If this resonates with you, if you are reading this and thinking, “Yes, this is exactly where I am,” I want you to know something important. Your spark is not gone. It is not broken. It is not lost forever. Sometimes it is just buried under the weight of exhaustion, overwhelm, and the relentless pace we have been keeping.

August carries an interesting energy. Summer is still here, yet we can feel the shift coming. Kids are preparing for school, fall projects are on the horizon, and there is an underlying pressure to make the most of these final weeks of summer. But what if, instead of pushing through, we used this time to gently tend to the flame within us that has been flickering?

In my last post, The Art of Letting Go: Summer Decluttering for Mind, Body and Soul, I shared how releasing what no longer serves us makes space for what truly brings us alive. This week, I want to build on that idea by exploring what happens when we realize our spark feels dim and how we can gently tend it back to life by reconnecting to purpose.

Understanding the Summer Slump

First, let us normalize something. Feeling burned out or disconnected in the middle of the year is incredibly common. We begin January with fire and determination. We push hard through spring, trying to keep the momentum going. By midsummer, many of us hit a wall.

This is not failure. This is human.

Our bodies and souls move through seasons just as nature does. Sometimes we are in a season of growth and high energy. Sometimes we are in a season of rest and restoration. And sometimes we are in that tender space between seasons, not quite dormant but not yet fully alive. That is okay too.

What I have learned through my own seasons of disconnection is that trying to force excitement usually backfires. I have learned that passion can ebb and flow, but purpose is the thread that carries me through. When I have felt disconnected, it was not about forcing myself to be excited again. It was about returning to my “why,” my sense of purpose. That is what steadied me until the spark returned.

Instead of pushing ourselves harder, we need to approach ourselves with the same gentleness we would show a dear friend who is struggling. If you’ve read my post on optimizing your strengths, you know that connecting back to what energizes us is a powerful way to find direction. The same applies here.

The Difference Between Rest and Burnout

Before we talk about reigniting your spark, it is important to distinguish between needing rest and experiencing burnout. Rest is restorative. Even when you are tired, there is still a sense of yourself underneath. You can find joy in small moments, still feel connected to your values, and imagine feeling excited about things again.

Burnout feels different. It is the emotional exhaustion that makes everything seem gray. It is cynicism about things that once mattered deeply. It is feeling disconnected not just from your work, but from yourself.

If you are in true burnout territory, please be extra gentle with yourself. The strategies I share here will still help, but you might need additional support from friends, professionals, or simply more time than you expect.

Small Ways to Tend Your Inner Flame

Start with curiosity, not pressure. Instead of asking, “Why do I not feel passionate about anything?” try asking, “What would feel nourishing right now?” Sometimes it is not about doing more, but about creating space for your soul to breathe.

Return to your values. Sometimes the flame feels dim because we have drifted from our purpose, the deeper meaning that fuels us. Reconnecting to your values and your “why” can shift everything. What principles have guided your best decisions? What do you stand for when everything else is stripped away?

Pay attention to what catches your eye. Notice what makes you pause while scrolling social media, what articles you save, what conversations energize you. Your soul leaves breadcrumbs that point you back to your purpose.

Try the “5 percent better” approach. Instead of expecting to feel completely renewed overnight, ask yourself what would make today just a little more aligned with who you want to be. Maybe it is five minutes of creativity, reaching out to someone who inspires you or simply sitting outside without your phone.

Practical Steps to Reconnect with Purpose

Create a purpose inventory. Make a list of what has ever felt meaningful, even if it feels distant now. Include childhood dreams, past hobbies, career aspirations, volunteer experiences, travel destinations. Do not judge what comes up. Just capture it.

Experiment with micro-explorations. Choose three things from your inventory and spend just fifteen minutes exploring each one this week. Read an article, watch a video, visit a website, or simply daydream about it. This is not about commitment. It is about giving yourself permission to explore.

Connect with purposeful people. Energy is contagious. Spend time with people who are excited about their calling or the work they love. Their enthusiasm can remind you of what alignment feels like and awaken the possibility within you.

Document small moments of meaning. Notice throughout your day when you feel even slightly more alive or more grounded in your values. Write these down. Over time, you will see patterns that guide you toward deeper alignment.

Give yourself permission to evolve. What once felt meaningful may not fit this season of your life, and that is perfectly natural. The goals that once energized you may no longer align with who you are becoming. That is not loss, it is growth. Purpose does not stay frozen in time. It expands as you do.

Working Through Purpose Blocks

“I do not have time.” Begin with five-minute investments. Can you read one page while drinking coffee? Listen to a podcast on your commute? These touches with meaningful things can open doors to bigger shifts.

“My purpose does not feel practical.” Who says it has to be? Purpose is about meaning, not productivity. Some of the most soul-nourishing pursuits have nothing to do with career advancement.

“I am scared I will fail.” What if success was not the goal? What if the aim was simply to experience the joy of trying? Exploration itself is a form of alignment.

“I do not know what my purpose is anymore.” That is okay. Purpose is not always a lightning bolt. Sometimes it reveals itself slowly, like a steady light that grows brighter the more attention you give it.

Your Spark Reignition Plan

Think of purpose as the compass that guides your spark. Sometimes it blazes brightly, sometimes it glows quietly, and sometimes it feels like it has gone out. But even when the flame seems faint, there are always embers waiting to be stirred back to life.

It begins with noticing what feels nourishing right now. Maybe it is laughter, a conversation that lifts you, or a curiosity that keeps tugging at your thoughts. These are your kindling.

Allow yourself to experiment gently. Try one small thing that feels aligned. Not because it has to be big, but because it invites you back into exploration.

And then, give your spark room to breathe. Share what inspires you with someone you trust. Celebrate even the smallest flicker. Let it be enough that you are tending to yourself with care. Over time, those embers grow into a steady flame that feels both new and familiar.

The Truth About Reconnecting to Purpose

Purpose is not a one-time discovery. It is something we live into, cultivate and realign with through attention and care. Passion may ebb and flow, but purpose steadies us when the fire feels dim.

Your spark may change, but your purpose remains. It evolves with you. When you reconnect with it, the flame does not just return, it burns steadier and brighter. Your spark may look different now. It may burn for different things or in different seasons. That does not make it less valuable. It makes it authentically yours.

Some days tending your inner flame looks like diving into a project with energy. Other days it looks like holding onto the faith that your spark will return. Both are valid. Both are acts of courage.

The Ripple Effect

When you reconnect with your own purpose, you give others permission to do the same. When you live with curiosity and alignment, you create space for those around you to do what lights them up.

Your purpose matters. Not only for what you may create or achieve, but for who you become in the process of honoring what is meaningful. The world needs people who are awake to their purpose, who tend their inner flame with care.

That person is you. That flame is yours. And it is never too late to add kindling.

What is one small way you could tend to your purpose this week? I believe in your ability to reconnect with what matters most, and I would love to hear about your journey.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, especially after our July conversations about realigning mid-year and having the courage to course-correct. While I was celebrating the wins and recalibrating my goals, I couldn’t ignore the weight of all the things I was still carrying that no longer served me. Old commitments that felt heavy. Mental loops that kept me stuck. Even physical items that cluttered my space and, honestly, my peace of mind. It turns out that giving yourself permission to realign isn’t just about adjusting your goals. It’s also about releasing what’s blocking your path to those goals. If you’re feeling that weight too, you’re not alone. And if you’re ready to create some breathing room in your life, let’s talk about decluttering not just our spaces, but our minds, bodies, and souls.

Why Decluttering Goes Beyond Your Closet

When we think about decluttering, we often picture sorting through clothes or organizing our desks. But true decluttering (the kind that transforms how we feel and move through the world) goes so much deeper. It’s about releasing the mental clutter that keeps us spinning in circles. It’s about letting go of relationships that drain rather than fill us. It’s about saying goodbye to commitments that were born from guilt rather than genuine desire to serve. This summer, I challenge you to think of decluttering as an act of self-respect. Every time you release something that doesn’t align with who you’re becoming, you’re making space for what does.

Decluttering Your Mind: Creating Mental Clarity

• Start with your thoughts. What stories are you telling yourself on repeat that aren’t serving you? Maybe it’s “I’m not good enough” or “I should be further along by now.” Write them down. See them for what they are – just thoughts, not truths.
• Practice the brain dump. Every morning for the next week, spend five minutes writing down everything swirling in your mind. Don’t edit, don’t organize, just dump. Then look at what you’ve written and ask: “What here actually needs my attention today, and what can I release?”
• Curate your information diet. Unsubscribe from newsletters that stress you out. Unfollow social media accounts that make you feel inadequate. Your attention is precious – protect it like the valuable resource it is.
• Create boundaries around worry. Set a timer for 10 minutes and allow yourself to worry about whatever is weighing on you. When the timer goes off, close that mental file and redirect your energy to something within your control.

Decluttering Your Body: Honoring Your Physical Space

• Start small and build momentum. Choose one drawer, one shelf, or one corner of a room. As you sort through items, ask yourself: “Does this add value to my life right now?” If the answer is no, thank it for its service and let it go.
• Apply the one-year rule. If you haven’t used something in a year and it’s not a sentimental keepsake, it’s probably time to release it. Someone else could benefit from what’s just taking up space in your life.
• Consider your energy levels. Notice how different spaces in your home make you feel. Does your bedroom feel restful? Does your workspace inspire productivity? Sometimes we need to declutter not just things, but entire energy patterns in our environment.
• Don’t forget your digital spaces. Clean up your phone’s photo library. Organize your computer files. Delete apps you never use. Our digital clutter affects our mental state more than we realize.

Decluttering Your Soul: Releasing What Weighs You Down

• Examine your commitments. List everything you’ve said yes to in the past six months. Which commitments light you up? Which feel like obligations? It’s okay to gracefully step back from things that aren’t aligned with your values or season of life.
• Evaluate your relationships. This doesn’t mean cutting people off, but it does mean being honest about which relationships energize you and which consistently drain you. You have permission to invest more deeply in relationships that are mutual and life-giving.
• Release old versions of yourself. Who did you think you had to be to be accepted or successful? What expectations are you carrying that aren’t actually yours? Sometimes the most powerful decluttering we can do is releasing who we thought we should be to make space for who we actually are.
• Practice forgiveness – especially self-forgiveness. What mistakes are you still carrying around? What disappointments are you replaying? Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting, but it does mean choosing not to let past experiences define your future possibilities.

Your Summer Decluttering Journey

Ready to put this into practice? Start with whatever area calls to you most – your mind, your physical spaces, or your soul. You don’t have to tackle everything at once. Sometimes the most powerful changes happen when we focus on one area and let that momentum naturally flow into the others. Consider creating a simple system for yourself: maybe it’s dedicating 15 minutes each morning to mental decluttering through brain dumps, or choosing one small space to clear each day. The key is consistency over perfection, and progress over pace.

The Freedom on the Other Side

Here’s what I’ve discovered about letting go: every time I release something that isn’t serving me, I create space not just in my physical environment, but in my capacity to show up fully for what matters most. When we declutter our minds, we can think more clearly and make decisions from a place of intention rather than reaction. When we declutter our spaces, we can breathe deeper and move with more ease. When we declutter our souls, we can love ourselves and others more freely. This isn’t about perfection or having a social media-worthy life. It’s about creating breathing room for your dreams, your relationships, and your growth. It’s about honoring the person you’re becoming by releasing what belongs to who you used to be. And speaking of becoming… once you create this space, once you clear away what’s no longer serving you, something beautiful happens. You start to reconnect with what truly lights you up. You begin to remember what brings you alive. Which is exactly what we’ll explore in our next conversation.

Your Turn

What’s one thing – a thought, a commitment, a physical item – that you know you’re ready to release? Start there. Start small. Start today. Remember, decluttering isn’t about having less for the sake of having less. It’s about making space for more of what brings you alive. And that, my friend, is worth celebrating. Here’s to creating space for all the beautiful things waiting to bloom in your life.

What will you choose to release this summer? I’d love to hear about your decluttering journey – share in the comments or reach out. You don’t have to do this alone.

We’re halfway through the year, and maybe that hits you in one of two ways: a gentle nudge or a sharp jolt. You might feel pride for what’s taken root or frustration that things haven’t quite bloomed the way you imagined. Either way, this moment is not the end of the road. It’s a powerful invitation. It’s halftime. It’s your chance to pause, breathe, reflect, and recalibrate.

And I want to be clear: recalibration isn’t about regret. It’s about realignment. It’s how we make sure we’re not living on autopilot. That we’re not chasing someone else’s version of success. That we’re not moving just for the sake of movement.

When You Don’t Feel on Track

It’s easy in a season like this to default to self-judgment. Maybe you had big plans for the year. Maybe you mapped out goals back in January with clear action steps and intentions. But somewhere between the busyness of life, unexpected challenges, and the mental fatigue that builds over time, things slipped. That doesn’t mean you failed. It means you’re human. And it means now is the perfect time to pause and check in—with grace, not guilt.

I’ve watched this pattern play out in my own life and in the lives of the women I coach. We start the year with such clarity and intention, but life has a way of pulling us in directions we didn’t anticipate. A family crisis emerges. Work demands increase unexpectedly. Our energy shifts in ways we couldn’t predict in January’s optimism.

Here’s what I’ve learned: the gap between where you thought you’d be and where you are isn’t a measurement of your worth—it’s data. It’s information about what you need, what’s working, and what needs to shift.

One of the best practices I’ve built into my own rhythm is the midyear reset. Not because I love structure for structure’s sake, but because I know how quickly I can lose touch with what actually matters to me. A midyear reset gives me a checkpoint. A place to ask better questions. A chance to not just “keep going,” but to move with clarity.

Let me be honest—some years, by June I’ve already revised my goals more than once. I’ve learned to see that not as inconsistency, but as growth. As information. As discernment. As a decision to stay in alignment rather than push toward something I no longer want or is no longer serving me.

The Cost of Not Reflecting

What happens when we skip the pause? When we push through without checking in? We become strangers to ourselves. We find ourselves six months deeper into patterns that don’t serve us. We wake up in December wondering how we got so far off course, feeling like we’ve been living someone else’s life.

I see this especially with high-achieving women who are so used to pushing through, to making things work, that they forget to ask whether the things they’re making work are still worth their energy. The promotion they were chasing feels empty now. The routine that once energized them has become a cage. The goals that felt inspiring in January now feel like obligations.

This is why reflection isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. It’s how we stay connected to our own evolution.

Reflection Is a Leadership Skill

Whether you consider yourself a leader or not, reflection is one of the most powerful tools you have. It sharpens your awareness. It helps you name your patterns. And it offers space to honor both your wins and your wounds.

One thing I teach in coaching (and remind myself of constantly!) is that you can’t shift what you’re unwilling to see. Without reflection, we’re just reacting. But with it, we’re responding—with intention.

Here’s what my own check-in process looks like this time of year:

• I revisit my original goals and ask, Do these still matter?
• I look for unexpected wins; progress I didn’t plan but am grateful for.
• I give myself permission to release goals that no longer feel aligned.
• I name the hard stuff, too—the things I’m still struggling with, the places I need support.
• I celebrate the woman I’ve become in the process, not just what I’ve accomplished.

It doesn’t have to take long. But it does require honesty.

The beauty of reflection is that it creates space for both celebration and course correction. It allows you to acknowledge how far you’ve come while also being honest about where you want to go next.

3 Midyear Reflection Prompts

If you don’t know where to start, let these three questions guide your process:

• What’s working that I want to continue? Identify what’s bringing you energy, clarity, connection, or peace. What habits or practices are helping you move forward? This isn’t just about productivity; it’s about what’s nourishing your soul. Maybe it’s the morning walks you started in March. Maybe it’s the boundary you set with a difficult relationship. Maybe it’s the creative project you’ve been slowly nurturing.
• What’s not working that I need to release or revise? Be honest: What’s draining you? What’s distracting you? What’s no longer aligned with your season or values? Sometimes what’s not working isn’t necessarily “bad”; it’s just not right for who you’re becoming. This requires courage because it might mean letting go of goals that once excited you or commitments that no longer fit.
• What am I craving more of and how can I make space for it? This one’s powerful. It points you toward your next right step. Not just what you should do, but what your soul is quietly asking for. Maybe you’re craving more creativity, more rest, more adventure, more depth in your relationships. Listen to that craving; it’s wisdom speaking.

These prompts aren’t meant to overwhelm. They’re meant to open something up. Sometimes, I’ll journal my responses. Other times, I talk them out with a friend or coach. What matters most is making space for the questions and listening for your answers.

Recommitting Doesn’t Mean Starting Over

Once you’ve reflected, the next step is to recommit with intention. This isn’t about pushing yourself to “do more” or hustling to catch up. It’s about choosing what matters most and showing up for it.

Remember that conversation we had in the last blog post about reclaiming the season and finding your confidence in the summer shift? This midyear reflection is the natural next step in that journey. If you felt the pull to step into summer with more intention, this is how we make that sustainable. And if you missed that post, go back and read it HERE; it’s the perfect companion to today’s reflection.

We’ve also talked earlier last year about progress over perfection in March and turning vision into action in April this year. Now it’s time to build on all of that foundation.

You might recommit by:

• Resetting your boundaries so your time and energy reflect your values.
• Choosing one goal to gently reengage with.
• Creating a daily or weekly ritual to reconnect with yourself.
• Saying no to what no longer fits, even if it once did.
• Adjusting your approach to honor who you’re becoming.

You don’t need to do everything. You just need to do the next thing. For me, recommitment often looks like simplification. Not adding but subtracting. Not striving but aligning. It’s noticing where I’ve drifted and gently steering myself back.

One Gentle Invitation: If you’re craving space to reflect, reset, and reignite your goals for the rest of the year–without pressure–I’d love for you to join me for something special. I’m hosting a free midyear masterclass to help you recalibrate with clarity and momentum. Click HERE to save your spot. (Just name and email—no fuss.)

Let This Be Your Turning Point

Recalibration is an act of self-leadership. It says, “I’m not giving up; I’m tuning in.”

It’s not flashy. It won’t always get applause. But it’s the quiet, powerful work that leads to deep growth.

The second half of the year doesn’t have to feel like catching up or making up for lost time. It can feel like stepping more fully into who you’re becoming. It can feel like finally moving in the direction that makes sense for your life right now.

So, here’s your permission slip:  You don’t have to wait until next year to begin again. You don’t have to scrap the plan to write a new one. You just have to pause long enough to hear yourself again.

What’s one thing you’re releasing—and one thing you’re recommitting to—for the second half of the year? Share in the comments or journal it for yourself. Either way, I hope you choose to rise—on purpose.

The sunshine, longer days, social invitations, and looser schedules can bring a beautiful sense of freedom. But they can also create a subtle sense of drift. Suddenly, the structure that supported your growth earlier in the year feels blurry. You’re juggling joy and obligations, but your inner fire starts to dim. That’s when confidence gets shaky. So, what do you do? You reclaim the season.

This isn’t about pushing harder or forcing productivity. It’s about tuning in to the rhythm of summer, staying anchored in your purpose, and showing up with confidence—even when your routine shifts. Let’s explore how.

When Seasons Change, So Should Your Strategy

Summer is not the time to abandon your goals. It’s the time to adjust your approach. We often talk about growth as a straight line, but real growth happens in seasons. Winter is for rest. Spring is for planting. And summer? Summer is for tending. It’s a time to check in on the seeds you’ve sown and make sure they’re still getting the sunlight, nourishment, and care they need to thrive. (If you need a refresher on setting intentional goals, revisit this post on turning vision into action to realign your focus.)

Ask yourself:

• What version of me is showing up right now?
• What’s changed about my energy, responsibilities, or environment?
• Where does my confidence feel strong, and where does it need reinforcement?

Summer doesn’t require the same pace. But it does require presence.

Confidence is Built in Small, Brave Choices

We tend to think of confidence as something big and flash; speaking on a stage, launching a new venture or taking a leap. But real confidence is often quiet.

I can’t even fully recall all the details of last summer—but I do remember this: I wasn’t fully present. I wasn’t overbooked, but I also wasn’t tuned in. I stayed in motion, assuming that meant I was making progress. But eventually, I realized something important…Confidence isn’t about doing everything. It’s about choosing the right things. It’s built in the everyday moments when you:

• Say no to an invitation that drains you.
• Wake up 15 minutes earlier to reconnect with your goals.
• Reclaim your boundaries, even if it’s awkward.
• Make that doctor’s appointment, finish that resume, or open the blank page to start writing.

These aren’t dramatic acts, but they’re bold. Every small decision to honor your purpose is a vote for your self-trust. And when you build self-trust, confidence follows. If you’ve been navigating confidence-building from a deeper place, you might also enjoy this earlier post on the courage-confidence connection, which explores how both grow in tandem. Let this be your reminder: you don’t need perfect conditions to show up. You just need to choose yourself, again and again.

Reframe Summer as a Season to Step Forward, Not Just Step Back

There’s nothing wrong with slowing down. Rest is a requirement, not a reward. But stepping back doesn’t mean disappearing. In fact, when everyone else is coasting, summer can become a powerful time to realign with your boldest goals. Here’s how to show up intentionally:

1. Choose Your Summer Word – Pick one word to define how you want to move through this season. Maybe it’s ease, visibility, grace, or focus. Mine this year? Visibility. I want to be seen, heard, and fully present in the spaces that matter most. Write your word on a sticky note, set it as your phone wallpaper, and let it guide your decisions.

2. Schedule Joy, Not Just Tasks – Confidence blooms when we feel fulfilled, not just busy. So, alongside your meetings and deadlines, block time for things like the following:  solo date or creative outlet, weekly self-care ritual or time to do nothing—without guilt. This isn’t about balance. It’s about alignment.

3. Protect What Grounds You – Even when your calendar shifts, your values don’t. Keep at least one daily or weekly anchor that makes you feel steady. That might be journaling, prayer, movement, meditation, or checking in with your coach or accountability partner. These small practices remind you: You’ve got you.

Confidence Deserves Consistency, Not Perfection

One of the most damaging myths I see—especially among women in leadership or service-based roles—is that confidence should be automatic by now. That if you’re experienced, you shouldn’t struggle with doubt or momentum. But confidence isn’t a badge you earn once. It’s a practice. You can build that practice with intention—this piece on discipline and consistency lays out a simple strategy.

Some days, your confidence will roar. Other days, it will whisper. The important thing is that you stay in relationship with it.

Your Invitation to Reclaim the Season

Summer can be sacred.
It can be restful and powerful.
It can be both a pause and a launchpad.

You get to decide how this season serves you.

So I’ll ask you:
Where do you want to show up more boldly this summer?
And what’s one aligned action you can take this week to back yourself with confidence?

If you’re ready to reflect more deeply and realign with purpose, I invite you to download the Personal Retreat Guide—a free, self-paced tool designed to help you slow down, check in, and move forward with clarity and confidence. Whether you use it for a solo morning reset, a weekend of reflection, or a midyear mindset shift, it’s a practical way to nourish your confidence and recommit to yourself.

Let this be the summer you honor your energy, protect your peace, and say yes to your growth.

Because you don’t need the perfect plan.
You just need the power of your next step.

As we wind down the Flourishing Fiercely July series (after writing about a few “serious” areas for making a fresh start like finances and career, and a few “fun” fresh starts, like style), I thought I’d close by offering some real talk and reassurance about fresh starts–which is that, sometimes, making a fresh start is not easy!  There can be bumps in the road and challenges, sometimes coming from people around us, sometimes from our own self-doubt within.  

Not Everyone Wants to Change and That’s OK

Have you ever struggled with criticism or lack of support from friends or family when you’ve embarked upon a fresh start? Or you’re excited about the new things you’re trying and want to encourage folks who you care about to join you on the same path, but they just aren’t feeling it? 

A by-product of a fresh start is enthusiasm. It’s hard to contain the joy that comes from seeing the fruits of your labor. It is natural to want to share your new skills and the benefits that came from the effort you put in.  That’s totally normal. You may find that your enthusiasm falls flat on others, and that can feel frustrating. Why wouldn’t someone want the solutions to a problem that you had? Why wouldn’t someone want to feel as awesome as you do from making some simple changes?

It’s simple:  Not everyone wants to change, and that’s ok. (OR the change that’s right for you might not be right for them.)  The reality is there are a lot of reasons people don’t change: fear, finances, struggles with determination or confidence, and more.  Look back at your journey and ask yourself why you didn’t take action sooner. Chances are, the people who resist your enthusiasm are stuck in many of the ways you were at one time. Everyone is on their own journey. They are on their own timeline and have to move through their own mindset issues, should they choose to.

Does this mean you can’t share your enthusiasm and joy for the changes you have made? Absolutely not. Here are some things you can do to influence others in a positive way, even when they don’t want to change:

• Simply be your brand new self. People are often influenced by others who are living optimal lives. The “I want what she’s having” model. Simply going about life and living it well can be all the influence you need to inspire someone else.
• Be the teacher when the student is ready. There is a philosophy that the teacher appears when the student is ready. Be willing to teach your tricks, tips, and tell your story with someone who shares interest. There are people everywhere who are ready for change and sometimes those who aren’t just aren’t ready… yet. Be patient and ready if they change their mind.

As you reflect on your road to change, you may realize that there was a time when you weren’t quite there yet. You weren’t ready for change, and pressure to do so would have turned you off. You had to work through your issues and get to the place where you knew your worth and wanted the fresh start more than you wanted to stay the same. Give others the respect you needed and be ok with where they are and ready to support them when they look for their own fresh start.

Acknowledging the Difficult Parts of a Fresh Start

We know change is inevitable and it is sometimes welcome and sometimes thrust on us. A fresh start, whether chosen or imposed, is the beginning of something new. It doesn’t matter if you are volunteering to let go or if things are being pried from your grip, it is important to say goodbye to what you are leaving behind. At some point, what you had and where things settled was exactly what and where you were supposed to be and have. At one point, you may have loved what you had and it might have been exactly what you needed at that time. You may have outgrown it, longed for more, or wanted simple change–and here it is!

When we’re young and starting out, we may not have the ability to decorate the way we might like. As we move into adulthood, we may have more resources but other things can get in the way of creating a personalized space that we love: maybe it’s sticky fingers and scattered toys if we’re parents of small children, or pet hair and “accidents” if we’re puppy-owners; perhaps we need to prioritize spending our money in other areas rather than on our home.  But even if you have some constraints and even if decorating isn’t your passion, it can give us a real mental “boost” to have a space that reflects our taste, personality, and makes us feel at home.

You can take some simple steps to get back into a positive frame of mind if you find yourself overwhelmed and struggling to let go of past habits, possessions, or practices at any time during your “fresh start” journey.

• Step 1. Spend some time thinking about the journey you are on. Recall the past and how you morphed into the you that you are in this moment. Reflect on the good, the bad, and the indifferent things about your current status and see what comes up.
• Step 2. Whether through journaling or some other ritual, set an intention for your fresh start and consider what you need to say goodbye to in order to move forward. Do you need to let go of a habit, relationship, mindset, or physical item to begin anew? There are a number of ways to ceremonially or literally say goodbye.
• Step 3. Allow for the mourning. There is going to be some time where things feel scary, tight, worrisome, and maybe even sad. Allow yourself to feel the full range of emotions and all the subsequent things that go with it. Perhaps you will feel physically ill or want to sleep or get some self care. Acknowledge yourself and plug into the resources that help.
• Step 4. Give yourself an allowable timeline to move through the past and into the future. Set yourself up for success and hold yourself to the new standard you are setting. If you get stuck, reach out to someone for help.
• Step 5. Celebrate your small achievements along the way. It is important to celebrate as you make progress and start to see change. Nothing is too small when you are starting out, and reaching milestones is an important measurement of the fresh start you will be experiencing. From treating yourself to a gift or experience to doing a happy dance, all forms of celebration are important.

Saying goodbye to the past is vital as you make your way into the future towards your fresh start. Take the time to work through the steps and soften the blow that can come from leaving things behind.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog series about fresh starts–and gotten some inspiration to either get you started or keep you going on your fresh start journey.  

Does Your Personal Style Truly Reflect Who You Are?

Do you have a personal style?  If I looked in your closet or around your home, would I get a clear idea of your style? (No judgment if the answers to either of those questions are “no,” “I don’t know” or “hmm…maybe???”  I’m still figuring this one out for myself!) Style is a way of saying who you are without speaking. Style is your outward expression of your inner self. From wearing leopard prints to having a signature haircut, style indicates who you are, what you love, and your self-confidence.  A few common factors that shape our sense of style (or not, if we’re not sure we have one yet!) are insecurity, income, and influences. 

Insecurity kills style before it has a chance to come out. Insecurity looks to others for validation which usually leads to following someone else like sheep.  It can hold you back or make you doubt your style if someone makes a critical comment about your outfit, for example.  Income can also influence your style–though it doesn’t have to! You may think that you can’t express your style until you can afford the bells and whistles that go with it but think again!  If your income is limited, there are lots of style gems to be found in thrift/second-hand stores, both physical stores like your local Goodwill or a mom-and-pop vintage store as well as online second-hand marketplaces like Poshmark, eBay, or ThredUP.  (Even if you have a bigger budget, thrifting is a great option for environmental sustainability or just to find a unique accessory or piece of clothing that you wouldn’t see everyday in a store or online).  Family, friends, peers, or others around us may also influence style.  Sometimes, this can combine in a harmful way with insecurity and self-doubt–but if you love a style, embrace it and let others have their opinions with zero influence on you.

If you aren’t sure what your style is, you might get a few ideas browsing platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, or TikTok. Start noting images that you love and dive deeper into some internet research on what that style might be called and some of its trademark features. Or pick an icon whom you want to emulate and study their style. You can imitate their look or components of it until you become comfortable adding some personalization to make it your own. 

Style can also be as simple or elaborate as you want it to be.  Some people coordinate entire outfits to match a certain style of dress.  Others may stick to simple staples and classics, like black pants paired with a white blouse or black t-shirt, and then add a single “pop” that stands out, like brightly-colored shoes or a bold piece of jewelry. Having a personal style helps say who you are without speaking a word. It’s a great way to proceed yourself and express who you are and what you love

I’ll admit, this is a new area for me. I’ve typically considered myself a pretty “low-maintenance” person, and reflecting on my own personal style takes me a little bit out of my comfort zone.  Funny enough, thanks to my professional experience and my coaching practice, talking and thinking about making big career and personal finance changes is actually much more in my wheelhouse than tackling fashion, decor, and style!  But earlier this year, a session on “Worthiness Within Your Wardrobe” at the Black Woman Leading LIVE summit that I attended really had me thinking about personal style in a different way–and got me excited about making a few fresh starts in my own style and wardrobe.  (And of course, that summit session was about so much more than just clothes; we engaged in some deep reflection about confidence, purpose, and self-love.)

Changing Up Your Home Decor for a Fresh Start

Style isn’t just about what we wear, but how we decorate our environment as well.  Does your home reflect your style and your personality or do you look around your space and feel “blah?”

When we’re young and starting out, we may not have the ability to decorate the way we might like. As we move into adulthood, we may have more resources but other things can get in the way of creating a personalized space that we love: maybe it’s sticky fingers and scattered toys if we’re parents of small children, or pet hair and “accidents” if we’re puppy-owners; perhaps we need to prioritize spending our money in other areas rather than on our home.  But even if you have some constraints and even if decorating isn’t your passion, it can give us a real mental “boost” to have a space that reflects our taste, personality, and makes us feel at home.

Color.  Painting your home in colors that bring you joy can alter your mental health for the better. Are you a warm or cool tone person? Painting your walls in either tone can greatly improve your happiness. (Just remember to look at paint samples on your walls in different lighting at different times of the day, and when choosing a paint color, it’s often also helpful to paint a test swatch on the wall too–colors can look surprisingly different once they’re on your wall compared to how they looked on the little cardboard sample card you picked up at the paint store!)

Textures and fabrics.  Fabrics that are soft and cozy can restore your health and your sense of security. If these textures feel restorative for you, you can try upgrading your bedroom with luxurious sheets, down comforters, plush pillows, and fluffy rugs. The delight to your senses of touch will restore you every time you are unplugged and regenerating for the next day.

Lighting. Lighting affects mood. Having adequate lighting that is soft and pleasant is an important way to refresh yourself. Finding bulbs that cast a soft glow and create a happy mood will help you feel good every time you are home.

Art and furnishings.  Your art should reflect who you are. There is a saying that no one should buy art or fragrance for someone else. These are personal decisions that only you can truly choose, and it doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive or created by a famous artist to reflect your style and add personality to your space.  “Art” can be a vintage poster from a favorite childhood movie, for example, a favorite photo you took that you get printed and framed, or even a child’s art project that has sentimental and personal meaning to you.  From the furniture you sit on to the decorations that adorn your walls and shelves, having pieces that are functional, comfortable, and delight your eye are vital. 

Changing up your home decor to best reflect your personality and taste is an excellent way to refresh and recharge. Being comfortable in your home is the best way to energize yourself to be and do all that is expected of you outside of those walls.

I hope you enjoyed this recap of some fun ways to give yourself a style-related fresh start this summer!  Feel free to share your personal style tips or tricks in the comments!

Change Your Career and Change Your Life

Do you have a role in the workforce? Are you operating from a degree you earned in college, trade school, or a certification program? Have you taken the entrepreneurial route and blazed your own trail, or have you inherited your gig from a family line of business? When did you begin this career? How’s it going so far?

Those are a lot of questions and not usually the sort of thing people ask regularly. Everyone has an origin story of how they started working or doing what they do.  Some of us may have gone after our career path with full intention, while some of us would say that we “fell” into our current job or career unexpectedly or by chance or by a series of coincidences. The biggest question for anyone is: How happy are you in your current career and could changing your career change your life?

In our young adulthood, our career direction may be influenced by parental or adult expectations, geography, and economics.  For some of us, these factors may play a powerful role in what we decide to do. Our parents may have expectations or our culture may dictate that parents have significant authority over our career choices. Relocation may not be an option so a career may be based on what is available in our area. Whether we have the income to get the right degree or certification may determine what line of work we choose.

As we get older, sometimes our influences change and things like benefits, income, and seniority or security become more important to us.  These factors have their own influence on our choices because they often mean stability, access to healthcare, and retirement income. Though we may not have the same interest we once had for the work, the benefits are often outweighing the disadvantages.

If you are in a career that feels tired, old hat, and unfulfilling, it might be time to consider making a change. Sometimes the things we fear losing outweigh the benefits we perceive will come. Sort of how the fear of the unknown is worse than staying in something you know you don’t love, but can predict will be safe. That’s no way to live! Consider these ideas that can help you make a career move:

• Interview someone doing the work you’d like to do and ask for input about what they did to break into that career.  Many times folks who are working at doing the thing you find interesting are open to spending some time chatting or mentoring you. Be bold and ask for a moment of their time.
• Learn a new skill.  Being open to lifelong learning is an important part of reinvention–and learning a new skill doesn’t have to mean going back to a traditional academic setting (though that is certainly one path for those who feel called to pursue a degree or college-based certification).  With free or low-cost resources online through YouTube, Coursera, LinkedIn, or countless other learning portals and websites, there are so many options to learn new skills that can help you prepare for a career change.  Digital “badges” or “micro-credentials” offered by some online trainings can also help validate your newly-earned skill or competency to prospective employers.   
• Consider becoming an entrepreneur. You may not need any formalized training to change your career. You may simply need to step out in faith and begin.  Or if your financial or family responsibilities won’t allow for that level of risk, you may be able to start a side hustle to explore whether your idea has merit and whether it’s something you can see yourself doing full-time someday.  (This is similar to the path I’m on right now–continuing my full-time job but launching and growing my business so that in the long term it can generate the same income and financial stability for me that my job does.)  

If you feel stuck, bored, or like you’ve missed out in your career, it is not too late to change your career and change your life.  (One of my specialties in my coaching practice is helping folks navigate career and life transitions; it’s so gratifying and powerful to see my clients work to get “unstuck” and achieve their goals.)  

How’s Your Health: Four Ways to Give Your Health a Fresh Start

Health is a vital component of life and often a key area where people want a fresh start. “Life happens” and through good times and bad, our health can take a back seat to other things. From eating better, to moving more, to addressing concerns or symptoms you have ignored, it might be a good time to make some changes that will give you the new beginning you need. Check out these simple ways to give your health a new start:

1. Get a checkup. Visiting your physician should be an annual event at the very least. Having a checkup can prevent illness and address any issues as they come up when they are easier to manage. We should all be seeing our primary care physician for an annual exam, but don’t forget these important exams too: vision exam, dental exam, and other exams important at different ages and stages of life.  (If you’re uninsured and have limited income, a Federally Qualified Health Center or similar health clinic may be able to provide preventive care at no cost or on a sliding scale.) 
2. Discover a new way to eat healthy foods.  At any given time, there are food trends designed to get people excited about eating healthier. Trying new foods can be fun, and can help you moderate your fat, salt, or sugar consumption. Browse the internet or the bookstores for enticing new recipes or search YouTube for new cooking shows or videos that spark your interest.  (This is another reason why it’s important to get an annual checkup–a physician or similar trained medical practitioner can help make sure that any changes you’re making to your diet are healthy and safe for your individual health situation.)
3. Read more. Sometimes the first step to better health starts with research. You may not know what you want to do or how to do it until you learn it. Spend time reading a new book, subscribe to a great blog or magazine, and start educating yourself about healthier lifestyle choices. You never know what will spark a reinvention.
4. Find a hobby that encourages movement. Some people resist “working out.” Some of us are afraid of the commitment or the thought of pain and effort. For some of us, maybe we have time constraints or health or mobility conditions that affect our ability to exercise. From sports activities to bird watching, there are unlimited ways to be active that aren’t about lifting weights or running or other “traditional” forms of exercise. Challenge yourself to find a new outdoor (or indoor) hobby that you enjoy and that allows you to fit more movement into your life in whatever way works for you (and again, with guidance from your healthcare practitioner to make sure it’s safe for your own health/physical situation.)

It doesn’t take much to give your health a fresh start. Small changes can start to add up and get you feeling refreshed and renewed about your health. 

Do You Need a Fresh Start Financially?

Money doesn’t buy happiness–but it can buy choices.  Wherever you are with your income and financial situation, there are a few things you can do to make a financial fresh start. Try these simple strategies for reinventing your finances:

• Review your credit reports and score.  You can’t fix what you don’t know is wrong. Run a complete credit report and review it.  Consumers have a right to review their credit report (though not their credit score) from each of the three credit bureaus for free once a year.  Use AnnualCreditReport.com to access your free credit reports.  Look for errors and have someone help you understand the numeric score and any derogatory remarks.  Many banks and credit card companies now also provide a version of the credit score for free to their account holders. It is possible that your report may have errors that can be changed. For any negative remarks, make a plan to fix them as soon as possible.  (The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has some great resources on how to access and understand your credit reports and scores.)
• See a financial counselor, coach, or planner.  Financial counselors and coaches work similarly to help you understand your financial situation, set goals, and make action plans.  However, one distinction is that counseling often focuses on providing information and suggested solutions whereas a coach serves more as an accountability partner in helping you set your own financial goals.  If you have specialized financial needs or questions (such as retirement planning, estate planning, or investment planning) a financial planner might also be a good resource.  There are many different types of professionals operating in this space.  Be sure to do some research to understand what type of financial professional you’re engaging and how their fee structure works.
• Get some money education.  From reading books, to online courses, to other finance professionals, there are multiple ways to better understand money and make new and fresh choices with yours. Get some money education and start making simple changes.  Like the field of financial planners, advisors, counselors, and coaches, this is another area where there is so much content.  Be skeptical of personal finance gurus peddling a fad or promising dazzling returns on investment. The adage “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is” might be a little cliche, but it’s still often a good rule of thumb. 
• Track your finances.  Whether you use an app or old-school notebook and pen, track your finances. See where you spend your money and analyze any positive and negative patterns. Cut back on trends that take you away from the financial security that you want. Be honest about what matters to you and don’t shame yourself for your spending. Simply review it and see where you can make change and make a difference.

Having a fresh start financially can be liberating and have a domino effect for lots of life changes. Do yourself the favor and do what you can to review and revamp your finances for a better experience.

I’ve often come back to many of these tips during times in my life when I’ve needed a career, health, or financial “reboot” and hope they’re helpful to get you thinking, too! I’ll be back next week to talk about some more aspects of your life that you might not have considered as areas for a fresh start!

Maybe we’re feeling energized by warmer, sunnier weather and longer days.  Maybe realizing that we have six months down and six months to go in the year makes us want to take stock of what we’ve done so far, and what we want to do or change for the second half of the year.  No matter what your age, your career, or your stage in life, anyone can make a fresh start. Finding a new way to do an old thing–or leaving something that is no longer working–is a wonderful way to begin again.

What is a fresh start, anyway?

A fresh start is a do-over or a starting of something new. For whatever reason, sometimes we lose our way.  We forget our dreams, or let them go for a number of reasons. At some point, life opens up opportunities to begin again. To reimagine itself and regenerate. Life wants to be lived to its fullest potential, and it will nudge you again and again until you are reminded of who you’ve always wanted to be and what you’ve always wanted to do.  A fresh start is a clearing of the mind, body, and/or soul, making way for new things. Over the next few weeks, I’ll share some ideas to get you thinking about what it is you’d like to see fresh and new in your life. I’ll focus on brand-new starts in the areas of career, finance, personal style, and health. These subjects are typical areas where life may be stale or not played out as well as you would have liked.  I hope these posts will get you thinking about these areas and I’ll offer specific tips and tactics to reinvent yourself and reclaim the version of yourself you always imagined.

Why might you need a fresh start?

Life may have started out just fine, but somewhere along the way the lemons became more prevalent than the lemonade. Can you relate to any of these scenarios?

• You settled for a career that has been unfulfilling
• You never developed or pursued your personal passions
• You fell into debt and haven’t climbed out
• Your health, energy level, or physical activity isn’t where it once was or where you’d like it to be
• You’re feeling “blah” about your home or your personal style

A fresh start makes it possible for any of these scenarios to turn around. You can have a fulfilling career, or some clothes in your closet that make you feel fabulous or be ready to tackle a fitness challenge like a 5K. There isn’t as much as you may think holding you back. With this month’s blog posts, my goal is to help you see the light at the end of the tunnel and get you racing towards it.

When is it time to think about reinvention and fresh starts?

I often use music to give me energy or help me think and reflect on my life.  (You might remember, I wrote in a couple of prior blog posts about how much fun our group of Black Woman Leading LIVE participants had jamming to Mary J. Blige on our dinner cruise, as well as the powerful song that Black Woman Leading founder Laura Knights played to close out the conference.)  As I tackled this topic of fresh starts and reinvention, I thought about another favorite song of mine, the Nina Simone classic “Feeling Good.”  I love the mood it evokes:  easy, laid-back, joyful, like a warm leisurely summer day in the sun.     

Of course, not every day or every moment of our lives can feel like that.  Some days we’ll feel stressed, busy, anxious, sad, annoyed, or overwhelmed–and that’s OK too! I try to ground myself in that feeling that Nina Simone’s lyrics create and remember that I’ll find my way back there soon, even if I’m having a bad day or week. But if you’ve lost that elemental sense of joy in your life completely, it may be time to think about reinvention. Reinvention isn’t something to feel guilty about or set you into a depression. Reinvention is the letting go of what isn’t working and saying hello to every option in the universe.

Reinvention doesn’t require changing the things you love; it calls for changing whatever no longer suits you or beginning new things that better express who you are now.  

It’s time to think about reinvention when:

• Your heart has a longing for something new and specific
• You know that you need to start or stop a behavior for your own good
• Your life shifts through divorce, empty nest, lay-off, health issue, etc.
• You find a renewed determination towards a purpose

No matter the reason that sparks your reinvention, the key is to embrace that urge and get started towards the changes you want. You deserve all good things, and nothing has to stay the same. You can make dramatic changes in your life without threatening the most important things:  family, friendships, and community.

Top areas of life to make a fresh start

Have you felt the urge to make a fresh start? It’s perfectly normal to want something more or something different from our lives.  Often, our fresh starts happen in areas like career, style, finances or health, but a fresh start is what you make it–you can reinvent yourself in any area that you choose!

Our lives are so different than they were a few generations ago. There was a time when people rarely left their hometown in their lifetime. There was no internet to explore anything and everything. It took considerable effort to investigate and explore anything of interest. People simply didn’t know how much was available to them.

Not only that, people were mostly influenced by those in fairly close proximity. There was a sameness that developed because there wasn’t much exposure to other cultures, communities, or spheres of influence.  Social media is an excellent example of how influences can spark the desire for reinvention. A simple LinkedIn post, Instagram reel, or Tik Tok video can give you fresh ideas and ignite a new passion in any area of life. Something you never knew was an option that can change your career, personal style, your finances, or your health.

Today, we are able to sit at a computer and witness all the bounty that our lives could be enjoying. We are able to see and experiment at unprecedented levels. We don’t have to have a formal education to learn something new, and as entrepreneurs, there is no limit to what we can do for a career. We can explore all sorts of style – fashion, architecture, home decor, and more. The options are limitless. We can easily be taught how to manage our careers, our income, and maximize our health.  

Have you felt the nudge to make a change in a certain area of your life? Do you want to start or stop something? Learn a new or better way to be on the Earth? Consider exploring a change in your life and see what doors open, close, or break free.  In the coming weeks, I’ll dive a bit deeper into ways you can use this summer season to think about what fresh start you’d like to make and how you can make it happen.