This has been one of the hardest months of my life so far, and that’s saying a lot. Dealing with the loss of a very close family member is nothing anyone can ever prepare you for. Everyone processes life events and emotions differently. 

There’s no map or timeline or “right” way to navigate any of this. There’s only time and grace, and having faith that one day, tears will no longer spontaneously and unexpectedly run down my face without notice. 

Right now, I can say I honestly thought I’d be in a much different place than I am now. When a loved one passes, and you know it’s for the best because the situation isn’t going to get better, and you’d never wish their condition on the beloved family pet or your worst enemy, you’d think “getting over it” would be a bit easier and returning to “normal” would happen faster… but there is no timeline. There is no normal. None of this is easy, and even for someone trained in speaking and writing and using words professionally, there are no words. 

There are days… There are “good” days, and there are “my heart is really heavy” days. For the time being, there’s no predicting which kind of day the morning will turn into because there are also just moments… and those moments can turn on a dime without warning or explanation. 

Nearly three weeks into this uncharted territory, I know what I am willing to do, what I can do, and what I won’t do.

I’m willing to:

• Show myself grace
• Allow myself to feel how I feel without judgment 
• Process my emotions.
• Be authentic 
• Be honest about what I am available for… and what I’m not.
• Say, “No. Not right now.” 

I can:

• Be honest with myself and the people around me. 
• Commit to writing or creating some kind of content daily, even if it’s very short. 
• Commit to working out.
• Commit to eating healthy, normal meals again, even if I have to set a reminder.
• Continue my daily reading and studying. 
• Carry on healthy, normal conversations and lead productive discussions.
• Show up as a professional and a friend.
• Live in gratitude.

I won’t:

• Be fake.
• Allow myself to downward spiral.
• Run from my emotions.   
• Suppress my emotions 
• Turn off my capacity to feel anything. 

*Shutting down, suppressing, or running from emotions is completely unhealthy. Eventually, every emotion suppressed catches up with you because your body keeps score. I’ve experienced this first-hand on three separate occasions, and the physical manifestation was extreme in all three instances. I 10/10 do not recommend.*

• Force myself to do anything if I feel I can’t be my best. 

Which leads me to this… 

Today, I realized I can’t be my best when it comes to creating a new course. Sure. I could create a course, but it would be forced, and I wouldn’t want to do that. If I do anything, when I do anything, I always do my best. Since I know I can’t do my best creating a course right now, I’m not going to do it… Course creation is getting a, “No. Not right now,” from me. That includes the Confidence to the Core program. I’ve already reached out to those who registered and offered refunds or alternatives to the course based on their needs.

That said, since I CAN and I WILL continue reading and studying daily anyway, and I CAN show up as a professional and a friend and lead productive discussions and carry on healthy, normal conversations, now is the time to launch the Phoenix Book Club and start creating some kind of content daily. 

As we enter a new year, we’ll take life one week at a time together. If you’ve been one to make New Year’s resolutions only to trash the list before the end of January, the Phoenix Book Club is an accountability group to help you show up for yourself and your personal growth and transformation.

During this season of my life, the Phoenix Book Club is an accountability group for me to show up for you and for myself.

I’ve already read these books. So, I’m revisiting what I’ve already read with you and sharing my notes with the group to help you leap forward down this mindset and life mastery journey faster than I did when I was figuring it out on my own.  

By reading so many books on the same and related topics, I’ve noticed how different authors say the same thing and common themes, points, and practices consistently show up in multiple books written by multiple authors during different decades. 

When I notice points repeated and best practices echoed by three or more authors who claim a technique works and how, I am confident what’s said is verified and true. That’s when I choose to integrate the teaching or practice into my life. 

Since I’ve already read all of these books, I’m able to bring your awareness to the themes, principles, practices and techniques that repeatedly show up in these books before you get there so you know what to look for and when and how you can apply these teachings to your life if you choose… 

And of course, we’ll discuss… and I’ll answer questions… and coach the group.

If this sounds like something meant for you, and you’re ready to commit to yourself and make next year the best year of your life so far, click the button below and join using the payment method right for you.  

Until January 5th, I’m slashing the investment into the membership in HALF… FOR LIFE. So, when you join the Phoenix Book Club now, you lock in your membership at the current rate HALF OFF for the life of your membership.

The price you pay monthly or annually will never go up as long as you remain a member.

That said, choose the payment that feels right, and lock in this low monthly membership rate now. 

We’ll start with a new year group goal setting session on January 10th. That gives you time to get the book and think about who you want to become and what you want to create in 2025.

We’ll get 2025 started right.

Together, we’ll rise like the phoenix.