The Rest of the Story

Want to know more about my life’s journey? Here’s the rest of the story…

The Fun-Story-Long!

My ideal Saturday: I’d sleep in late, enjoy breakfast with my husband, go sailing and eat lunch on the boat, come home and fall asleep reading on the couch in the sun with my cats. We’d go out for dinner with some friends at a Thai restaurant, then head home and watch a movie.

One of my earliest childhood memories: At around age 4, I was convinced, 100%, that my family (me, my parents and my younger brother) was the basis for the cartoon “The Flintstones.” Bam bam!

Things that make me happy: naps… cats, and generally, any animal… lunch with a friend… being on a beach or near water… walking in the woods… road trips… sailing… dark chocolate with sea salt… listening to music, especially classical, U2, kd lang… working with coaching clients… passionate conversations… enjoying a good meal that I’ve prepared… writing something I’m proud to share.

My strengths: I’m curious and love to research and gather information. People trust me easily and quickly, and I feel honored by that. I have a good sense of humor. I like to find the lighter side of a situation. I am compassionate yet hold the other person as responsible for themselves. My strengths as a coach include creating a safe, trusting relationship; gentle directness; ability to peel back the layers to get to the root; being able to not know; laughter!

My types: Myers-Briggs: INFJ; Enneagram: 2 with a 3 wing; StrengthsFinder: Strategic, Connectedness, Relator, Input, Maximizer; DiSC: high I and S, with a Counselor Pattern; Gregorc Learning Style: Concrete Random. Can you tell I’m a test junkie!?

Five years ago: I was living in Traverse City, Michigan, making the transition from working in marketing at Interlochen Center for the Arts to being a Program Officer with Rotary Charities of Traverse City. My time at Interlochen was ideal: my degrees in music and arts administration prepared me perfectly for the creative and dynamic environment. The opportunity to work for Rotary Charities came along in late 2005. It was an absolute privilege to be contributing to my community as a grantmaker and advocate for the local nonprofit sector.

Five years from now: I will be encouraged by the tremendous growth in my coaching business and the sustainable success of my clients. My regular workshops around the country attract thousands of people every year. Two published books bring my message of self-trust and empowerment to a broader audience. Those I am honored to work with experience greater joy, peace, satisfaction and love in their lives. I am part of a circle of mentors, colleagues and friends who challenge me to stretch in new and exciting directions. What started out as a new career path has evolved into my true calling and life’s passion.

Why I do what I do: There are fewer things that bring me more satisfaction than being witness to someone’s moment of realization, that dawning of awareness that brings them closer to discovering who they REALLY are and trusting that truth (also known as the “aha!” moment). All my life, people have been drawn to confide in me, share their stories and seek counsel. I help people connect the seemingly random dots in their lives to form a complete picture that represents their best and brightest lives.

I’ve been through challenges and triumphs, and I have gained strength from every experience (including the good, the bad and the ugly). Through job searches and soul searches, I’ve looked for meaning inside and outside of myself. I never could have predicted the twists and turns my life has taken, and all have made me stronger and more appreciative of the abundance of blessings in my life. I draw on the wisdom and lessons of all of my experiences in each interaction I have with clients.

My favorite places: home sweet home, Traverse City (MI), on a sailboat, on a sandy beach on a warm day, Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, Seattle, Santa Barbara, Chicago, Milwaukee

My favorite books: Man’s Search for Meaning (Frankl), The Robe (Douglas), U2 by U2, Conversations with God (Walsch), Anything by David Sedaris, Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time (Borg), Anything by Harold Kushner, Wherever You Go, There You Are (Kabat-Zinn), A Short Course in Kindness (Forrest), The Year of Living Biblically (Jacobs), New Zealand Prayer Book, Good to Great (Collins), Primal Leadership (Goleman et al), The Onion compilations, Books of sermons by Barbara Brown Taylor

Favorite NPR shows: Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me!, Fresh Air with Terry Gross, Performance Today, Speaking of Faith, All Things Considered, Whad’ya Know?

Where I learned to be a smarty-pants: Most recently, I am a proud graduate of the highly-respected, ICF-accredited inviteCHANGE/Academy for Coach Training in Edmonds, WA. I received my Certified Professional Coach (CPC) designation in November 2009, after 16 months of coursework and professional coaching. I expect to receive my Associate Certified Coach credential from the International Coach Federation in early 2010.

My academic background includes a Bachelor of Music Performance from the University of Louisville; a Master of Music Performance from Northwestern University; and a Master of Arts Administration from Indiana University.

100 Things