The Letter Project: We Are Live!

Hello faithful readers! Hello you lovely people who have stuck by my side over the last few weeks as I have transitioned out of corporate America, felt the highs and lows of the process and examined my own worth each day. Hello, hello. I am so thankful for you!

And today, I am so excited to share my latest venture with you: The Letter Project! 

We're gathering women to send bundles of letters to girls across the US who need extra love and support. Read all about it here.

This has been a labor of love between me, my family, Chris and our sweet Marketing intern, Abby. We've poured a lot of heart into it and are superly honored to share it with you today! 

I believe deeply in the power of sistering and that we all need constant, daily reminders that we are enough. I want to remind people that we are not alone in this world. I believe that most of us desire to be part of something bigger than ourselves and to give back to the world while we're in it.

That is what this project is all about. 

And! We'd love your help.

Got 20 minutes? Join our team as a Letter Writer or nominate someone to receive letters.
Got 2 minutes? Share about the initiative on social media. We're looking forLetter Writers and recipients alike. Please use #PTLOLetterProject when you share it.
Got a semester? We're looking for another intern. Email me directly if you've got social media skillz to spare.
Ain't got time, but have dimes to spare? We gladly accept donations, which help keep the lights on around here. AKA pay for stamps.

Thank you for your love and support. I wouldn't be here without you. Happy Monday, homies!

September Recap & October Goals

Almost October, already!? 

September felt a lot like when I eat frozen yogurt with rainbow sprinkles. I was so excited for it (Labor Day! Turning 30! The beach! My cousin's wedding!) and then, just like that, it was gone. 

Can I get a refill on that September froyo, puhlease? It was too good.  

It was a month that was all about new rhythms for me. I created a new morning routine, realizing I don't have to wake up at 5:45 every day to fit in the gym before a long commute. I don't have to earn my keep. But, I also learned that some days the early start still suits me, because I'm a morning person. 

It was a month of learning that unlimited coffee isn't, exactly, what my writing brain needs every day. But, sometimes, when I'm grinding out paperwork or tactical items, slowly drinking coffee until 2 p.m. has turned out to be OK. (Victory!) It was a month of: a little of this, a little of that and learning to operate in grey areas. 

More than routines, though, it was a month of defining how I want to spend my time. I became acutely aware that, now that every minute of the day is technically free to spend,

everything I say yes to means I'm saying no to something else.

A networking coffee at 9 a.m. sounds lovely, but, as it turns out, I write best in the morning. So, with every pre-noon date I accept, I'm turning down the chance to write.

Visiting UGA to meet with women is a great use of time, but time spent driving is time spent - period. Is it worth it? Yes! But it's a tradeoff. These are lessons I'm learning as I begin to understand what small business ownership looks like. 

It was also a month where I felt some loneliness. I don't miss spending hours each week on GA-400 or breathing corporate air every day. But, I do miss my coworker friends. I miss their energy and jokes and positivity. I miss the goofiness they infused into the last 5.5 years of my life. 

But, I'm reminded that with discipline and by creating my own little workspace world, I can find a new kind of joy. I've been overwhelmed by many of you (YOU!) who have raised your hands to help me build this dream. The Google hangouts, phone calls and coffee dates have meant the world to me.

Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for being the type of readers who want to be part of something bigger. Thank you for letting me into your lives.

I also feel layers of my outer self being peeled away. Like an endless onion, I'm learning there are parts of my insides I've yet to discover if I allow this process to continue. 

I recently read that the inside of a tree can tell you which direction north is, based on which parts of the rings are thickest. You can use the rings to determine which direction to go if you're lost. I thought about that as I reflected on the way I'm discovering and creating new rings within myself. I'm adding more, as well as appreciating the ones that were already there. The more I get quiet and pay attention to them, the more I understand which direction I want to go. I understand which way is north for me.

With that, let's check in on those September goals: 

1. Take on four new coaching clients // Done - mostly! I have two definite clients and two potential. I am calling it a victory. Or, as least a step worth celebrating :) 

2. Read Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist // I am about halfway through so far. I just love her writing - it's so soothing. (affiliate link)

3. Blog about our wedding a honeymoon // I am so very pleased to say our wedding is DONE. Next week will be wedding week around here. On Monday and Wednesday, I am posting a two-part overview of the day. On Friday, I'm sharing my favorite vendors. And the following Monday, I'm sharing the top 10 things I learned. If ya don't like weddings, I will see you on 10/12 :) 

4. Get my home office life more organized // I think this is as done as it can be until we have a little more space. I have my routine down. Eventually I'd love to have a more thorough set up, but we just aren't there yet. From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, dining room table: you are now a desk. Congratulations on your transformation!

5. Start B-School // I started this and got super overwhelmed and stopped. Yikes. Not counting this as done. 

6. Reorganize my blog // Complete. I made new tabs at the top to make things easier to find and better tagged things. There is still work to be done, but that's sort of the way blogs go. There is always more you can do to make them better. But, that's just fine! #youareenough :) 

7. Spend time researching women + worth // Doing this lots and loving it. Women are amazing!

Here are my business goals this month:

1. Blog about our honeymoon // Look out for Greece week, coming at you hot!

2. Launch phase 1 of Project to Love Ourselves // I cannot wait to share what we've been up to!   

3. Start B-School // again. But this time actually do it. 

4. Finish Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist (affiliate link)

5. Make a trip to Athens, GA // To talk to potential volunteers and (maybe!) an intern. So excited!

6. Learn more about Design Thinking // Apply the concepts.

Getting Myself Unstuck

Hello, Wednesday! I'm so excited to share my second Sometimes, Always, Never newsletter. A pep talk for your inbox! I won't always be posting them here, so feel free to subscribe if you're interested in keeping up-to-date.

Lately, I've been making excuses.

I feel stuck. I have too much on my plate. I'm overwhelmed. I don't know where to begin. I don't have enough time. 

I cited all of these reasons, among others, as I talked to my sister about where I am with my business. 

And, the truth is, they're true. I have taken on a bit too much and it's overwhelming me.

However, as I explained them to her, I realized that just because they're true doesn't mean they aren't excuses. They've become my crutch - my reason not to go forward. Once I said them out loud, I realized the only thing holding me back was myself. Isn't that always how it goes? 

I realized I needed to force my own hand - to create accountability. I can't change the circumstances that are overwhelming me, but I can help myself get unstuck by committing to deadlines and milestones. By controlling the elements that are within reach and letting go of those that are not. And by acknowledging what is baked in fear and what is in Truth. 

So that's where I am this week: committing to going forward, ready or not. Committing to focus groups and camp dates. Committing to things that feel scary, but also exciting. 

I hope your 2016 is off to a great start. I hope you feel refreshed and not stuck and that your year is bringing more adventure than you imagined.

PS: Feeling stuck yourself? Check out this great read.

a love letter to you & 2015

Happy Monday, friends! I'm so excited to share my first Sometimes, Always, Never newsletter. A pep talk for your inbox! I won't be posting them here after this first edition, so feel free to subscribe if you're interested in keeping up-to-date.

A love letter to you.
 

Dear friends,

I'll admit I'm still figuring out how to manage my own business. I'm still learning how to create my personal brand, keep up with my website and understand industry trends. There is so much to learn as you begin launching, creating and planning a small business. It's beautiful and overwhelming all at once.

Last week, I logged into my MailChimp account for the first time since I set it up (again, admittedly still learning). I was shocked and overwhelmed to find all of your names signed up to receive my newsletter.

I wanted to take a moment to tell you how much this means to me.

Thank you. Thank you for signing up and for indicating to me that you want to hear more from me - and hear more about what I'm doing. Absolutely nothing could mean more to me.

2015 has been a beautiful year. It has been full of so much joy as I got engaged, began launching my own business and became more sure of my purpose on this Earth. Thank you for walking in this journey with me. Thank you for your love, support, prayers and willingness to take the time to read what I'm up to. Absolutely nothing could mean more to me.

So, here's to more growth and adventure in 2016. Here's to more passion, more love and more excitement. And, most of all, here's to you.

Receive this baby by email!