From Stirring to Shift: My Story of Personal Transformation

In 2019, I felt something I didn’t quite have words for yet—a stirring. A quiet whisper deep inside. I was happy with the life I had built, but something inside was nudging me: you’ve outgrown this version of yourself.

At first, I was kind of afraid of the feeling. I resisted doing anything about it at first but eventually started to feel frustrated and “stuck.” I went through series of minor health issues (I’m sure this was not a coincidence), and I began to prioritize my self-care in a way I never had before and my vision began to clear a bit more, I was starting to see the beginnings of my next path.

About six months after that initial stirring, I received an advancement opportunity—a project position, one completely outside of my current work lane, doing something entirely new in a different part of the organization. Suddenly—I felt scared—afraid I didn’t have the skills to meet the demands of the new role, and I declined it. Lucky for me, the manager called me back the next day to offer it again and the rest is . . . well, how I ended up here.

After I started the new role, I decided to go “all in” for myself—I committed to more self-care—I scheduled monthly massages to manage my scoliosis. I found a good therapist to work through some of my fears and anxieties. I started a “real” skincare routine. I exercised more. I learned to eat better. I tuned in instead of tuning out. I started surrounding myself with things that nourished my body, mind, and soul—mentorship, meaningful friendships, books, podcasts, and thought-provoking conversations. I began doing my inner work.

And then the outer shift came.

In the first five years after saying ‘yes’ to myself, I was promoted five times at work and doubled my salary. I went back to school and completed my bachelor's degree (after a 20-year hiatus). I earned five professional certificates and certifications. It was growth—but it wasn’t just about accomplishment. I wasn’t trying to prove something. I was trying to align with something: my truth. My purpose.

That’s what led me here—year six and another new chapter. The scariest and most transformational one yet.

The Leap into Entrepreneurship

Starting my own business has been a dream that whispered for a while before it suddenly roared to life in early 2025. And when I finally said ‘yes’ to the stirring again, it was like opening the floodgates of every possible emotion—joy, terror, inspiration, exhilaration exhaustion, hope, and overwhelm. Often… all in the same day.

I’ve felt unstoppable and small. Crystal clear and completely lost. I’ve been bursting with excitement one moment and curled up in bed with self-doubt the next.

Building a business from scratch has stretched me in ways I didn’t see coming. Learning legal requirements, building a website, using my first email automations, researching and testing apps upon apps upon apps, creating content, designing my own branding . . . on a bootstrap budget and while still working a demanding full-time job and trying to maintain some semblance of a personal life. I’ve faced a constant stream of things I’ve never done before, and at times, it’s felt like I’m learning a new language while trying to figure out calculus from a textbook (and I’m not even good at reading Ikea directions).

The Real Challenges Are Inside

But here’s the thing I’ve realized—over and over again: the hardest part isn’t the business tasks. It’s the inner work.

It’s the voice that whispers, “You’re not good enough.”
It’s the fear that says, “Someone else already does this better.”
It’s the doubt that questions, “Who are you even trying to do this?”
It’s the thought that creeps in while I lay awake in bed at night, “What if this all fails?”

And maybe the most surprising vulnerability of all: being seen.
Showing up on social media. Letting people hear my voice. Sharing my story publicly. And on the flip side—what if no one sees me at all? What if I pour my heart into this, and it’s met with silence?

Visibility is a double-edged sword—both being seen and not seen feel exposing in different ways. And that’s the inner work so few people talk about in entrepreneurship: navigating visibility, staying grounded through the unknown, and rewriting the limiting beliefs that rise up like clockwork when you start stepping out of the shadows and into the light.

The Work Is Worth It

Even with the discomfort, the fear, the overwhelm—I wouldn’t trade this journey for anything. Because underneath all the noise, I feel it again… that same stirring. That same knowing: it’s time to step into this path, into the light. Not because it’s easy. But because it’s where I’m called to go next.

I’ve learned what works for me, what doesn’t, and that it's okay to pivot when something isn't a good fit. I’ve discovered how important support is—I’ve been lifted by friends, mentors, and strangers alike. And most of all, I’ve found a truer version of myself through every step of the way.

That’s why I created PathForward.

Not to teach people how to build businesses or reach goals. But to offer the tools, support, and space for transformation. For realignment. For the shift that happens when you finally trust that your life is allowed to feel like yours.

My "why" is simple: I want to bring you the same tools that unlocked everything for me.

This work changed my life. And I believe it can change yours, too.

PathForward offers purpose-driven coaching, community, and courses designed to fit into your life—not the other way around.