#018- We're back with part 2 of our devotional series (spiritual content). Let's talk another aspect that makes "breaking up" hard.

When we leave things behind (a mistake, a position, a relationship, etc) we're leaving what feels familiar & secure. It doesn't matter if it's killing us slowly...we "know" it, so we commit.

The thing is, when God now asks us to leave that behind & commit to his path/promises instead, it takes a strong person to do it the 1st time. And often, I am not her. When we miss that chance, ugh...nothing hurts more. But what if I told you we need help to not miss our shot? We need teachers. Well, class is in session and thee Teacher is in the room, in our camp, & on our path, walking ahead of, with, & behind us. We're in good hands:) 

#017- Welcome to the Breaking Camp Devotional Series--where we'll discuss various hardships we may experience when we're breaking up with mistakes, yes... but honestly, when breaking up with anything or anyone. Maybe you're good at closing certain chapters but I assure you, if you're human, you will find that one "ending" that simply hurts and feels like a struggle to let go of.

I think this first part of the series is for us who are struggling, wrestling even, with God. Struggling to obey, struggling to trust, struggling to believe, struggling with his BIG ASKS, struggling with our BIG WILL TO FIGHT. 

What I'm certain we will discover is...He understands. And He loves a fighter:) 

Let's go forward.

#016- You ever make a mistake? Well, let's go back in time to a not-so-fun moment in my life--the time a mistake cost me $30k. That's right...you read that correctly. Not $30, not $300, but 30,000 big ones. And if you think that's the biggest shocker, you're wrong. Because the circumstances around why I lose it are truly what make this moment painful. 

What did I do with that pain? Though that's a great question, I think the more appropriate one is, what did I allow the pain to do with me? A lot. And none of it helped. What did help, was me remembering that I have a say in whether or not pain defines & shapes my life. Mistakes are inevitable & can be costly, but moving on from them...priceless! 

Let's break up!! With our mistakes, of course:) 

#015- We're baaaacccckkkk! In this kickoff, I take us on a bit of an emotional (& spiritual) journey. This episode is a great representation of what to expect from Season Two: Transparency & Healing. I'm not sure why, but...it's time.  

Our last episode was June 2024 (cringe). You'll get a great sense of what life was like from then til now. 

Let's catch up, laugh, cry, but most importantly, let's learn the strategy that moved me FORWARD. 

My goal is to encourage someone who feels incapable of doing the work to progress. I've been there. Barely outta "there". And I've got you. 

#014- We continue our conversation with the captivating, multi-skilled, and resilient Dr. Johanne Louis. Here's what you walk away with in this episode: A literal mentorship session on how to navigate the following...

Career: She shares what versatility a nursing career offers! Plus gives a great lesson on comparison, no matter your field. 

Setbacks: She provides her very own acronym for staying adaptable- R.A.C.E.

Love: "try, try, try...NEXT!" haha. You've got to tune in for that one:) 

We also talk Boundaries, Parenting/Legacy, Wisdom in Friendship, plus Service/Purpose (via her foundation, the Dr. Johanne Louis Foundation aka JLF).

She did & does it all...unplanned. And what's wrong with that?! #insider.

Tune in!

#013- Adaptability: The ability to adjust and respond quickly to changing factors, conditions or environments. Today, Dr. Johanne teaches a master class in it. Born & raised in Haiti surrounded by family and security, her life changes when she moves to the United States at the age of 6 to join her mother (someone she had no recollection of) & a father who seems quite indifferent towards her (for reasons she eventually begins to understand). If learning a new language and culture aren't enough, she encounters not one but two predatory men who take advantage of her and set her on a path of manipulation, indoctrination, and an unfulfilled desire for validation & love.  Her story of origin takes you on an emotional rollercoaster--that's for sure. But the final destination is one of triumph.

If you so choose, take a listen to the how her adaptable spirit leads her to respond to what life had become, in order to make life what it was supposed to be. Her story lends other victims a voice; and it lends all listeners strength & strategy. Tune in. 

#012- We've all heard the famous Benjamin Franklin quote: "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!" I think we all even understand his point--that achieving success requires a plan. But do we understand what our plan must include?

In this episode, we use the G.O.O.D. Model for goal setting to explore the true and scientifically-supported thought that success requires not only visualization of what you desire (your goal) but also an understanding of the challenges you may face (amongst other things) in order to formulate a plan to navigate those obstacles and win. Now that's good:) Tune in!

#011- It's Spring time!! Season changes are great indications of shifts. Clearing out the old. Making room for the new. It sounds great but it's actually quite the task. A task that requires (you guessed it) self-leadership, but also, per our lovely guest, bravery:) Did you know there's a correlation between being organized and being successful? Organization forces you to set goals, keep time limits, complete projects, and overall be productive. Did you also know that before we can organize we need to acknowledge a very important step? We need to sort: Sort our homes. Sort our mess. Sort our lives.

In this episode, The Simple Sorter helps us get granular with pain points in the home. We go room by room--roadblock by roadblock. She's a professional with the heart and expertise (30+ years worth) to help us tackle the hard things. The Simple Sorter says in the home and in life, "it always seems impossible until it's done". Truth!

#010- Weight...a word that represents our physical mass as well as the burdens we bear in all aspects of life. We can all think of a moment in time when we simply got used to carrying around excess. And boy was (or is) it heavy. 

In this episode, we speak with husband, father, teacher & fitness/nutrition enthusiast, John Groce. He's no stranger to the impact food addiction can have on your life. He also knows a thing or two about setbacks. By finding synergy between his physical, mental, & spiritual health, he managed to drop pounds in more ways than one and instead pack on confidence & connection. If you're looking to fall in love with a better version of you, this one's for you! In the words of John, "weight ain't nothing but a number"! He embraced these truths and guess what, he's not "heavy" any more!!!

#009- In the conversation of setbacks, it takes honesty to accept that at times we're set back in life solely because we're unorganized. Whether it's our lack of preparation, or unorganized closets; our cluttered drawers or our never ending lists of tedious tasks--We can quite literally find ourselves drowning in a sea of chaos. But (and there's always a but)... what if we could be coached into better habits and shown HOW to optimize our lives with organization? 

In this episode, we sit with Janet Bernstein--owner & CPO of The Organizing Professionals. She's a certified  professional organizer who is "transforming lives through [her] passion for organization". And she's not alone--there's a whole team on her roster! Let's explore in order to give the best version of ourselves to our priorities. Life can be grand with a little organization:)