America's 250th Birthday (And Mine, Too)
Fireworks exploding in the background, city hotel in the foreground
Freedom. Independence. Equality. Justice. Life. Liberty. The pursuit of happiness.
These are the ideals America has been striving for.
Not perfectly. Never perfectly.
But the idea of the perfect. The direction we keep pointing toward, even when we stumble.
We've stumbled a bit in the last two years. It can feel like we've slid backward instead of forward.
Here's what I keep coming back to, though. I can't control a nation. I can control me.
As individuals, we can still work toward these ideals. In our own lives. In our own attitudes. In our own local communities. One conversation, one choice, one small act of integrity at a time.
That's the work. It's always been the work.
A Pause, On Purpose
This week, America turns 250.
This week, I turn a year older too.
So I'm taking a pause. Not to check out, but to reflect. To rebuild my own joy and my own resilience, on purpose, before I pour it into anything else.
I'm on a little getaway with my best friend. We're headed to my happy place — the ocean. I'll be swimming. I'll be scuba diving. Two of my absolute favorite things, back to back, for days.
Because here's the truth I coach on constantly and still have to practice myself: you can't build a life of joy for other people if you never make room for your own.
So this week, my newsletter looks a little different too. Instead of my usual content, I'm sharing two very different podcast conversations I got to be part of. Different audiences. Different vibes entirely. But when you pull back the layers, they land on the same theme.
I'm also sharing some free birthday gifts. Code named: Christmas in July.
Where You Can Find Me This Week
She Coaches Coaches: Lies We've Been Telling Ourselves That Are Keeping Us Stuck I sat down with Candy Motzek and unpacked the belief that quietly runs a lot of high-achievers' lives: that you can be secure, or you can be happy, but not both. I used to believe that too. It cost me more than I realized until I finally put it down. Listen here
Dear Dog Fanatic: Stress, Burnout, and Nervous System Resets — Not Just for People This one's a little different. I talk about fostering Angel, a sweet 14-year-old senior beagle mix still looking for her forever home. What started as a conversation about a foster dog turned into something bigger: burned-out professionals and stressed-out shelter dogs have more in common than you'd think. Both need to get back to baseline before real progress is possible. Listen here
Christmas in July: Finding Resilience My gift to you, wrapped up with 14 others from an incredible lineup of coaches, moms, and practitioners. My ebook, Finding Resilience, walks you through what resilience actually is, how to build it, and how to keep building it no matter what's ahead. The full bundle is aimed at moms and families, but there's something in there for anyone who needs a reset. Grab the bundle here
(Heads up: that last link is an affiliate link. I only share things I believe in, and this bundle is genuinely full of good stuff.)
Back Next Week
I'll be back to my regular programming soon, tan lines and all.
Until then, however you're celebrating this week, whatever "independence" means to you right now, I hope you find a little bit of it.
Happy birthday, America.
And, well — happy birthday to me too.
Links:
She Coaches Coaches: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3bXVdAcChw7sLKLRuCUuHF?si=D2n6vTVQS8evSfxdmRfjzg
Dear Dog Fanatic: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7b7wup10ZrZ01A9P4kDRZc?si=fece040a49c14061
Christmas in July (affiliate link available July 1 to July 31 2026: https://movetojoy--theunfinishedidea.thrivecart.com/christmas-in-july/
