holiday season it is so important to make sure you’re staying grounded, protecting your space, and taking time for self-care. Most importantly, listen to...

Why is it so important to learn who Purely You is? Why does it even matter? You’re getting by just fine in this life, right? Sure, you may be tired, overwhelmed, and exhausted. You might snap at your kids or your partner once in a while. You might show up to work and give less than your best. But it’s no big deal, everyone does it, right? This is what we call, “adulting.” This is why they say it’s hard.
I’m about to tell you something that you may have never heard before.
Your life doesn’t have to look that way. You don’t have to be overwhelmed and exhausted. You don’t have to be short-tempered and snappy. You don’t have to be mediocre. You just have to learn how to care for yourself and become the best version of yourself that you can be. It starts with setting new boundaries, self-discovery, and a few (or a lot) of changes in your daily routines. It’s not an easy transition, especially if you’ve been living...

Remember when we talked about why it is so important to grow?

And when we talked about how everyone grows at their own pace? Well, what happens if it is you who is not ready to grow? I recently had someone say to me, “I know I need to do my own work, but I’m not ready yet. So, for now, my life will stay just as it is.” How profound is that statement?! I am so proud of this person for recognizing this. For saying, “you know what, I certainly have some room for growth, but I don’t want to put the work into it so... this is my life right now.” You guys, that is just as powerful as someone who says, “I’m committed to living a different life.” You know why? Because she recognizes it and she chooses. And that is a beautiful thing!

There are wonderful seasons for growth and there are wonderful periods of rest. Watch how other natural cycles work. Your kids for example. Same size clothes for a season and then *poof* they are growing...

 When all of the Shelter-in-Place orders started being released across the US I saw a meme on Facebook that said

“The virus is enhancing what is already inside of each person. Jerks are turning into bigger jerks. Compassionate people are becoming more compassionate. You get to decide in this very difficult time who you really are. Hopefully, we all make the right decision –James Tucher.”

I love this. I love this more now than ever before. I love this because it is a perfect example of how unique each person is and how each of us is in a different place in our spiritual growth and personal development journey. Here’s the thing; your partner, your kiddo, your best friend-they are all in a different place. They are all experiencing this in their own way, and it is unique to them. Just like your experience is unique to you. We must always offer some grace to each other as we go through this journey called life, but especially now. As this continues,...

Do you have a TEAM of people helping you to be your best self? Not just the receptionist, nurse, and doctor at your OB/GYN office, but a group of people who are working with every facet of your body, mind, and soul to help you heal, grow, and become the best version of yourself you can be? You are a multifaceted human, which means you need a multifaceted group of individuals caring for you. Think about your group of friends. Do you have a friend you call when you need to talk about parenting and a different one when you need to discuss your faith, and maybe a third one to talk about your work drama? The reason you call on different individuals for different problems is that you need their particular version of expertise to get you through that moment.  

You need a team of practitioners to get you through each ailment as well. You need a multitude of modalities in your space to keep you at your absolute best.  

Keep your primary care provider visits. Get your...

Are you an NCIS fan? Gibbs is known for his "gut." That instinct he uses to make impossible judgment calls that always lead to the perfect outcome. I mean yes, this is a TV show we are talking about, but trusting your gut is a real thing! If you're not an NCIS fan maybe you've heard the phrase, "a mother's intuition." Or maybe you've been in a situation where you got a feeling deep in the pit of your stomach that told you something wasn't quite right. Each of these is talking about the same thing. Your intuition aka your divine guidance. We are all born with the ability to be aware of that guidance. As babies, it is this intuition that guides us to take our first breath, how to nurse, and how to trust when we are safe and unsafe. New parents, were you ever told that if you are calm your baby will be calm? That is in part because they can intuitively sense the different vibrations between their seemingly safe world and your stressed-out "unsafe" one. Children use their intuition when...