Here’s the truth.

It took polishing off two pounds of M&Ms in a 15-minute sitting, and getting sick for three whole days afterward, for me to realize that something major needed to be addressed in my life.

You see, I had been using food to cope with my emotions since I was a teenager. I gained and lost 40 pounds four different times.

Whenever I felt upset, afraid, worried, angry—you name it—I would eat to feel better and distract myself from what was really going on inside of me.

While I certainly had many shameful binge moments over the years, this one was crossing the line big time. And you know what? I’m grateful for it.

More stuff about me…

Because if you looked at my life back then, I had it all. The handsome, kind husband. The successful career. The lovely house. The adorable children.

I was supposed to be happy. Yet, I felt like a mess on the inside. And every time I plastered another fake smile on my face—trying to show everyone that I had it all together—I felt like a fraud.

The M&Ms episode helped me realize that I had to face what was really going on with me. And that compelled me to make some big moves.

I started going to therapy.
I joined an emotional eating recovery group.
I found a life coach.
And I gave notice at my job.

As I dug into the muck of my inner world, I found a lot of truths that I’d pushed away for many years.

The first one being that I was a major people pleaser, and for most of my life I made decisions based on the opinions of others, not my own.

In fact, I had built a life around being what everyone else wanted me to be.

As all of these truths rose to the surface, I realized that the reason I was so unhappy, so lost, so afraid was because I had lost touch with myself.

I had spent so much time being someone else that I didn’t know how to be myself, and I certainly didn’t know how to make myself happy.

So I dove into all of the personal development work I could get my hands on. I sat with my feelings. I felt all of the emotions bubble to the surface without a bite of chocolate to ease the discomfort (well, most of the time anyway). And through this process, I was able to reconnect with my passions and found a beautiful, new vision for my life filled with possibilities.

As I healed my relationship with myself, I was slowly able to heal my relationship with my body. Something that became even more important once I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Talk about a lifestyle overhaul!

For the first time, I learned how to properly nourish myself, rest, and meditate. And I recognized that my thyroid dysfunction mirrored the dysfunction I had with speaking my truth and owning my voice.

From that moment forward, I vowed to myself that I would always show up for my life, speak the truth, and follow my intuition no matter how uncomfortable it felt.

My life today? It’s better than I ever imagined it could be. And while it’s certainly not perfect and still filled with challenges, I have everything I need inside of me—healthy coping mechanisms and resources—to manage everything with more grace.

Not to mention I have become the me-est me in every way. Blending together a variety of passions and talents into one diverse little bundle—from coaching women around the globe to speaking, writing books and hosting a podcast downloaded worldwide. I’ve even authored a book, Get a PhD in YOU.

I share all of this with you because I know what it’s like to feel like a hot mess on the inside; to feel like your whole life hangs in the balance of what others think; and to feel like you have to hide your true self to appease the world around you.

That’s no way to live, my friend. Which is why I’ve made it my mission through my work as a Life Designer to help women reclaim their you-est selves in order to redesign their lives from the inside out.