DO the WORK to REAP the REWARDS
Over the past year, I’ve put a lot of time and energy into doing the work. That’s meant eliminating negative self talk, examining myself to identify my passion and purpose, looking for areas of strength and weakness, and just being real with myself and others. There’s been an enormous amount of change in my life these past two years and evolution as a woman.
Last year, I started working with Lifestyle Strategist and Stress Expert Courtney Elmer as I was pondering some big questions in my life. Questions like, what's my purpose, what am I passionate about, will I ever find the real love I'm seeking, am I living a life that is pleasing to God, how can I be a better person for myself and those around me, how can l love the life I live and live a life worth loving.
After leaving a full-time job as a news reporter in May of 2017 after more than a decade in the business, I was still trying to figure out who I was outside of my profession and what people knew me as. I was struggling with the feeling of not being relevant or useful if I wasn't on television everyday anymore. But I also knew was feeling unfulfilled, uninspired and my heart was no longer in the profession I'd dedicated so many years of my life to. I was burnt out on telling stories about murder, hurt and pain felt by so many in my community. I wanted to focus on more of the positive things within the city I love, so I stepped away to pursue other opportunities.
As time went on I began to feel renewed, more confident about my career choices and more free to be the new me I was becoming and discovering new things about myself. Then in June of 2018, I attended Courtney's 3-Day StressLESS Mastermind Retreat where I worked with several other amazing women, mother's and wives. We delved into some of our personal goals and things that were keeping us from reaching them. There I got clear on my purpose and who I'm here to serve. In the months following, I worked one-on-one with Courtney to eliminate negative thoughts and self-talk and began to identify the limiting beliefs that were holding me back from the success I truly craved. Then we started working step-by-step on the plan we created together for me to take my dreams and make them my reality.
Since June 2018, I...
moved to L.A. for a month to dive back into my love of acting (I'll save this story for another blog)
got an agent, auditioned for a number of roles and was hired for 3 commercials
booked dozens of hosting, moderating and speaking engagements
received an Edwin R Murrow award for my work with WDSU covering the New Orleans East tornado
was a finalist for the Spears Group's 2018 Millennial Awards in the field of journalism
finished the manuscript to my children’s book for young girls to inspire them to love themselves and their uniqueness
declared what qualities I wanted in my relationships going forward and stopped settling for less
went from single to ENGAGED — yes he just put a ring on it for my birthday!
"THIS is what can happen when you say YES to yourself and your dreams." Courtney had this to say about my progress in a recent newsletter, "Something I never expected was to see someone go from alone, unfulfilled, and floating through life to ON FIRE, FULL OF PURPOSE, and ENGAGED (figuratively, and literally!!)"
And she's right! Feeling real joy and peace in life is something that I've wanted and finally feel I have. Thanks Courtney for believing in me and helping me to fully believe in myself.