Author Archives: michelle

Empowerment Is…

The simplest and easiest form of the empowerment of women: spending time with those that lift you (so high up you fly to Paris). 🙂

We *are* the average of the five people we spend the most time with. If that’s not an empowered thought for you, it’s time for a prest-o change-o.

Let’s make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…

To the best of the rest of your life!

Life is good.

He Feels Like Freedom

He Feels Like Freedom

When I thought about a relationship that I might have for a long time or for forever when I was in my teens or twenties, I never everrrr had him or thissss kind of love in my awareness.

I only knew or could feel that I wanted kindness, support and a romance that would fill me.

But to experience the depth of love (and kindness, support and romance) that is here and available sitting next to me through it all (the tragedies of yesteryear, the brand shoot of today, the joys, successes and sadnesses of tomorrow) feels like freedom.

It’s like I’m flying high above it all, yet completely tethered to the ground all at once.

“I never thought marriage and my forever love would feel like freedom and yet it does,” she said, “it does.”

What connection to a person or a place makes you feel like freedom?

Let’s make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…

To the best of the rest of your life!

Life is good.

What If He Moves…!?

What If He Moves…!?

What if….?

This is us on a trip from our place in Amsterdam to Paris in 2005. Nolan had been born in the ‘Dam five months prior (that’s a story!).

About nine years later, after living in both Portland and Guadalajara, we found ourselves sitting on our now Los Angeles couch watching a show when I told Josh to quickly pause it. Nolan was upstairs sleeping and was nine years old.

Me: What if….when Nolan’s older, he goes to live in France [far away from us] or something!?!?!

Josh: [pause] Well, that IS what we’re teaching him.

Josh was right. (And — I was right).

Recently, his passport with visa arrived, and he is officially a resident of France!!!!!

What do you have a deep intuition about or what have you dreamed about that you want to put into action?

Let’s make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…

To the best of the rest of your life!

Life is good.

Don’t Fake

Don’t Fake

Life is good, not because tough stuff doesn’t happen, but because we all know it does, but it’s good because there’s always a perspective, wisdom and purpose as a growing seed within it. #painandjoycoexist

“Most of the places I still frequent, with Josh and Nolan, or with friends, are places I used to go with them (such awesome, tender memories). 

I really feel their absence here. So, as I’m having fun, I take time to allow the sadness and longing to be felt. Water helps, not pretending helps and deeper conversations allow the more difficult feelings to have a place in my life, too. We must. Don’t stuff it down. 

You don’t just wake up one day healed from grief, you create a meaningful, honest life around the longing. Because one of the only real things is that pain and joy can and do co-exist. We can let even more joy in when we don’t fake what may still hurt.”

Let’s make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…

To the best of the rest of your life!

Life is good.