photo by Daniel Quat

I loved teaching blind kids how to run track! Their lack of eyesight wasn’t a limiting obstacle but a reality to transcend. They just needed help.

They felt their way into the starting blocks and listened intently for the whistle. They ran through fear and thrived. That experience impacted my life and career.

As a teacher of the blind, administrator, pastor, Nia fitness instructor and Whole Person Coach, I’ve seen the power of unleashed potential! However, though I believed in others’ potential and possibilities, I didn’t believe in my own. I needed help.

It all started when I was tending to an imploding church, parenting three awesome yet strong-willed teenagers, helping my ill mother, and supporting friends in crisis. My life was out of control.

After returning home from church one Sunday, I collapsed on the couch. I had an exhausted body, overworked brain, stressed emotions, and drained spirit. All I could do was sleep. So, I told my husband: “Don’t talk to me. Don’t wake me. Don’t tell me anything about anyone, even our kids—unless they’re dying.”

 I felt desperate. I withdrew, cried, journaled, and prayed. Finally, the problem became clear. I was living the “Superwoman Syndrome”—striving to be the best pastor, wife, mother, and friend. In reality, I had forgotten to pursue being me.

I had become a stranger to my own self! I hated living that way, felt like a fake, was stuck, and didn’t know how to change.

A good friend and fellow pastor guided me through my despair. He helped me discover my unique perspectives, potential, and passion. I found them inside me. In the past, I wasn’t following my passion to care for volunteer workers but to stay over-consumed with keeping the church going. Now, I started developing new programs that helped volunteers set boundaries, self-care, and thrive. I’ve discovered that life itself thrived when I lived from the inside out.

I unlocked my potential just by being my authentic self instead of being defined by others’ expectations. Balance, joy and fulfillment returned. I was thankful my friend helped me when I was blind and couldn’t see the way.

Wow. I’ve had the privilege of helping legally blind people and the privilege of being helped when I was figuratively blind. As humans, we have blindspots that limit us. It’s common.

Maybe you are feeling a need to rediscover your potential, enjoy life, and feel fulfilled. I invite you to check out Fresh Start—Uncover Hidden Potential and Thrive. I developed this coaching program with resources to turn your hopes into realities. Curious? Contact me for a free consultation to see if my resources match what you need.

Credentials:
ICF Certified Coach, Whole Person Certified Coach, Nia Black Belt, Ordained Deacon, MA in Leadership, BS in Special Education

Trained in:
Spiritual Direction