Do you ever look at something and go "No freakin' way - I wouldn't pay that for THIS!"

Yeah, me too.

So anyway, there's this Hallmark actor I follow on Instagram, who has his own jewelry line, stuff he makes by hand! He posted a video on his account that was essentially a "Love Letter" to those who questioned the cost of his product. I thought it was genius. So onto my soapbox I climbed.

I am so passionate about value and worth, and if someone doesn't see the value and worth in YOU or something that you are creating, it means NOTHING about you or your product - it's simply a matter of what that particular person places value ON. And if they aren't on the same page in that regard - wish them well and send them on their way.

You should never dim your light or lower your cost to prove your worth and value. Because if you do, what message are you sending out into the world - and to yourself?

If this resonates with you, I want to know! AND..if you want to join the Hallmark Zoom, let me know that too!

Send me a DM @awakentheextraordinary on Instagram, or send me an email at [email protected]!

How do you know when you're taking inspired action?

For me, it's when my heart races, when I believe God is knocking on my heart and perhaps in His best Adele voice saying "Hello from the other side."

That happened to me right before I recorded this episode. I had plans to record an episode about women supporting other women, but then a thought popped into my head, a tapping on my heart was felt...and I was like "OK God - I get it. This is what I'll talk about."

The overall topic - seeking to understand versus judging someone who doesn't think the same way you do - that's fine. I'm comfortable discussing that.

But the details I share here - they're not comfortable for me. Because how I feel about certain things isn't what "most" seem to feel. And in publishing this episode, I feel pretty vulnerable and in some ways, pretty naked. Kinda like one of Britney Spears' recent posts on Instagram.

However, as someone who really tries to take inspired action - this is me doing just that in a BIG way. Stepping forward in faith, and sprinkling in some courage for good "juju."

I hope this inspires you. I hope it encourages you to be more open minded when it comes to those whose opinions and actions differ from your own. If we all sought to understand, instead of judging and jumping to conclusions....I think we'd all be better off.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one! Send me a DM @awakentheextraordinary on Instagram, or email me at [email protected].

On a scale of 1 - 10, where does your level of self-worth rate? And why?

I don't see my son interact with other children much. He's an only child, and the friends of mine who have kids 1. I never actually see (even if we do live 10 minutes from each other) and/or 2. Their kids are much older.

So when I do things with my son, like go the playground, I pay attention to him and how he interacts with other kids. It's really interesting to me, and I watch more from a sense of curiosity than anything else, but I do want to ensure that he's treating others with respect, and vice versa.

On a recent trip to the playground, my son was playing with a couple of kids and as a result of those interactions, I felt like there were a couple of things that came up which prompted a "Life Lesson Conversation."

So the "Life Lesson Convo" we had that day was about self-worth, and how his value as a human being is not determined by someone else - it's determined by him, and him alone.

Let's be honest - so many of us determine our value based on how others perceive us. But really - I feel like that's total crap. When did we decide that what others think about us is more important than what we think of ourselves?

And I get it - you may be thinking "why are you even talking about this with your toddler?" But from what I have learned, this is the most crucial time - when children really start developing their understanding of themselves and the world around them. So really - I don't believe that there is a better time to start telling my kid how awesome he is, and that how he feels about himself is what matters most.

When I look back at my childhood, I wished my parents had done this for me.

I invite you to listen as I share this experience with you. If it resonates, please let me know! You can share and tag me in your post, forward it to a friend, or send me a DM @awakentheextraordinary on Instagram!

Happy 2022 Friends!

So tell me - do you sit and truly reflect on the previous year when you're heading out to a party, or maybe deciding which pajamas to wear to the living room? Or do you just think "Yeah, it sucked and there are some things I wish had gone differently, but there's always next year!"

And then to add insult to injury, especially these last couple of years, think "Well, this year wasn't much better than the last, so this is just life and all I can do is make the best of it."

Okay - I'm gonna pull a Cher in Moonstruck here, and tell you to "Snap Out Of It!" (For bonus points, you can smack yourself on the head!)

Not giving much thought to your past year and/or thinking about what you'd like to happen this next year probably isn't going to set you up for success. And I'm not going to get all preachy and corporate/SMART goals on your booty, but giving some thought as to what brought you joy, what lessons you learned, what you want to carry over to 2022, what kind of life you REALLY want...that's where the magic lies.

Join me as I walk (or stumble slightly) through my own Year in Review. Remember, you are a co-creator in designing your life. Why shouldn't it be epic and amazing?

Send me a DM @awakentheextraordinary on Instagram, or an email to [email protected], and tell me one thing you're making happen in 2022!

Merry Christmas Friends!

As promised, here's a special holiday message and the story BEHIND the story of "Rudolph!"

I hope you enjoy, and have a wonderful, magical day!

So I promised you an episode about "Rudolph" - and I had to follow through.

Yes, I am talking about the "Rudolph" show that many of us watched as children back in the day, the same special that airs now, that many of us probably force our kids to watch (or is it just me?) under the guise of US really wanting to watch it and re-live some of that childhood nostalgia.

As a kid, I got that Rudolph was kind of an outcast, as was Hermey (FYI - NOT Herbie). But I didn't fully understand the deeper layers until I watched it as an adult and had the realization - "Damn. These reindeer, elves and Santa kinda suck!"

So...if you're driving to the store to get some last-minute Christmas shopping done, I invite you to join me as I journey north to Christmas Town and share my thoughts about our favorite red-nosed reindeer, and the rest of the gang.

And don't worry - if you don't listen, I won't ask Santa to add you to the "Naughty List."

I know - you're looking at the title and probably saying to yourself "OK - first she talks about Candace Cameron Bure's curling wand, and now she's getting all deep about 'Elf?'"

My answer: Yes.

I have watched that movie many times. MANY times. And it is the same one you know and love - the Elf that really wasn't one in the physical sense, who journeyed to New York to learn that his biological father was a bit of a curmudgeon (how often do we get to use THAT word?), the guy who could probably pitch a no-hitter game if snowballs were used instead of baseballs - THAT "Elf."

I was watching it a couple weeks ago with my son, and in the climactic scene where they're trying to get Santa's sleigh off the ground, I was suddenly overcome with emotion as I watched the sleigh soar into the sky, and saw people come together to create something that was truly magical.

I gave a lot of thought as to why it impacted me so greatly, and decided to share those thoughts with you here (you're welcome, by the way).

So grab a plate of spaghetti, a big bottle of syrup, get nice and cozy, and maybe a little toasty, and give this one a listen. Because if you don't, you're nothing but a Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins.

Oh - and if you want to tell me that I sit on a throne of lies, or think I probably smell like beef and cheese (even though I'm vegetarian), send me a DM @awakentheextraordinary on Instagram, or email me at [email protected].

How do you feel about the holidays? Do you like the idea of the holidays more than the actual celebrating of the holiday itself?

I feel like many of us get so stressed out during the holiday season, and all of that stress kinda takes away from those warm fuzzies that many of us want to have about this time of year!

So tell me - does what I just said have you going "yeah - that doesn't make any sense?" Because if it does, and you totally think that it doesn't make any sense, then I am right there with you!

Many of us believe that the holidays are supposed to be a fun, joyful time! How can it be fun and joyful when we're freaking out about creating the perfect holiday card, and getting the perfect gifts, and decorating the perfect tree and baking the perfect cookies and hosting the perfect dinner with perfect place settings...well, you see where I'm going with this (I hope).

What if, in spite of what we've done in previous years, we decided this year was going to be different? What if we decided that instead of choosing to make our lives harder this holiday season, we decided to just "let things be easy?"

What if we started thinking about why we are so stressed out, doing things we maybe don't love doing, and had the courage to make different choices, ones that feel aligned with who we are, and what we want for ourselves and our families?

If the holidays are overwhelming you, and you feel like keeping some spiked eggnog readily available in your bag, then I invite you to take a listen as you eye that Christmas list you maybe haven't even gotten started on. And if that IS you - that's OK!

By the way, if you are wondering what to put in my stocking, send me a DM on Instagram @awakentheextraordinary,or email me at [email protected]!

The holiday season is in full force now, and sure - we all love it because well...Santa, Christmas music (Mariah Carey's totally thawed out and dancing her way through everyone's speakers and headphones as I type), good food, sweet treats, merry cocktails, beloved Christmas movies, and the goodwill towards men and all those feel-good vibes.

"Do-Gooding" is of the utmost importance this time of year, and kindness towards others is encouraged pretty much everywhere.

But here's my question - why is there a season...really....one month out of twelve...when kindness towards others is highlighted? So many of us love the holiday season for this reason - so why can't we "make it happen" (FYI - Mariah Carey song right there) and make it a focus for the entire year?

Look at our world, people. Kindness is lacking. So is compassion, love, a desire to understand....I could go on and on, but I don't feel like typing that much, nor do I want to focus on the negative.

Kindness has magical powers. It doesn't require money or a certain social status. Kindness requires a good heart, and a commitment to making the world a more loving place.

If you're looking for a few fun ideas to help you get those creative juices flowing, give this one a listen, and I'll give you a freebie, just for fun:

• Bake some cookies, and drop them off to a business you frequent to show your appreciation

If you decide to put some kindness into action, please share it on Instagram and tag me @awakentheextraordinary. If there's something kindness-oriented I can help you with, email me at [email protected].

The world needs more kindness. Why can't it start with us?

How do you feel about taking risks when your intuition is telling you to be like Nike (or Shia LaBeouf) and "just do it?"

You've been getting all the signs pointing you in a certain direction, telling you do to something - DO you "do it?"

Recently, I DID. I did something that was so huge for me - and it was all pretty much based on faith and taking inspired action. And let me say - approaching things this way is SO different from how I typically function.

But you know what? It felt GOOD. It felt damn good!! And I felt like an empowered badass doing it, and even more empowered and badass-y (is that even a word?) afterwards.

So often, we lack the courage to take a risk and step forward in faith because we wonder "What if it doesn't work out?" But here's my question to you - what if it DOES? And what if it doesn't work out the way you want it to, but that's only because it's going to work out BETTER?!

Having faith can be hard. I get it. But if taking a risk helps you live the life you want to live - that you KNOW you are MEANT to live - isn't it worth it?

If you've taken a risk recently, I want to hear about it! Send me a DM on Instagram @awakentheextraordinary, or email me at [email protected].