I have always seen A Better You Life Coaching as a way to transition yourself to achieve a better balance in your life and a life you have dreamed of. The main question I am asked is, “Can you help me?” And my answer is always a loud HELL YES!
In life, I found that my greatest struggles produced extremely rewarding results. At a very young age (I was 20), I became my mother’s primary caregiver as she battled a very long hard fight against cancer. Years later, I would do the same for my brother. There is something very powerful that happens when you realize the comfort you provide from holding someone in your arms as they take their last breath and transition to what you hope is a peaceful place. I always found a way to put my family’s needs first and find a smile in doing so. This is where the connection to supporting young adults comes from when life gets heavy for them.
Moving on a few years in my early to mid-20s, I helped care for my brother’s son since he was not capable while battling his own addiction to drugs. Again, I faced this a second time as I supported another brother who faced divorce and could not function and be fully present for his kids. Till this day, the relationship is more than just an aunt who cared for her nephews. During this time, I married my high school sweetheart who always thought and acted a bit differently. However, at 16, certain mental health behaviors were not recognized.
It was thought of as just being young, wild and free. Eventually, things started to bubble up to the surface from his past and without professional help, he truly could not outrun his demons over the years. We shared many highs and lows–this is what it’s like living with someone who struggles with mental health. We began a family of our own starting with my first child who is truly a miracle baby, since he had to have surgery at only 3 days old and faced a long journey in the NICU. I learned at a very young age that you must keep transitioning roles in life. No matter what it took, I was going to get this premature baby through anything. He was a miracle boy and my most precious gift.
A few years later, I became pregnant again, a difficult pregnancy that ended in a stillbirth. Losing my daughter was a pain that was too difficult to bear. But I never fully got to mourn my daughter the way I should have because my husband at the time failed to think clearly and spiraled down. This was when his mental health came before anything I could ever feel because I had to now keep him whole. Thankfully, I was given an amazing opportunity, which was the birth of my second son. He was born through surrogacy before surrogacy was mainstream. My passion to support families comes from this experience.
Fast forward to years later when I’m in my 40’s. It was what I thought was a string of bad luck and hard times. Along with the pressure of caring for everyone, my then husband’s sinking business forced me to move to another state. This was following, and again, supporting another person’s needs over my own. No family, no friends, and my husband at the time continuously crashing in his own hell. This was when living with a diagnosed schizophrenic kicked into full gear.
Trying to navigate through many institutionalized hospitalizations, it was here when I learned no matter my will, I was unable to fix, change or help an unhealthy mind. When trying to support someone else, I lost myself in the process. With that, my marriage of 30 years ended. To me, it was a death in many ways and a gift in some. He walked out the door as a missing person and that was the end. I was starting over in my 50’s with nothing but another transition. Through it all, I created a new life script and pushed forward. As I often say, “In life I found that my greatest struggles have produced extremely rewarding results,” I couldn’t be more grateful to have the experience, knowledge and training to truly help others and find my true passion and purpose in life.
When I started A Better You Life Coaching, I wanted it to be based on the purpose that you will have the tools you need to inspire and support yourself to live your best life. By taking care of you, you now have the tools to take care of others. As a Certified Life Coach, I have more than 20 years of experience working in healthcare and family support as a mentor, private nanny, visiting home health aid, life coach, and transition coach. I have volunteered for hospice, the angel network and many youth organizations. I am a person of service.
Through it all, I hope to support and change the world one smile at a time. My mess is my message.
