The Alimond Show

Jackie "The Freedom Mentor" - From Corporate Departure to Empowered Living: Exploring Life on the Road, Building Women's Communities, and Manifesting Authentic Freedom

Alimond Studio

After being unexpectedly fired from her long-standing corporate role, Coach Jackie, known as the Freedom Mentor, embarked on a journey that would redefine her life. Join us as Jackie recounts how she transitioned from a conventional career to living full-time in an RV, embracing a life of exploration and limitless potential. Her story is a testament to the power of stepping out of your comfort zone, and her experiences will inspire anyone who dreams of designing a life filled with adventure and freedom.

With a passion for empowering women, Jackie shares insights into her coaching practice and the Women's Empowerment Movement, a community she’s built to support personal growth and transformation. Through engaging workshops and transformative retreats, Jackie offers women a safe haven to pursue their goals with confidence. We explore how her coaching extends beyond career shifts to helping individuals leave unfulfilling relationships, fostering a mindset of self-worth and future visioning.

Envisioning a million-dollar membership community, Jackie opens up about her aspirations and the importance of creating spaces of healing and connection. From discussing her dream of a home in the Northeast to sharing stories of her entrepreneurial journey, Jackie emphasizes living authentically and recognizing our inherent worth. Her experiences, including an exciting book project, illustrate a journey of moving from merely surviving to truly thriving, reminding us all to embrace our true selves and the freedom we deserve.

Speaker 1:

I'm Coach Jackie. I call myself the Freedom Mentor. I'm at Jackie Cote Coaching. I've owned that for about five years and I am so, so passionate about helping women awaken, empower and own who they are unapologetically in the world and just show up where they just own that next adventure in their life. And, as you guys might have known, but like, I'm a full-time nomad and I love adventure throughout my life. But that's not the only way to have a freedom life. You can do it any way you desire. But I've chosen to kind of live full-time with my husband and my dogs around the country and, uh, left my job five years ago and created this business so that I could have the freedom to do what I want. So now I'm really passionate about helping women create that freedom life they desire, whatever that is, whatever that is that is, through one-on-one coaching, group coaching, masterminds, retreats and memberships.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I love that. I think that is so fantastic and really different from the norm, which I think is kind of hard sometimes for some people. I'd like to know a little bit of a background about yourself, your story, how you got into this. I know you took the unconventional route after you graduated from college. You weren't ready to commit to the workforce, so you just did your thing. You became a little nomad and were traveling everywhere, and now you are this coach and can offer all of this advice. So could you give me a background on how that began? Definitely.

Speaker 1:

So I actually come from like you said. I went to college for four years, went home for a year and tried to do the good thing, the get a job and all that stuff. And I tried to teach for a year and bless the teacher, god bless the teachers because I with one year I knew I couldn't do it long term and then I just jumped and I started traveling with friends and got caught up in the restaurant industry. Well, in the restaurant industry I ended up doing for 30 years and I ended up being in a management position the entire time in a leadership management role, and I just had this passion I found to like take somebody who maybe just is their first job ever and they come in at $8 an hour and then within a year they're running their own restaurant, they're making more money, they have more time freedom. They're making more money, they have more time freedom, they're changing their families' lives. And so I just had this passion for just mentoring and coaching and helping people get to that next level and I promoted like 300-plus people in multiple companies like Starbucks and Outback and Potbelly and Kava some really common names in Virginia. Right, loved it. And then the challenge was that, like you still have a limit to your time freedom, a limit to how much money you can make. You know when you and jobs are amazing and I wanted a little more. I want to break free. I was able to create it within that career More time freedom, money freedom. I travel the country for different companies, but there's still something missing. And thank God I say the best day of my life was the day I got fired from the last job, and I know that sounds crazy, because it's like the best day of your life. Well, the last two years I pulled myself out of operations and into the corporate office and I don't know if anybody who's listening has been in the restaurant industry. Oh, my gosh, if you put yourself in the corporate office, you're like a cat in a cage, like an animal in a cage. You're like I need to be with people. Well then they started putting me in and opening restaurants and creating materials and I just wasn't you know that trying to fit the circle into the square. You know you're like forcing it and you're trying to make it happen. But you know what? I'm a hard worker, dedicated. I'm going to make it work, and that was two years of that, and, almost to the point, the last six months I'd be driving up.

Speaker 1:

I drove to DC from Manassas and Northern Virginia traffic. I don't miss it, I'll tell you that much. So when it comes to getting there in the community. I got to the garage, I get in there and I go up the stairs and they called me into an office for a surprise meeting. And they walked and they said you know we're gonna be letting you go today. And this of said you know we're going to be letting you go today. And this I was. Of course you know you're losing your income, your benefits. And I was like relieved.

Speaker 1:

It was very strange. At first I was shocked and they walked me to my desk. I packed my stuff up like you're a criminal, you know. You put all your stuff in there like you got to go. And I'm like okay, I didn't really do anything wrong. What's going on? And I started to feel upset. But then, when I got to the garage, I sat in my car and I was like I'm free. I'm like free.

Speaker 1:

And I luckily had met the coaching industry two months earlier and I don't know about you, but coaching was so new to me I only knew football coach, soccer coach, you know that kind health coach. But I wasn't ready, like to jump all in two months later. And then when I got fired I was like, uh, do I go get my get a job, do the responsible thing or do I bet on myself? And I did the responsible thing, I applied and I got job. And I got I got three offers. I said no. And I said no again and I'm like are you crazy? You have a mortgage, you have all these things.

Speaker 1:

To make a long story short, on the third interview, a gentleman that I knew from a previous company was the interviewer for this company and he just said what do you really want to do? And to have somebody ask you that question? He knew me. He's like I don't need to interview you, I'll hire you in a heartbeat. And I started telling him. I was like I saw a possibility when I met coaching. I saw this opportunity to take everything I was really good at and put into my own business.

Speaker 1:

And it was eating at me. I was like but I really want to do it, but I'm not ready. He said well, what do you mean? You're not ready? He's like tell me how much money you have saved. What's your financial situation, which is really weird in an interview. Right yeah, you shouldn't be like why are you asking my finances? This is not weird, this is. But he said, okay, he's like you have enough to live for a year. And I'd already planned on selling my house and moving to another location to lessen my expenses, because I knew it's what I wanted to do, but I didn't want to do it right away. He said try it for a year and come back to me. You know, in that moment he gave me permission, and how often do we? Never we don't give ourselves permission to do the things we love, right? So he gave me permission and I was like he's right. So I never interviewed again and today I've got my business, five years later.

Speaker 2:

That is incredible. I love that story. Tell me how the RV life is like. Like, what's that like?

Speaker 1:

How did we end up there.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that sounds so fun.

Speaker 1:

It is. So we lived in Northern Virginia and then when that all happened, we moved down to Lake Anna area, so kind of in the middle of nowhere, built my business and from, from the country, as I call it, and he has. My husband has four kids and we weren't married at the time but he was like, when the last kids done, we're out of here, like out of Virginia, and I was like, okay, we both had lived in Virginia, like with our previous partners, for many, many years. And so we started, like before COVID, we were like looking at international travel. We went to Ireland once and we're like, okay, we'll do this. And we had the vision board. You know, you've got all the Greece and Italy and all the things.

Speaker 1:

And then COVID hit and we're like, but I'm not stopping my dreams, so you pivot. And so we decided like, well, let's look what's other options. We looked at tiny homes, we looked at RVs and we started looking at rv like shows, because they were open, because they were considered places, um, that were people needed homes, right, and so we go and then we start watching rv america, that series don't watch it. If you want an rv, don't watch it, because you will get one, because you're like, oh, I like that part of the rv, and I like that part of the rv, and I like that part of the rv. So we started figuring out what we liked and then one day the the youngest said I'm gonna go in the marines. And we're like, done.

Speaker 1:

So we knew it six months. We had the rv, we bought it, put it in and then, um, that was june. Uh, three years ago in june, so full-time travel in the country. I always say you know, you love somebody and you're with the right partner if you can live in a cardboard box and travel the country, yeah, with two big dogs. So, um, we love it and I don't know when we're going to end it. We just we enjoy. We've been all up and down. We live in colorado currently and, um, so we just love the freedom of it.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, absolutely I'm sure, from being in like a cubicle to like this freedom. I'm sure it's like yeah, yeah, and he worked retail and he's like thank god all right, and I would like to ask you like what kind of coaching do you help people with? Tell me, tell me that.

Speaker 1:

So it's so funny what I do. It's hard to explain. I'll give you an analogy. Imagine you're sitting in this like you've built this amazing life right, you've got this house, the cars, whatever it is, and you're sitting in it and the sunshine's shining outside and the birds are chirping, and you're looking outside that door and you can't walk through it. You're kind of stuck like in there and you're like there's more and there's more out there, but I can't quite go through it. And that's where I come in. I sit by your side and I go okay, do you want to go first? Do you want me to take the first step with you and we walk out that door to that next adventure, whether it's, you know, the new relationship, whether it's the new job.

Speaker 1:

A lot of times people end up quitting their job. I say people quit things when they're with me, whether it's relationships that don't work out or or jobs. But it's like what is that next adventure, next thing that you desire to step into? And I help you do that. I can see what you cannot see. I hold that gift of belief up for you till you get there, and then I keep raising the bar every time you get there, and I do this with my other employees. They'd be like I just did all this work to get here. Why are you making me go further? I was like because you're worth more, you're worthy of it all.

Speaker 2:

So no, I love it. That's a great analogy and I love that you said like people quit things when they're with me.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, my clients laugh. They're like you make people cry, you make them quit things and you lower their expectations and I was like I don't know if that's a good marketing tool, but okay, but it really comes from. You know, what I discovered when I started my journey is I didn't realize how much I had to release and heal on the inside. And it's the inner work that is the biggest part of my job, is what I do, the work that I do. It's like it's helping you, like that gift of belief helps you see what's possible.

Speaker 1:

We live in this predictable world and it's like the everyday, mundane, but it's like what else is possible. And then, when we see what's possible, we got to empower what it is that's holding us back. There's going to be these limiting beliefs that are holding us back and we have to empower the fact that, like we get to change the story, we get to rewire the neural pathway and then it's like own the heck out of who you are. You know, once you discover those things, own that you are the person who is a little too much, a little too emotional. Like, those are your gifts. Utilize those gifts and bring them to the world and shine a light on them and create what it is that you desire.

Speaker 2:

I love that. Well said, I know you have some masterclasses. Talk to me about those and where can people find them and what it can help them with.

Speaker 1:

So I have this passion project. I call it my Women Empowerment Movement and it's this project where it's a membership, and I just started in June. This past year if you're hearing this in 2024, has been quite the year of challenges, with family, helping family out and helping different parts like my dad, my mom, my stepdaughter, all sorts of stuff, and it was very much of a growing year for me. That made me realize my impact is too small. It's time to to broaden that impact, and so I created this low ticket membership that anybody can get in for 55 a month. We meet weekly and I one of my clients in the groups calls it you charge my battery every week so that I can actually do what it is. That like I'm I, I'm meant to be doing, and uh, and that just like warmed my heart. It's like I want to be your battery charger.

Speaker 1:

But anyway, the and we meet and we talk about goals. We talk about intentional goal setting, which is so different than corporate America goals. We do celebrations, because as women we do not celebrate ourself enough, you know, and so we push that. And then there's workshops around mindset and strategy, and the last part is where we step into our vision of what we desire. So, whatever you desire, like a year from now, we talk about it from a done place, and this membership is every Tuesday night at 7.30 pm, east Coast time. And what I love about it it's that it's just women from, whether you have jobs, whether you have businesses, whatever, they're a stay-at-home mom. Everybody has a dream that there's more. Everybody desires a little bit more to go for in their lives and knows that they can really like go to that next level. But they're like, how, Like you need someone by your side to do it. Yeah, and I created that because that is something that like doesn't hold anybody back financially, you know, and move that forward. And then from there, people have joined my retreats. So I have two retreats a year. Yeah, those are the juicy things Two retreats a year.

Speaker 1:

And I love to involve the beaches and like in the spring, so we have Outer Banks in April and then the mountains. So we're going to be in upstate New York on the lake. So I love water, because water is very healing and calming, and they're called the freedom adventure retreat. So we, you step in, you're going to step out a freer woman than you've ever felt in your life and and it's this four-day container. I've watched women like release things that they have never told a single soul and completely shift their life after four days.

Speaker 1:

And I it blows my own mind like I'm like, how did that happen? I know, I'm glad I was a catalyst for that, but how that happened. And I just trust, I have to trust that exactly what's meant to happen will happen. So when they walk in these retreats, we go on excursions to challenge them, whether it's parasailing, whether it's four wheeling and like with the, with the horses on the beach, whether it's whatever, we do something to get them out of their comfort zones. And then we do spa treatments, things that they say it's like, oh, I can't do that, I shouldn't do that. No, yes, you should Like, yes, you should. That's a non negotiable. That is not like. That's a non negotiable. So helping women see that like they're worthy of the life they truly desire. And I get my chef and I have a chef that travels with me and stuff, so it's super fun love it.

Speaker 2:

No, you certainly love your job, for sure yeah, I love it? Um, talk to me about marketing and how you're getting your name out there, and about the all the events that you're holding with the retreats and your workshops. Are you posting about it on socials? Are you making youtube videos? Is it more word of mouth? Are you at events? Talk to me about how you're a little bit of all.

Speaker 1:

But you know, honestly, it started it's funny that I'm doing this interview with you guys in Leesburg because it started in Northern Virginia. And back when that happened, when I lost, when I got let go from my job and I decided I didn't move down to the country but every networking group was in Northern Virginia. So I drew 15,000 miles that first year networking and going in person and speaking for groups, and I didn't matter, like I didn't know what I was doing, but I was like let's just throw a whole bunch of spaghetti on the wall and see what happens, right, and so so see what sticks, and after, just really like now, my core, just a core group of women that I've met in Northern Virginia, just some of my best friends ever, and I miss them dearly. So whenever I'm in Virginia, we create events to hang out. But it was, it was, it was speaking, it was networking and really creating relationships as a foundation of any business, like really creating a bond with people that they might not be your client but you never know who they know, and so meeting people and become creating relationships and not just this like know who they know and so meeting people and become creating relationships and not just this like here's my card, here's my card. And then podcasts. Then the next few years was podcasts, was some doing summits. I just love I mean obviously, sharing the energy and sharing what it is.

Speaker 1:

And now, and social media. And it's so interesting because I had so many people have a love hate relationship with social media. Right, they're like I hate it. I don't do it. I look at Facebook as my jam and I'm on the other platforms, but Facebook became this place for me to create a digital diary of my like, so everything. If you come be friends with me on Facebook, come follow me on Facebook, because literally I had a friend yesterday who's known me for five years. She was a client when I first met her and I know we're good friends now and she said, jackie, she's like, you are the exact same person you were five years ago, like and exactly who you portray on Facebook. I'm like I don't know how to be anything else but me, because I love me and I want everybody to feel the same way.

Speaker 1:

And so Digital Diaries like you'll see my travels. I used to do this. Coach Jackie's in the house and call me and I'll be on the road for eight hours while we're driving the RV to another state and we do all this fun stuff. But and it's personal, it's professional, it's just it's letting people trust and like you and get to know you. So that's what I take Facebook and it just happens to channel through me. It's not hard work either, if you just let it be, where it's like I'm just telling my best friend a story, yeah, you know. But we get in our head that it's like what do I look like and what do I?

Speaker 1:

sound like, or they're going to think I'm dumb and I'm like they're not thinking about you. Let me just tell you they ain't thinking about you, they got their own lives to think about. Yeah, no-transcript. I, I faked it till I made it kind of thing. You know, happy jackie was on the forefront and then the um, but behind the scenes I I was afraid to be alone with myself because of my own childhood trauma of like mom passing away when I was five, dad raising the family with like a big construction company thing he was running and and we just it was me figuring it out, you know and so being alone meant like there was no one there like to love. So I was like I gotta keep it busy, I gotta. And it was just a fake version and and I didn't.

Speaker 1:

And I remember someone said let's do some mirror work. She's like look in the mirror and tell yourself you love you. And I was like I love you, I love you, and I couldn't look in the mirror at my own eyes. And then finally, when I did, I just burst into tears and I suggest anybody to do that. I know it sounds corny, but try it and you'll see you will avoid yourself until you connect. And when you connect you will cry Dang.

Speaker 2:

That sounds kind of scary, but also like you need to do it. It's powerful. You need to yeah.

Speaker 1:

Because you need to see like what it is that I mean God, universe, whatever you believe in. Like you were created, perfect, yeah. And so let's get back to how we felt about ourselves when we were first born ourselves when we were first born, love that message, so thanks for sharing that.

Speaker 1:

It's very vulnerable they're looking in all the mirrors and then being like, okay, oh gosh, girl, I was like avoidance central and that kicked off the I love you, um, helping myself, love myself. And it's just so important to and and don't get me wrong, I still have my moments and we have our part of life, our things. We're human, right, we're living this human experience. So I but it when we can get to that place where we just own who we are, unapologetically, and just love on the fact that, like, whether it's your body, whether it's your, your person, that like whatever it is, just just own it.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, absolutely. I love that. On that note, I would like to ask where you see yourself in the next five years, like with yourself as a person and with your business.

Speaker 1:

That's a great question. I love helping people create their vision and the moment I get to mine, I'm like, hmm, no, it's okay, now that I have and I have my one-on-one coaching and I have my I run like small groups that this, this membership, I visualize it as a million dollar membership where I'm spawn, I'm popping off live events off of it, where women and I bring folks like yourself up on stage to speak their mission, to speak there and shine their power and just create those those places where people get to heal, connect, own who they are but shine their light. And I just have like, like I see this wherever, everywhere.

Speaker 1:

But personally I have this vision of my house in upstate, the Northeast, on the lake, with the mountain view, with the snow falling and the grandkids coming, and I like, every time I do a meditation, I'm like there's the house, there's the property We've, I think we think we want to do an RV park too. So we see ourselves like buying property, putting the RV park and having this house and then having like a like places where the kids because he's got four kids and we have three grandkids and I can't believe. I'm saying that because I went from no kids to grandma. Grandma, like easy, no in between, no in between. But yeah, I see, I see lots of my personal life just getting even juicier and then, of course, helping other women shine in their power I love that.

Speaker 2:

I love that you've given it. Thought yeah definitely. You see the vision quite well and manifesting it, so let's put it out there. Yeah, that's incredible. I hope that you're able to achieve that.

Speaker 1:

I have no doubts that no, it's done, yeah, it's done it's done like set, and so love it.

Speaker 2:

I'd like to ask if I've touched on everything. I want to make sure that, while you're here, that we touch on everything. So, whether it's about yourself or your business, is there anything you would like to share with our listeners?

Speaker 1:

Well, first of all, I have to say you ask great questions, so thank you, great job. I would just say that you know, if you're feeling this desire for more, don't hold back. It's time for you to step into and it's not as scary as you think it is like. Get the support everyone. You can't do this alone. I tried to do it alone for 40 plus years and the support systems there's a lot out there, whether it's someone like me, whether it's whatever it is. But don't try to do this alone. It's not. You need the support. But then also, like, you get to have the life that you desire and just quiet the noise. There's so much noise out there that's holding you back. Quiet the noise, get back to you and trust yourself. Trust is a huge one this year. Trust and surrender. Oh yeah, trust and surrender.

Speaker 1:

And if you want, if you want to know more about me, come on to Facebook. Facebook happens to be my jam. And then Jackie Cote. Coachingcom is my website. All my podcasts are on there. You can come check out this one when it comes out. All the different ones. Um, but honestly, like let's just, let's be friends. That just sounds so funny, sounds like so high school let's just be friends.

Speaker 2:

No, I love that. That's so friendly and like it's such an approachable way to get people to be like come on, like she seems friendly, I don't be a friend. I want that energy, I want to be around her well it, it's funny.

Speaker 1:

This was earlier. You said why do people? Why do clients join working with me? It's, they can't put their finger on it, except the energy. They're like I just wanted more of that. And I'm like, well, could you tell me what I do? You know joking around with them. You're just you. They're like no, be ourselves and believe that we can do anything yeah.

Speaker 2:

That is an incredible superpower that you have there, because you're like what did I do? You're just me, I'm just me.

Speaker 1:

Well, and I had an Akashic reader one time told me because I was like I never knew anything about any of the woo-woo stuff I was not a woo-woo girl five years ago, nope and someone's like, well, try it. My coach bought me a gift and she said to me and I'll never forget it, she goes, all you need to do is walk in the room. And I said yeah, and what do I need to do? She's like nothing. And I was like that's cocky. I can't just walk in a room and do nothing. I got to do something designed to just walk in and everybody's everybody's life will change. And I was like, well, that's, I don't whatever. That was like three years ago.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, fast forward, I promised I'd observe. I was like, well, I'll observe rooms that I run, I'll observe the things that I do. And she was spot on. And the first retreat I ever did was where I was like I asked one question like 18 women never knew each other in a room and I asked them one one question and I literally said nothing else and people were sharing things they hadn't shared in their entire life Loss of a child, abuse, like really deep stuff and I was sitting there. I was petrified at first. I was like oh my gosh, how can I hold this?

Speaker 1:

And I was like I remember what she said. I'm like just hold it, like that's what you're here for to create a safe space for women to just be who they are and just trust. So I sat there and I was like, watching, watching, and everybody started supporting each other and helping each other and I was like this is what she meant. This is what she meant. Yeah, all I have to do is halt the space.

Speaker 2:

It hit you.

Speaker 1:

I was like, whew, okay, I can say that legitimately now, but I was like at first I was like I got to do because we're in the do right, yeah, I got to do something, do something and we forget how to be. Yes, and I didn't understand the being piece until I came into this development journey and being is more important than the strategy and the doing, because if you don't understand how to just be you and trust you and really like know that, you know the how's going to show up and the when's going to show up, you're going to burn out, you're never going to complete what you're doing. Like because the doing is only one part, because we're taught in a society to do to have. We get a job, we work, we make money. Well, I gotta tell you, when you become an entrepreneur and you step into doing something that's outside of that, you gotta learn how to believe before you're going to achieve and you gotta be willing to receive.

Speaker 1:

And that part there is the being. Yeah, and if you don't know how, like so that was a big awakening for me five years ago. I was like what?

Speaker 2:

there's another part to this what I thought I would just do.

Speaker 1:

I gotta believe too yeah, wait a second, because I, I and that's a big shift when I work with folks who are employees to entrepreneurs.

Speaker 2:

That's a big shift in the mindset of like it's a totally different mindset to be an entrepreneur than an employee yeah, no, I'm sure, and I I would also like to say that I've mentioned, like throughout your journey and your story. It's there's kind of like a thread and it I feel like that word is unconventional. Like you, your, your way of doing things is not like we're so used to as a society, like, okay, go to school, high school and then college and then go straight into work.

Speaker 2:

You don't have another choice to think about another option or anything else in life or once you get your job, it can't be something that's fun, it has to be something that is just gonna pay the responsible thing the responsible thing. So I have noticed that about you and I I like that you are a supportive figure or person that can help people attain those dreams that maybe think that aren't possible unconventional is one of my favorite words. So thank you. So you have a feeling it is.

Speaker 1:

It's one of my because we just get like again. We get so stuck in that predictable, conventional, like the safe, and that's okay, because safe is what we know, like our brain knows what's safe, even if it's not great for us, you know, we stay in the. We stay in that place because the brain's like nope, nope, new change, nope, that's like a bear chasing me Right and and as soon as you dive into, you start to see and that's why I say, like you're stuck in that house, as soon as you decide that you're going to go do this unknown, not quite sure, unpredictable, maybe not so safe, you shut it down because it's safer to be here, even though you're unhappy. Yeah, it's safer to be in the known. But let's create and that's why we do week four in this membership like, let's create what you desire as the known, like, let's show the brain that, like this is true you want to be on the billboard on New York City with your best-selling book, which I'm in the middle of writing, my book, and so that's in my vision of having the, having the Jumbotron and Times Square with my book on it, and I'm like that's, that's already done, that's happening, I already have it in my vision.

Speaker 1:

So I'm not afraid of that happening. I'm not afraid to, like, write the book and do the thing and share the story Because I'm like, well, that's happening, so it's done, exactly. So I'm not. I don't have the stories that stop me from doing the thing, because I believe it's true already. I love it. Is it in my 3D world now? No, but it's done, it's done.

Speaker 2:

I like that you say that it's done With the mountains and snow.

Speaker 1:

it's done, I love it.

Speaker 2:

And I would like to touch on your book before we wrap things up. Talk to me about your book. How long have you been working on it? When on it? When do you hope for it to be out, and what's it about?

Speaker 1:

so I swear, you know, I think all of us say at some point like I need to write a book about that, like I need to be in a book. And then, um, I, I tried out a psychic reader thing and she was doing the cards and she's like you're going to be doing this group project with women and da, da, da, and she also is the one who predicted my husband asked me to marry me, which was hilarious. It's a whole nother story. But after eight years he hears that and he's like that's when he got me a ring. I'm like you have to hear it from a psyche to ask me, after seven, eight years of being together, like, anyway, um, and he's not a woo-woo guy per se, but um, so we, um, she was going through the thing. And so then the next, like literally two weeks later, this woman approached me about being in a compilation book with other women. Um, there's a 262 project, mission Accepted 262 project, where it's like 262 women, it was a two-page spread and it had these. It's a photography book, go figure.

Speaker 1:

Photography book as well, as you know, highlighting the entrepreneur, and then we told a little story. So it's like, okay, I got a two-page spread in this really, really book and it's actually in the Grammy. It was at the Grammy's like gift bag and stuff like that, so it was super cool. This has all happened this past year.

Speaker 2:

That is really cool.

Speaker 1:

Then there's another book. I ended up being in a compilation with this networking group that I'm in and this woman was doing it, so she leads from within, which is perfect. You know, I always talk about like owning who you are and leading your life you know, from you first. So I did that book and then, and the editor from that book, I fell in love with her because she was just so, so, like she wasn't just an editor, she was like a coach, she was a mentor, and so of course, I'm like all right, it's time signed up for my book and my book's gonna my I got it.

Speaker 1:

Girl, I've always called myself I got it, I got it. No, no, don't open that door for me, I got it. Even I've got three suitcases, you know like struggling, like struggling independent, fiercely, fiercely independent.

Speaker 1:

And I was like the, but that I got a girl, and a lot of us have become that, because, whether it's, whatever our circumstances, whatever stories, we've created, very independent, very successful, and that's amazing. But we did that from a place of control, staying, being in control of life, from a place of fear and and just this place of like, if I don't control this, I'll lose it. This, that the other thing, what I've discovered now, and everything that I've explained, is that now you get to live a thriving life from a place of trust, love, surrender, and not from this holding on so tightly about like, because I thought being in control was great and being like, but control holds you back from what God and universe has coming for you. Control holds you back from letting what is meant to walk into your life walk into your life, and it's from this like.

Speaker 1:

I came from an age of seven. I had to learn how to pretty much take care of myself from seven on and paid for everything since I was 15. And so I, like very much, took on the masculine role my entire life, right, and didn't understand the feminine side of things whatsoever. Like what feminine energy?

Speaker 2:

And now you hear you are one.

Speaker 1:

I know I'm kidding Right and I well, that's a funny story too, because everything was black Okay. Yeah, it was a lot of, and so so, yeah, so I, so sometimes I forget where I'm going because I just start channeling.

Speaker 2:

No, you were the baby seven yeah.

Speaker 1:

And so the book is really all about all the stories that have helped create me to go from surviving to thriving yeah, From control and fear to love and trust. And how long have I been working on it? I think it's forever. It's maybe like nine months I've been working on it, and every time I get on a call with my editor I'm like I didn't write anything this time, and so she's like let's talk about it and I feel all guilty because I didn't do my homework.

Speaker 1:

Your homework Mentors are there, they're there for you and you're never behind. You're exactly where you're meant to be. I've been going through a lot of family stuff that I've been helping support and because I've built this business that I've built, I've been able to just leave at a drop of a hat and spend two months at a time with family members and helping care for them. But I didn't have the business and if I was in the restaurant industry I wouldn't have been able to do that. And this year has kind of like pulled back from the business. But it's taught me so much emotionally and the inner lessons that I've learned this year have been amazing Surrendering to my husband, letting him support me more and not be so independent, you know, letting him he's still laughing.

Speaker 2:

Here's this one.

Speaker 1:

Letting him love me, letting him be the man, letting him like I was, like I wouldn't let that happen for decades. So this year of pulling back, so the book is just it's taking a little longer than I thought it would. That's okay, even though nine months, she's like nine months isn't long. You know, people take three to five years to write a book. I'm like, yeah, but I'm like let's get it done. You know, and I got it in here, but as soon as I'm'm done, like you guys are, the day after I just left a two-month span, I think we've been messaging with your other folks about like two months of taking care of my stepdaughter, who had an accident the day my husband and I got married. A drunk driver hit her and my grandson the day we got married, right after the wedding, and so we've been helping her throughout the year, and then it was a final surgery. So I was like I'll be. I slept on her couch for two months and helped take care of her and my grandson, because I can.

Speaker 1:

They are okay though right, yeah, they're okay, yeah, they're good. And she's on the other end of it and now I'm like, now the book's going to pour out because I needed this year of lessons, this year of aha moments, this year of gross. And she's laughing, she's like, oh, it's going to be good now. Oh, it's gonna be good now. And I was like it's already good for I'm, I'm 50 plus, so it's already good for the 50 years of stuff. But this last year has been whoo, let me tell you you know we can't wait to read your book.

Speaker 2:

It'll have some good stuff, you said you. It's all juicy.

Speaker 1:

It's what you said yeah, there's lots and lots of, just lots of. Um, I'm a, I love storytelling and I and I hope to help others tell their story even more than they already do, if they don't, but they will. And there's a lesson in every story, like there's a lesson in my drive here to you guys. There's a lesson in how what happened yesterday. There's so many. There's a lesson in everything, but you have to be aware and be awakened to it so that you can see like how much everything is happening for you.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

No.

Speaker 2:

I love that. Thank you so much for sharing that and thank you so much for being on the podcast. My last question is going to be um, if you have like a message or a saying that you would like to share with our audience, that maybe has meant a lot to you and you would like to use as inspiration for other people.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's a great question. There's so many I feel like I've probably dropped them throughout the podcast.

Speaker 2:

Um.

Speaker 1:

There's so many, I feel like I've probably dropped them throughout the whole podcast. No, that's okay, I don't know, I just don't hold back. I always talk about awakening, empowering and owning who you are, but don't hold back on the freedom life that you desire. You're worthy of it all. There's a worthiness that we don't believe that we are worthy of, what it is that we truly desire and you're worthy of everything.

Speaker 2:

You're infinitely worthy, absolutely well. Thank you so much for being on the podcast that was so great.

Speaker 1:

I love talking to you. Yeah, well, thank you for having me. I appreciate, and thanks for being patient with my like schedule, of course, like I'm literally in town for a day I know you're everywhere, that's okay, busy woman, so thank you for making time to be here. Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.