Growing up, my mom—in an effort to protect me—often reminded me I couldn’t or shouldn’t. I was made small and was even told that men don’t like it when women are smarter than them, so I’d better tone it down if I wanted a man someday!

While I spent my life having successes at whatever I put my mind to, sometimes even breaking boundaries and often proving my mom wrong, I still struggled with the push and pull of facing my fears and living powerfully vs. hearing the voice in my head that challenged what I was capable of, causing me to second guess myself and never feeling good enough. These untruths worked together to build a false story in my mind.

I brought my fears and insecurities into my relationships and then into the workplace. I knew I possessed the skills to make it all work, but struggled to put them together with what was necessary to live a powerful life.

I was a bit of a control freak and not very approachable, which made it difficult to connect with people. At that time I began working with a coach and things really started changing for me.

I learned emotional management tools and principles that allowed me to take action in new directions that would forever change my thinking and transform my false narrative into one of life and truth. This was essential to bringing my head and heart into alignment, which allowed me to finally live my best life as my most true, authentic self.

I also found, that in order to be an effective leader in the workplace, I needed to embrace my vulnerability. This, coupled with the leadership skills I already possessed, enabled me to connect and work with my team toward our common goals. Within six months, my team and I became close-knit, blowing away our metrics and winning awards (including team of the year!). During this time, I saw the undeniable impact of coaching in the business world, as well as in my daily life.

Many years later, in an effort to give back to others, I became a Master Certified Transformational Coach, working with women who are where I was. Having lived in uncertainty and self-doubt for so many years, I know exactly what my clients are struggling with and the false stories they tell themselves, both consciously and subconsciously. It’s now become my mission to help professional women uncover their stories and accept that they are truly in control of what they believe about themselves, so they can change their stories—connecting their minds and hearts to live genuine, authentic lives.