My MOFA
When we work together, we will discover your MOFA and what it means…here is the history on mine. Grab a cup of coffee, tea or bev of you liking and get comfy – this may take a few!
I am a Native San Franciscan, 6th generation born and raised. I live with my husband of 17 years (together for 26!) and two boys, ages 8 and 10. By nature, I am a doer, I get things done, I can juggle a ton…but that can take a toll on a girl. I found out the hard-way and through it learned a lot about myself after hitting a mid-life crisis, turned lemons into lemonade and now help women, like you, prioritize themselves again!
In 2007 my husband and I made the exciting decision to start a family. We tried and tried but, nothing. I was working out min of 5 days a week, was active, ate well (so I thought), worked my tail off in Corp America and still my body was not in sync with my head and heart. It was at that time I learned I had PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). Western medicine wanted me to take hormones to “fix” me so I could get pregnant. It literally made me rage at people, gain weight and feel out of control. This was not how I wanted to bring another being into the world.
At that moment I said enough! I knew I needed to understand why this was happening and how could I “fix” me, naturally. After some research and learning more about PCOS, I didn’t fit the typical profile. I was A-typical. So, with more research, I changed my diet, found a Naturopathic Dr. and an Acupuncturist and collectively helped me reset my body. I started to prioritize my mind, body and soul. I knew it would take time, but getting my health in order was key. Finding the right/wrong foods for me, right natural hormones and how to de-stress were essential to be able to prepare me for caring for another being.
My body started to function on it’s own and after a 2-year journey, I got pregnant and in 2010 had my first, a boy! That was the moment I knew why prioritizing the mind, body and soul mattered. I could not care for another, unless I cared for myself first. Then life started getting busier. Eighteen months after our first was born, we welcomed number 2! Um. That was fast! My body was still working – can I get a woot - woot!
Fast forward to 2019, the boys are growing-up I had been in Corp America 20 years. I had done a darn good job keeping my health up, despite our busy life and then I got an itch for more in my career. Now, I am a play it safe, plan it out kind of girl, with B, C and D if A does not work out.
My husband has a nickname for me “By the Books”. But the itch persisted and after 13 years in the same role, I took a leap of faith to make a career change. While learning new amazing skills, the new job proved to take me away from my family more, that I expected. I was on the road all the time, and realized I was suffering, my kids were suffering and so was my husband. My mind, body and soul were at a steep decline. I stopped working-out, as I felt guilty anytime I was away from my family. I was stressed and had panic attacks regularly.
I was trying to be super-women juggling all life threw at me, time was passing and I felt like I was drowning.
I pushed myself to the back-burner. I was not being the Wife I wanted to be, the Mom or Person. My health was not a priority like I once valued. I took a look deep within, began the hard work to find my life’s purpose and my gifts surfaced. I had gifts? Yes! I love to help people, finding the WHY around body issues (mine, my kids, my family, friends), I care about health and living a life that matters. Health and Life are not independent and rarely are. What was suffering in one part of my life was suffering in other areas. And when things were going well in my health so were other areas of my life. What changed? I stopped prioritizing me.
I felt like I had to choose between working out or spending time with my kids for the few moments we saw each-other before school and mad dash to get home to shove frozen food in the oven, bathe and kiss them goodnight.
Guilt, if I got on the treadmill instead of spending time with them.
Guilt, if I thought about hanging out with friends instead of attending my kid’s games on the weekends. My overall self took a royal hit, I was changing, my body was changing, and my needs were changing. At times I felt out of control, overwhelmed and my hormones were changing- again.
"I realized…. I am actually the same women, with different needs."
Part of the self-work made me question, so who am I now? I realized, I am actually the same women - with different needs. I had added layers of guilt on top of my decisions, buried myself under self-resentment. Self-resentment for taking on a job I didn’t connect with and seeing my family suffer in turn because I was not happy. The mean girl was talking my ear off regularly in my head and I was listening and believed every word she was spewing. Concealed within was that girl who was fired up about being active, healthy eating, and helping others. All of this allowed me to be more present for my family. I decided to say YES to move myself up to a front burner, making a decision to put fear aside and have the courage to go after what fueled me – I became a Certified Life + Health Coach to help women like you find the support you too deserve.
"That women is in there, sometimes she just needs to be pulled out from under the piles of guilt."
This Ms. by the Books, learned to make herself a priority made a leap of faith relying on her gifts, keep her mean girl in check (admittedly a daily practice) and living life.
You have heard my story, what brought you here? What is your story?
What needs to be nourished in your life?
Let’s talk….I got you.
