The South often gets a bad rap about how we handle winter weather but what I think is important for other regions of the nation to understand is where northerners and midwesterners (Hey Mizzou crew) are accustomed to navigating snow and ice storms - for us down in the South these happen on an annual or maybe bi-annual basis.

As a result, we don’t spend a ton of funds investing in snow plows and salt to cover the roads and many times our spending on winter infrastructure is not the best.

Where we are proactive with weather, or least they have been this week, is in cancelling events and other obligations when we hear word something is coming.

I had three events I planned on attending this week that were postponed or changed to virtual and I’m still getting real-time updates on things that aren’t even happening until Sunday morning!

This type of widespread response can create a sort of anxiety and consequently many folks stay in, not because of the likelihood of danger, but because of the potential threat of it.

My dad was one of the brave few who ventured out into the “wild” earlier this week to get his registration sticker updated. As someone who was raised in the state of Denver, he’s not one to become overly anxious about snow or ice and he’s the absolute last person you’d expect to get a ticket for being out of compliance.

After he returned home from his errand, we spoke on the phone and he said “it’s not the highways that are bad, it’s the side roads.” I couldn’t shake that implication.

Many times in our lives we talk ourselves out of taking certain risks because of how hard or bad others have said they’ll be. Often times though, the very people giving the report are either sharing second hand information or information that’s heavily informed by what they’ve experienced previously.

As a result, we hear their reports and decide to “barricade ourselves in,” completely disregarding how smooth the road ahead of us can be if we’d only make the effort to get out onto it.

I think of the launch of my Freedom and Flow planners last month and how at one point I’d convinced myself that I simply didn’t know enough to branch out into this new business.

But then, I remembered that:

* This wasn’t my first business

* My husband runs an e-commerce company

* I’d already validated the idea in different circles

* I told myself I was going to have a planner out into the world by January

So I pressed ahead, and the feedback was better than I could have anticipated!

My goal for the week was 10 sales and we doubled it!

I’m reminded of a Bible verse that says:

Those who watch the wind blow will never sow, and those who observe the clouds will never reap.

Ecclesiastes 11:4 (CEB)

In other words, if you’re waiting on the perfect conditions to make a move, you’re always going to be waiting.

You have no idea who is on the other side of you taking the risk, of starting the org, applying for the job or accepting the position.

But you don’t need to know to move forward, you only need to be decisive.

Don’t let the “weather warnings” keep you frozen in place.

Go out and do something different. Don’t allow what you believe about what will happen keep you from moving forward, behave as if you’ve already received everythign you’re pursuing.

June made one full year since I closed down my company Brands by Brie and while it did not feel good, I’m better for it. I’m learning how to walk into a room not with fancy titles or accolades but leading with what I’m passionate about as a person.

Many times when we’re called to close the door on something we deemed as a success, it can lead us to go through some sort of existential crisis.

* What was that all for? (we ask ourselves)

* What’s next?

* Does this fresh start mean I’m a failure?

* How do I respond to other people’s thoughts or opinions?

I’ve asked myself these questions since June 2024 and what I can tell you is this - starting over is not failure, it’s evolution.

There’s a temptation to stay where we are because that’s what we’re most comfortable with but as children of God, if we feel a draw to something new, it’s imperative that we follow that conviction.

In today’s video I’m sharing some mindset shifts that have helped me as I move through this period of transition and how some of my realizations are helping parts of me I didn’t even realize were damaged.

If you’re in a period of transition right now share what’s helping you as you’re navigating unchartered territory!

I’d love to pray for you as you further your journey.

Showing up is typically easy when you're seeing results. But what about the days when progress feels painfully slow, motivation is low, and you're questioning your purpose?

In this episode of my Dear Future Me series, I’m diving deep into what it really looks like to keep showing up even when the growth you're hoping for isn’t happening as quickly (or clearly) as you'd like. Whether you're pursuing a passion project, pushing through personal development, or just trying to stay present in the in-between seasons, this message is for you.

This is a follow-up to my video on navigating the in-between—and today, I want to encourage you to lean into the process, embrace the pause, and remember that freedom, flow, and fulfillment are cultivated in the everyday showing up, not just the big milestone moments.

Comment below: What does “showing up” look like in your life right now?Share this with a friend who needs encouragement today.

From influencers, to politicians and regular folks just like me, many of us are in a period of transition and depending on your headspace it feels a little daunting.

The thought of starting over or filling in the gap between where we are and where we want to be can seem like a heavy lift, but in today’s video my goal is to provide a perspective shift.

Transition is a natural part of life and it indicates that there has been some growth on our part, a desire for more, a willingness to do something different. Rather than trying to hurry up and figure out what that something is I encourage us to embrace curiosity, lean in and observe the pace we’ve set.

So that when we arrive to our next BIG thing, we’ll show up healthy and whole enough to sustain it.

Don’t forget…

* Join me for my Dreams to Reality Workshop on Friday, May 30th at 6 p.m. CST if you’re ready for a midyear reset to help hold you accountable and create an action plan. Click here to complete your enrollment.

You’re going to need a soft place to sit when I tell you this friend…life is out here whooping a lot of our tails BUT that’s not an excuse to get out of alignment.

Over the past 2 months I’ve been fighting my way through postpartum depression and anxiety and while I hoped to wait until I felt 100% to get back on assignment I had to recognize time waits for nobody.

I don’t know anyone who wakes up and says to themselves “I can’t wait to get some bad news today.” But the thing is bad news still comes anyway.

I have no desire to keep going around in circles on the things that frustrate me. Instead, I’m looking at what’s in my hands, staring myself down in the mirror and telling myself “DO IT ANYWAY!”

In today’s video I’m sharing some tough love on how many of us are standing in our own way and I’m also sharing a resource on how to move from being stuck to taking action.

Your Homework (should you choose to accept it, is this…)

* Comment NO MORE EXCUSES if you’re ready to commit to being your best self in spite of challenges

* Share ONE THING you are going to take action on between now and the end of May

* Join me for my Dreams to Reality Workshop on Friday, May 30th at 6 p.m. CST if you’re ready for a midyear reset to help hold you accountable and create an action plan. Click here to complete your enrollment.