A few days ago, I attended a meeting where we were asked to share what was on our minds. I listened with curiosity as each member of the group told their story. It wasn’t until one woman began speaking that I grew increasingly uncomfortable.

A couple of days ago, I was sitting with a client of mine (we’ll call him Peter) at lunch. He is, by far, one of my favorite people to work with; primarily because he brings such a natural energy and enthusiasm to our sessions.

Can you remember a time when you had to make a difficult decision? Perhaps, you were scared to make the “wrong” one. Maybe, you searched for validation in others as a way to verify if you had made the wrong one. Maybe, you don’t like making decisions at all and try to avoid them sometimes. For months, I questioned whether getting a dog was the right choice.

Last week, I told you about my trip to San Francisco. Well, I’m home now. On Friday, I landed at Boston Logan International Airport as the clock struck midnight. The next morning, I wasted no time and checked into Boston’s 10K for Women at the Boston Common.

Good writing takes you where you want to go. It’s a cornerstone of personal branding. The best formula to follow is, “Share what you know online, over and over again.” This practice attracts an audience of like-minded individuals; the people who will later become your followers, clients, and customers.

Taking a trip to Maine is what being an embodied leader means to me right now. I yearned to spend time alone and work somewhere that felt peaceful and quiet. My intuition (and maybe a license plate) were pointing to Maine. So, here I am; ready to enjoy the natural beauty, plunge deep into my work, and prepare for the next round of PBA.

1. Be yourself. No mask, no hiding, this is a safe space. I want to know the real you. Don't be afraid to let your personality shine. Be who you are and know that you will be accepted for who you are.

Truth be told, I'd never done this before. Yes, I've planned dozens of events, but not like this one. Not a weekend retreat I would be fully responsible for.

You have a story, but are you sure it's the one you've been telling? This is the question I've been asking my 1:1 clients and explored with my students in Personal Brand Accelerator. It's also the question I pondered while visiting Nantucket for my 28th Birthday this past weekend.

This summer, I’ve been writing my book, making mocktails, dating, spending time with Crystal and the pups, and even took a trip to Northern Idaho to visit my family last week. Now I’m preparing for the next round of Personal Brand Accelerator (enrollment opens next week!) with my right-hand, Sachiko. These last few weeks have been wonderful :)

Almost six months ago, I moved to a new apartment with my best friend, Crystal Enriquez. There wasn't a distinct reason we decided to become roommates. It just seemed, right. So as with most things, I trusted my intuition and went for it. What's unique about our situation is that we're raising two sibling puppies together. I won't pretend like it's been a walk in the dog park, either. It's been really hard. So much so, that I've even asked myself: Why did you do this?

I still have challenges with impulsivity, boredom, and difficulty focusing my attention. To compensate, I've worked on delaying gratification.

Last week I told you about a time when I almost gave up on my business, but didn’t, because someone believed in me. In response, a follower commented: “What frustrates me about these types of stories is that it’s the same thing…’I held on to hope and all of a sudden it just happened for me!’.... Knowing HOW is what I noticed many want to understand.” I thought about her comment a lot this week. And while I do accredit much of my success to ‘holding on’ and keeping a positive mindset, I’ve also reflected on HOW and WHAT I did to build a six-figure business. Here are the top 3 things that worked for me:

In 2016 everything changed when she was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. I moved home to live with my family for the first time in four years. During those years, I shared a wall with my mother. She became a roommate of sorts, a friend.

Starting a business is hard. When I first started mine, I lived at my parents’ house so I could afford to work for myself full-time. Without paying rent, I could give my baby business a shot. So that’s what I did. I went all in. In the beginning, though, there was a lull (as there often are with new businesses). I had gone weeks—actually months—without making a single sale.

On Thursday morning I woke up with an inclination to do something out of the ordinary. I looked at Crystal and said, "Let's go to Canada." "Are you serious?" she asked.
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I have to be honest with you… I’ve been going through a tough time. It seems like the only solace I’ve found is in my writing–which I decided to share publicly on Instagram….

The problem is, you can never get enough of something that almost works.

On taking your personal power back.