I appreciate the heavy lifting this lovely man did while I was heavily lifting (emotionally), too. But I can’t tell you that I saw, felt or appreciated it as much as I do now, being through the harder years of grief.

I was deep inside my own thoughts and emotions. 

Because grief is like that first hard job you’re not sure you really want — it’s a daily job, especially at first, at second and at third.

But unlike that first j-o-b, grief is something you do because it’s natural to and because it’s something that wants to move through you, so you can continue to move through or with all parts of life (and with those still living) calling on you ~ 

Hello? Come! Be…with…me…

As we tenderly toil, we may not realize how much our people are also tenderly toiling (your losses are their losses) and how much they additionally hurt seeing us in pain. 

To all partners, sisters, brothers, cousins, friends, parents, sons and daughters who grieve alongside us and who relentlessly and patiently sit beside us, feeling their own grief, thank you…we love you and couldn’t have done it or have worked through it without you. (~> I can’t do it or continue to work through it without you.)

And to each of us going through it right now, may we remember that pain and joy can co-exist (enjoy as the short breaks in the rain come, travel, jump, laugh etc, as this is part your healing and medicine, too) and may you know that although you feel sadness, you are not sadness itself (you are life, always rebirthing itself and it will wait, just like your loved ones still living have, until you’re ready, so, take your time)…

Oh yes and may — may you repair the brokenness in a daily or moment-to-moment way by treating the next person you‘re with or meet (and the next and the next) as if they were the very person or people you’ve lost.

This is one small but certain way (a big way) to transform loss into gain.

Make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…enjoy your business, enjoy your life! 

Life is good,

Michelle Ghilotti
Success Designer, Brand Activator & Social Entrepreneur 

This was the last photo I took at my family home before my Mom died. About a year or more later, for the first time in my life, I heard something in my sleep (not a dream) and these were those words: It’s only when you show who you really are that more is revealed.

And it feels so true. The more honest, myself and true I continue to be to my values, my stories, where I come from and who I am as a result, the more magic that is served up. 

Show us who you really are. 

What if the “worst” *and* best thing that happens is that purpose and passion (anything and everything filled with meaning and light) all of the sudden shows up? And up? And up?

Make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…enjoy your business, enjoy your life! 

Life is good,

Michelle Ghilotti
Success Designer, Brand Activator & Social Entrepreneur

Where you find meaning, you find yourself. 

Last week, Nolan and I sat on the edge of the soccer field at the high school he’ll be attending in August.

The sun was at our backs and the tone of the conversation was comfortable and friendly…it felt like I was speaking to a dear friend. 

As it has many times, it felt good, and as he was sharing his thoughts with me, I felt so connected to him.

In fact, it was this conversation that made me realize that although everything is changing, more than it ever has in the previous 13-14 years (he speaks and walks like a man now and his physical “need” of us in many ways is way less — the emotional need I know is growing), the relationship life rings we’ve consciously created can or will stay, but it’s going to tug at me, asking me to find new ways to keep connecting with him…

The rings or branches may look or sway and act differently, but the connection is and will always be there. I know this intellectually, but emotionally, gosh, does it feel so different.

For the last year, I have been sharing with Josh that I was nervous…nervous that as Nolan got on in teenagehood (or life) that we might lose the special connection we’ve had for so long, but our conversation sitting here reminded me that though our connection will evolve (as anything does), that which has been found over and over again throughout a delicious relationship, can’t ever truly be lost.

Will it change and act like something new (or ask us as parents [and teen] to)? Yes.

Will it pull at my heartstrings and challenge the muscle memory I have of how things used to be and were for so, so long? Yes (it already has).

What I was also reminded of was that I have found such meaning in this relationship (it has taught me oodles about love and nurturing and about freedom and independence) — and maybe that’s what I’m scared to lose — not Nolan, but the meaning found in what it means to be a nurturer to a 0-14 year-old/pre high schooler (which is different than to a 14-28-year-old, for example).

I’m sitting in this inquiry ~ an interesting time of reflection and of finding new parts of me being stretched. I’m sure many of you can relate. 

In telling Nolan that I wanted to take a photo to remember our chat, in the most subtle way, I also committed to continuing to ‘find myself’ by finding out more about the new him by ~> allowing things to shift and change and grow and go.

I felt for the longest time this distinct connection and pride in being “his mama” (I still feel that), but it’s never been more clear or understood in more of my cells that he’s “my teacher” — mmhmm, that he is! 

Make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…enjoy your business, enjoy your life! 

Life is good,

Michelle Ghilotti
Success Designer, Brand Activator & Social Entrepreneur 

I did a brand accelerator a couple of weeks ago with female startups waiting to close on their funding…

One is changing the way women travel solo and the other disrupting the nail industry and the way technicians are educated — and treated (all in on their missions). 

A few reminders that came out of my mentoring sessions.

• Experiences, experiences, experiences. Create them and keep creating them for your ideal clientele. 
• There IS a way to make your business, for-profit or not-for-profit, both sexy and satisfying, for both you and your people (yes to making it modern & cool, but without meaning (?) and yes to meaning, but without understanding how it’s relevant to what’s happening today then (?).
• Feeling is the attraction field.

If you’d like to schedule a brand discovery call to share your goals or needs and learn how we can help you, feel free to simply reply to this email and we’ll get you scheduled!

Make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…enjoy your business, enjoy your life! 

Life is good,

Michelle Ghilotti
Success Designer, Brand Activator & Social Entrepreneur