ABOUT

I am committed to transparency.

It would take a book to tell you my entire story. Suffice to say that my journey has been one of conquering many challenges. From being abandoned by my birth parents, being torn from my brothers and sisters, to the abuses I endured (rape, physical, emotional, mental) leaving my self-esteem in shreds. I found myself out on my own at 16 years old, and lived my younger years battling severe depression to the point of suicide attempts and constant anxiety. As I write this it feels like I'm talking about someone else because who I was then is so far from who I am today. The journey from there to here wasn't easy but it absolutely was worth it.

How I choose to deal with challenges has made me who I am today. It is from those life experiences and my unwavering commitment to personal growth that I desire to help others. If I can help even one person suffer less and fully step into a life they love, I will consider this journey a success.

PERSONALLY

Currently, I live in a small town in Ohio. I'm the mother of two adult daughters and the grandmother of four adult grandchildren. I'm happily divorced.

Part of my journey has been discovering what I need (and don't need) to be my best self and live my best life. I chose marriage in my younger years because like most everyone else I thought it was what I was supposed to do. Like many, I mistakenly believed a romantic relationship would somehow make me whole. It did not. While relationships ended, I do not consider them a failure. I would not be who I am today without the wisdom gained from those relationships.

My path has been to learn to give myself what I was seeking in others and from outside myself. This has been a necessary part of my healing. This doesn't mean a romantic relationship isn't in my future. When I'm ready for it, I'll open my heart to it.

I love, love, love being a Mother and Grandmother. I have very different relationships with each of my daughters. We share a bond that I cherish more than life itself. I tried for a long time to force our relationships to look a certain way. The fact of the matter is they grew up with a mother who was struggling with mental illness. Naturally, that affected our relationships. Thankfully, we give each other grace and we work through things as they come up.

My daughters are strong, independent women. They are loving, supportive, and devoted mothers. Through their experience of being a parent, they are better able to appreciate what I did well in spite of my history and put into perspective what I didn't do so well. This is not to diminish the impact it had on them. Our relationships continue to be a work in progress. My grand children are loving, responsible, and responsible young adults. I am in awe of each one of them. I see the positive impact of my daughter's parenting on them. I'm grateful to see certain dysfunctional patterns ended with them.

I am working on my self-care habits to ensure quality of life as I age. This is a challenge for those who've gone through trauma but I am making strides forward every day. I know I am worthy of great self-care and of honoring my body with healthy choices. My hobbies are reading, exploring nature, indoor plants, and outdoor flower gardening and I shoot a game of pool now and then. And last but not least, I could not live without music. I enjoy many genres from classical to rock and roll, country, and everything in between.

PROFESSIONALLY

I didn't graduate high school. Many years later I received a GED. From there, I took some adult education classes and entered into administrative work. I worked twice as hard to prove I was just as smart as those with college degrees. After 12 years of working in Corporate America, I started my journey as an entrepreneur.

I have earned a living for the past 20+ years through self-employment. I own and operate 2 businesses (this mentoring practice and Carrington Business Services). When I left corporate work in 2001 to do my own thing, it was a scary, monumental leap but I did it anyway and I'm so glad I did. My practice organically evolved over the years from virtual assistance to online business management and digital marketing. I've continued to build my skillset with ongoing training and education. My most proudest is a certification from Harvard Business Online in business strategy. Not a day goes by I'm not grateful for the longevity of my career. Retirement isn't something I entertain. I intend to serve others in some capacity to the end of my life.

Being self-employed has presented many opportunities for personal and professional growth. From the discipline of being my own boss to the magnitude of carrying full financial responsibility, to navigating technology, to the interpersonal aspects of working remotely, something I was doing long before it was mainstream. Not to mention, embracing my success as a reality because imposter syndrome is real for those of us who've had to rebuild our self-esteem. I was 5 years into my business before I realized (and could own the fact) I was actually successful.

THE BOTTOM LINE

I absolutely love the quiet, peace-filled, happy life I've created for myself. I will always give you transparency. I continue to face challenges. Life continues to happen, right! The difference is, I have the wisdom and skills to get through them with less struggle and tons more joy. THAT's what I wish for you.

I'm an open book so if you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out.