The Story is Being Written...

Sharing this with you is super scary for me, but I feel like I don't have a choice anymore. I need to put this out there to you, and to the Universe, to hold me to my word.

She Remembered Who She Was...

There is a storm raging inside of me. It has always been there. Only now I embrace it. All in.

I am a strong woman. Fierce. Loyal. Bold. Powerful. Unshakeable.

And So I Rise...

*Artist unknown*

There is a storm raging inside of me. It has always been there. Only now I face it, head on.

I am a strong woman. Fierce. Loyal. Bold. Powerful. Unshakeable.

I know my commitments, my values, my stance.

I am a woman of integrity. Honest and true.

I am a woman who makes mistakes. I change my mind and my ways often.

The dualities within me rage with the seasons of life.

On one side, I am clear and confident.

On the other, I am unsure and shakeable.

I know my worth. I no longer settle. In love, in life, in work. In anything.

I am awake in heart and spirit.

I can now BE in the uncertainty. BE in the moment.

I can embrace the moments of seeking and becoming.

I am not perfect. I don't have it all figured out.

I am stepping out of the darkness and into my light.

Over and over.

I will embrace and let go all at the same time.

Mind, heart and hands wide open.

I give and receive all that life has to offer.

I am an integrated woman - all parts of my being stand before life.

Feet firm on the ground.

Heart and soul wide with the Universe.

One foot in front of the other.

One moment after another.

I am a woman of faith, trust, love, grace.

With strength.

Again, and always, I am finding my way...

xoxoxo
Mimi~

Rising Woman~ Mimi Marie

Who are you and what do you do for a living?

If this is your first time here, welcome! My name is Mimi and this is my blog :) Thanks to the encouragement from my dear friend, Faith, who is also one of the Rising Women in this series, I decided to go ahead and participate as well. As a bonus, Faith has interviewed me on her podcast which I have included HERE. What an honor to share with each other and with you all!

...And now I know why some of these questions were so tough for some of my women! ;)

Who am I? This is a tough question and I feel like it's always changing. Currently, it has nothing to do with what I do for a living, which is an interesting and evolving discovery. More on that later. If you would have asked me this a year ago (or even a few months ago), my answer would have been so different. Today, I feel like I love who I am more than I ever have. This has been on of the gifts of being single for the first time and the longest period of my life. This has also made me a woman who knows what I want and is no longer willing to settle. I am a woman who is strong, resilient and always striving to be the best version of myself. While I certainly have my low tides in life, I am a woman you will never find down for very long. I am extremely passionate about my family, personal growth and women's empowerment. While I might put up some resistance at first, I'm always open to looking at my own shit, acknowledging my wrongs and growing from them.

I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up! I have a lot of experience with office management in several different fields. I also have some experience in women's health and lifestyle coaching. However this has been an evolving topic for me for many years. Just recently I made the choice to leave the job I had been at for almost 3 years to pursue something new and the entire plan fell through. Queue quote: "If plan A doesn't work, remember there are 25 more letters in the alphabet!" My big risk quickly turned into what could be perceived as an epic fail, but I chose to see it as time to create something new and fast. Within days, I had probably close to 50 people reaching out to inquire about my services. I could hardly believe I was suddenly in a position to choose who I wanted to work for and how much I wanted to charge, all while working from home and being able to tend to my family more. I now have a handful of virtual assisting projects that I'm working on while at the same time trying to figure out what's next on my path. As a single mom, finding my career path has presented a totally different challenge. I'm super committed and motivated to figure out what it's going to take to create financial freedom for myself. I'm working with my coach to create a plan and while things are really uncertain right now, I'm completely surrendered and trusting the process of my actions. Sometimes it's really scary, but it's also super exciting to be in the world of the unknown.

Tell me about your family, if applicable.

I have 5 kids! 3 of them I gave birth to who are 12, 14 & 15. The other 2 are my biological brother and sister that I raised from the time that they were 2 & 4 until they were grown. Even though I didn't give birth to them, they are my kids and I love them the same. They are now 22 & 24 and one of them now has my beautiful grand baby girl. Their spouses are also my kids who I love dearly. Another special part of my family is my ex husband and his fiancee. We have created such a special family dynamic and unique friendship. I'm so proud of how far we've all come and love that we work together as a family unit. It is for this reason that I believe anything is possible for families when you take full responsibility for your relationships and for your role as a parent. Sometimes love ends up looking different than we think it should, but our commitment to our children and our stand for families is always at the forefront.      

What is your story?

For most of the memory of my childhood, I grew up in a drug and alcohol induced, and very tumultuous environment. I was mostly raised by mother, and my father was in and out of the picture a lot, I believe because his relationship with my mom was so difficult. I witnessed a lot of abuse around me, and was sexually abused by a family "friend" for a number of years. Nearly the moment I turned 18, I moved out to be on my own. The hardest part about that was leaving my siblings who were 16-17 years younger than me. Things were only getting worse at home and I feared for what they would have to endure.

Shortly after moving out to be on my own, my now ex husband and I began raising my brother and sister. In our early 20's we got married, and in our late 30's we had our 3 children. We created the family that we wanted by the time we were 30 and while there was plenty of turbulence, I think we did an amazing job with what we had and what we knew at the time.

Into our 30's we got serious about our paths of personal growth. This ultimately led to the realization that it was time for our marriage to come to an end. This was a turn I hadn't expected much long before and meant my future was now unwritten.

Going through a divorce is never easy for anyone and I certainly had my moments of darkness and uncertainty about life. I allowed the process of grieving to play out in my life and when I was ready, I saddled up and began my own journey of self discovery and healing.

What have you overcome to get where you are today?

My first reaction to this question is, well, I'm not there yet! It's so easy for me to see all the work there is still to do. But I can also acknowledge how far I've come. My childhood is the biggest thing that I've had to overcome. I carried the weight and the shame of being sexually abused with me for a long time. I also carried a lot of sadness about the relationship that I never got to have with my parents. I always wished they had made different choices and made me and my siblings more of a priority. Now I can see that if it wasn't for all of those things then I wouldn't be who I am today. All of those things drove me to be a better, stronger woman.

The other more recent thing that I've overcome was the end of my 17 year marriage. I experienced so much shame, regret and failure around that. I could hardly look at myself in the mirror and face the woman I had been. The months following my separation were some of the darkest of my life. There were days I didn't know how I would get through and nights that I drowned it all in alcohol. The feelings of emptiness were sometimes unbearable and I looked for things to fill the void. I thought I was trying to be tough, strong and brave on the outside, but on the inside I was deeply depressed. I let myself wallow for a while until I got sick of it, and then I decided it was time to start pulling myself together again.

Before my divorce was even final, I found myself in a new relationship, smitten in new love and I dove all in with both feet. I closed my eyes to the red flags and held strong to the fantasy that love could endure all. In some ways, this new relationship showed me love in a whole new light. It taught me some beautiful things about what's possible in romance and a relationship. In a lot of ways we were a mirror and a catalyst for each other's growth. It was fun to live on cloud 9 for a time, but it wasn't realistic. We tried to fit into each other's molds and it didn't work. I dare say that this relationship was one of my greatest ventures in learning about myself. I value honesty, loyalty and integrity more than ever now. What I've had to overcome is the guilt around the choices that I made, the shame around the things that I let break me that weren't mine to own, and the ways that I let all of those things impact my relationship with my family. Even now, almost a year later, I can say that I'm still learning and discovering from that relationship and I'm thankful for the clarity it has given me since stepping away.

Currently I am embracing the single life. My relationship with myself is now at the top of my list. I am finally in a place of discovering and creating my life for me. Learning to be alone and loving myself deeper is a beautiful path that I've never truly been able to appreciate until now. Sure, sometimes I get sad and lonely. Sometimes I miss having a companion and all of the things that come with that, but I've got plenty of work to do in the meantime. For now, I'm dating myself - and my kids!

What has been your greatest struggle in life?

My greatest struggle has been learning to love myself and making choices that align with that. Don't get me wrong, there are things that I've loved about myself throughout the years, like my resiliency and my ability to love. But really loving myself outside of the love of anyone else or any external circumstances has been a different game. When you really love and value yourself, making healthy choices and creating a healthy lifestyle becomes easier. It's getting easier for me now... :)

Did you ever feel like giving up? When you felt like giving up, what did you do?

Yes! I feel like giving up quite often, actually. I think there are certain times and situations when we should give up. The thing is, I never give up for good. It's usually just a pause, or an end to something, and it means it's time for a change. Giving up can look a lot of ways. It can mean taking some time to wallow in my sadness for a little while, ending a job or a relationship. But I don't think that giving up for me is ever a permanent thing. Giving up is a time to assess a situation and see what's not working so that I can find another way.

What are some of the tools and resources you have used to work through and overcome those struggles? (books, counselors, workshops, programs, coaches, etc.)

~The most awesome and profound tool that I've ever had has been the work that I've done with Landmark. For the past 6 years I have consistently participated in their programs and I have continually made progress on my path of personal growth. It has been THE thing that has helped me to let the past go and to always have a say in who I get to be in my life.

~For the past year I have been working in depth with a coach/mentor, Char Spirtos, who I treasure beyond measure. This has given me the greatest leaps in my life in the shortest amount of time.  

~Books!

Untame Yourself by Liz Dialto

Open Your Heart by Tanya Paluso

The Universe Has Your Back by Gabby Bernstein

The Way of the Superior Man by David Deida

The Queen's Code by Alison Armstrong

The Single Woman by Mandy Hale

Motherhood's Not For Punks by Patrina Wisdom

Money, A Love Story by Kate Northrup

You Have 4 Minutes by Rebekah Borucki

This list is always growing...

What are your gifts and how did you discover them?

I think I have a lot of gifts that I haven't really delved into yet. I know that my intuition is an incredibly strong gift that I'm learning to listen and tune into more. I believe my ability to love and my compassion are also gifts. It is often all of these things that lead me in life.  

Tell us about your tribe and the importance of having one.

I think we all feel alone sometimes and the importance of identifying who your tribe is so important. It doesn't have to look a certain way and it doesn't have to be one group of people that all know each other. Your tribe can include all sorts of people that you're connected to. I have so many special people that I am so thankful to call my tribe. They include many of my family members, as well as many women that I have grown friendships with over the years. The women in my life who are on their own paths of self growth and discovery, and the ones who are committed to making a difference in the world, are the ones who always lift me up and keep me on my own path of greatness.

What do you want other women to know who are feeling lost, and/or experiencing their own tragedy and/or struggles?

It's okay to be where ever you're at. It's okay to have bad days. Don't beat yourself up for the struggle and the darkness. Know that the time will pass and it will get better. It's okay to be and feel alone sometimes, but remember that you're not alone. Be sure to reach out to the ones who remind you of your greatness. Reach out, get the help, the love and the support that you need. Take yourself to places and people that lift you up. Eventually the strength will become greater than the struggle.  

 

This project has been such a joy for me to facilitate and I'm so thankful to all of the ladies who join and share their stories. I hope that everyone who follows along finds some strength and inspiration to move forward and to rise above their own struggles and shine as the amazing women they were born to be.

To listen to my Rising Woman interview with Faith Shevlin, go HERE.

If you are interested in working with me to receive the support you need to become your own Rising Woman, please email me here: mimi@mimimarie.com

Much love and light to you all.

Always love,

Mimi

xoxo

Happy April Updates!! No April Foolin' here!! ;)

Happy April, my friends!! 

Even though it's the same every year, it's always shocking how the time seems to fly so quickly. It seems Christmas was just yesterday! And where did Easter go?

Since I haven't been very on top of my newsletters, I thought I'd take the time to bring you up to date! I'll try to keep things to the point and elaborate more later... :)

2016 is already off to a big and busy start. Looking at my vision board over my meditation this morning and seeing how much I've already accomplished is exhilarating. I'm not sure I've ever felt so overwhelmingly joyful and proud of what I've created and I'm so excited to see where this year takes me! 

I brought in the New Year with my first article published on Women for One. This was a proud moment as I intend to bring much more of my story and my writing into the world in order to make a difference for other women out there. So many of us struggle with the stories of our past and it keeps us stuck in life and unable to move forward to live a life we love. Often this manifests in health issues and a huge lack of self-care. I want to see more women freed up and aware of their ability to design life however they choose. 

In February, after more than two years of wanting to move after my divorce, I decided that it was time to stop thinking about it and make it happen! Within weeks, I found the perfect situation in the exact area that I wanted to live and last weekend I officially became a resident of beautiful Encinitas, CA. Even though I didn't move very far away, this is monumental for me. The whole thing is still sinking in, but the one thing I know is that when you believe and commit to what you want in life, truly anything is possible. More on that later!

I couldn't be more proud of my March accomplishment when my daughter, Zoe & I brought another dream to life and launched our first Bonding Beauties workshop. I am still in awe at what a beautiful day that turned out to be for all who came. Not only was a new sistership formed between all of us, but the closeness that was created between moms & daughters was beautiful beyond belief. I am such a believer in the power that we as women have to empower each other on so many levels. And if we will just start with the women in our lives, the ripple effect can be astounding. I can't wait to create more of this magic! 

What's next, you ask?! ;) SO MUCH!! 
I'll just bullet point some of the good stuff so you'll know you should stay tuned... :)

• My nutrition programs are under construction and relaunching within the next month!! And guess what, you won't have to live in San Diego to work with me!! Yay :)))

• I'm co-facilitating a Mother Daughter Connection Weekend with the lovely Patrina Wisdom and both of our daughters, Jorden & Zoe at the end of this month! Join us April 22-23!

• Our next Bonding Beauties Workshop is set for June 11th! Mark your calendars and all the juicy details will be coming soon!

I hope that your year is off to an amazing start and I look forward to connecting with you so much more in the coming months. Make sure you're following me on all the social places and feel free to email with any questions or feedback. I love hearing from you!

Want to work with me to create your healthier, happier life? Simply email and let's chat!

All my love to you, in health & happiness~

Mimi Marie

xoxoxo
mimimariecnc@gmail.com

Breaking out of Prison...

"Just by speaking I can break out of my own self-made prison..."

Lately I have become increasingly aware of a sort of prison that I have put myself in. Since my divorce I have been dancing in & out of my perceived ability to become the woman that I believe I am on this planet to be. I've realized that in my own struggle to survive, I have created a self-protective mechanism of not sharing myself and my journey with others. In all of the fear of doing it wrong, messing things up, and being viewed as a failure, I've put myself in a box. And it is this very thing that has come to slap me in the face with not being able to reach the next level of my life. 

This supposed protection and isolation has been keeping me from my true purpose of being in this life and on this planet for others. I'm now seeing that I'm going to have to get really rigorous with myself, my life and the choices that I make in order to break free. So over the past few months I've become committed to tackling my self, my identity, my ego, etc. and figuring out how to get out of my own way. 

I've reopened myself to all of the coaching from my mentors that I can possibly get. I'm directly and indirectly inviting people to call me out on my sh*t as much as possible. I'm also letting in what people see as great about me. Sometimes that is more uncomfortable than being called out on the hard stuff! Let me have it all! The good, the bad and the ugly. Because it isn't until I'm open to ALL of it for myself that I can be about any of it for others.

I participated in the Nourish detox twice over the past 3 months. Partly because I wanted to experience what I was going to be facilitating as a nutritionist. But really it was about SO much more than physically removing the toxins from my body. It was just as much, if not more, about cleansing on a mental, emotional and spiritual level. It was time to shake myself up!

All this time, I have been afraid of what you would think of me.. That I was selfish or doing what I'm doing... for me. Inadvertently I was doing exactly what I was trying to avoid. I let myself become crippled by my fear of what others would think --and that's when it became about ME! Yuck!

I'd like you to know that I'm sharing this with you to step outside of my own fears with the intention of helping you do the same. God knows.. I know.. and if you know me then you know, that I don't do what I do for me. My path is important to me because I care about you. We all face similar battles in life, just with different contexts. I'm declaring to you now that I'm breaking out of these self-made chains and I'm setting myself free so that I can help other women do the same. 

I'm here to help you see and believe that you are enough... now...

If any of this resonates with you, please share.
If you think I can help you on your journey to health and vitality, please contact me.
Wherever you are on your path, please reach out. 
I love hearing from you!

Always love,
~Mimi~

Affirmations for Finding True Joy~

Happy Monday, friends! 

I took some time today to look over these blog pages because I'm thinking about revamping some things as I finish up my nutrition certification. As I read over my previous posts, I reflected on how far I've come over the past year and realize just how thankful I am for my progress. It hasn't always been smooth sailing, and sometimes it feels like one step forward and two steps back, but the *not giving up* is the gold! 

I decided to slightly edit and re-share these insights with you because I know how valuable they were/are for me, and I hope they can shed some light for you as well... 

~ All of whatever lacks in my own experience of life and love is within me. It can't be found outside of myself. It can't be filled with someone else's presence or inanimate objects.

~ I must always seek and find ways to love myself. It is then that I remain fulfilled. In loving myself, I can then be loved.

~ Perspective is a jewel. Sometimes taking a step away from a situation, as well as spending time alone, is the key to seeing the answers we need.

~ Life is happening and passing. Now... And now... The extent to which I pay attention to the experience is up to me.

~ Being too busy and filling my time with overcompensations will always dull my joy. I can be fulfilled in any moment, if I choose.

~ I am perfect just the way I am. Really. (and so are YOU!) :)

Wherever you are in your journey - whether it be health related or anything else - remember that the inner journey is the one with the highest payoff. You can't be healed or fixed with external measures. You must first go within.

Yours in health and always love,
Mimi
xoxo

It's all about the LOVE!

You haven't heard much from me for quite some time. I've been dealing with some pretty big life stuff, and  I've been taking special care of me. This has been one of my biggest lessons lately - making ME a priority - and it's absolutely crucial for all of us.

I'm still getting over 2013... What a crazy, soul-searching, heart-wrenching, mind-wracking year. I'm ready to take the power of 2014 into my own hands. One of the things I've recently realized is that over the past year or so, I have been my own worst, self-destructive enemy. As much as I've wanted more for myself and as hard as I've worked to try to get it, I've spent a lot of time beating myself up and spinning my wheels and getting nowhere. There was a point in the year where I learned the true meaning of "working harder, not smarter." I was literally running myself into the ground to try to prove that I was going to be somebody and that I was someone who was lovable. I was fatiguing every sense of myself, from physical (adrenals), to mental (inability to get anything accomplished), emotional (imbalanced moods), and spiritual (sense of loss in life and the world). This was a downward spiral that led to my emotional breakdown and certainly played a huge roll in many relationship issues, among many other things. Ultimately, I had to just start dropping all of the excess in my life and inadvertently things started falling away. Even things that I didn't want to lose were lost. But through all of the interpreted "failures" and "losses" (which are all just based on perspective anyway), I have gained a whole new sense of myself. A world where *I* matter and a world where the connections with the people in my life are increasingly rich. My path is being led in a way I've never experienced, and I'm learning to trust the process and the journey like never before.

While I know that there's still work to do, I'm now in the space of actually acknowledging the ground that has been tread. I'm a survivor and I will continue to be. This year is about continuing to expand on the message of self-love. I will continue to explore what my inner self desires and live my life from there. There's nowhere to go, nothing to do, nobody to try to be. I have everything I need inside of me now, and it all stems from love… for me, for you…

So, I leave you with this for now… 

Just for today, do ONE thing for yourself that you wouldn't normally do. Take a walk, take a nap, dance around your living room to your favorite song, call a friend just to say hello, write a love letter to someone… you get the gist. Then do it again tomorrow. And again the next day. It doesn't take long. Just do it and see what starts to open up for you. Let me know how it goes! 

Yours in health and happiness,
Mimi
xoxo

PS. If you like hearing from me, be sure to sign up for my newsletter at the top left. I will be restarting my publications very soon! :)

Taking a New View~

I'm writing to you on a rainy morning in Portland. This is my last of 5 days away from home - my first time taking a trip of leisure - alone. It has been more a time of reflection.

This trip has been an incredible piece of my own journey of healing and I'm sure I will have many more realizations over the days to come. I have seen new places and met new faces.. seen how small my world has been. And I got to be a roadie with Moody Little Sister, who just happens to be my cousin! Such a beautiful trip from Portland to Washington and then back down the 101. Mother Nature can speak straight to your desires, if only you're listening.

This is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of my own internal journey and yet I believe this is where life and living begins... 

~ All of what has been lacking in my own experience of life and love is within me. It can't be found outside of myself. It can't be filled with someone else's presence.
~ I have to seek and find ways to love myself. It is then that I become fulfilled. In loving myself, I can then be loved.
~ Perspective is a jewel. Sometimes taking a step away from a situation, as well as spending time alone, is the key to seeing the answers we need.
~ Life is happening and passing. Whether I pay attention to the experience or not is up to me.
~ Being too busy and filling my time with overcompensations is dulling my joy. I can be fulfilled in any moment, if I choose.
~ I am perfect just the way I am. Really.

These all sound like great quotes (and let's face it, I do love quotes), but these are actual truths that I have come to find within myself that I am committing to live by.. Being on a  journey with your Self gives the time and space for miracles to occur. For that, I'm grateful.

Many thanks for your continued love and support.

Love and light to you all~

Mimi Marie

Loving YOU~

Have you given yourself any TLC lately? It’s so easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of life and to put ourselves last. We must consistently work on nurturing ourselves until it becomes a natural part of our daily life. We must care for ourselves from the inside- out. We become stronger when we can focus on accentuating that vibrant feeling that comes from proper self nourishment.

When we learn to consistently nurture ourselves, all aspects (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual) become balanced. When I’m tired, sluggish, grumpy, sad, moody; that is my body telling me that something is off. We can lessen those negative feelings by focusing on activities that make us feel happy, vibrant and energetic. Not that we will NEVER have negative feelings (especially as women), but I’m sure we could all use a lot less of them.

Make a list of your own happy activities and tape it to your bathroom mirror.
Fit at least one of them into every day.
Here are a few that I’ve made for myself:

*Try a new exercise, a new workout routine out of a magazine, or a new class at the gym.

*Try a new recipe.

*Read something inspiring and motivating.

*Write in a journal – write the things that are bothering you to get them out of your head,
  or write the things that you have to be thankful for.

*Meditate. Take just a few minutes to silence your mind and activity.

*Go for a walk. Take in the beauty of the outdoors.

*Tickle your kids (or even your spouse).

*Watch a movie.

*Put on a song and sing really LOUD and/or dance to it like nobody’s watching.
  Or get the whole family in on a mini dance party!
*Jump on the trampoline.

*Take a sun bath. Just a few minutes basking in the sunshine can really relax your mood.

*Call or write a friend/family member you haven’t talked to in a while.

Do this for at least a month and see how much happier you become!

Article originally written for Skinny Ms.

A Little Piece of Me~

We're all on our own journey~

What I want the world to know is that it doesn't matter where you came from. It doesn't matter what your childhood was like, what kind of tragedy you've been through, or how long it takes you to get where you want to go. As long as you're always moving forward. And this is why I've decided to start sharing my story with you. I haven't always been happy & healthy. I wasn't born into a path of health and abundance. But somewhere along the way, I chose something different for myself. The path wasn't perfect and there were LOTS of mistakes along the way. But here I am today, in a place where I finally feel I have something to give. 

I am happily married to husband of almost 14 years and we have FIVE kids! My husband is an incredibly hard-working man and our kids are phenomenal, but we have every good reason to be TOO BUSY to be healthy, eat right, work out, etc., etc. None of that matters. If you choose to create and live a life you LOVE, and then take actions every day that will make that happen, one day you will wake up and realize you've done it. Just don't forget to enjoy the journey!

So, THIS is my very FIRST interview with a very dear friend of mine. She just started her own podcast show called Food, Love and Transformation and in a nutshell that just sums up so much of my own journey. When she asked me to be on her show, I was thrilled. Please excuse my amateur-ness ;) as I'm still working on my presentation and voice etiquette (we all start somewhere).. But this is ME and my life. Take it as you will. And please, if you do take a listen, I'd love to hear your feedback!

>>>Supermom! with Mimi Pacheco<<<

And now I want to take you on my next fitness journey.. Oh boy, I'm so excited!! :) For a couple of years I have enjoyed reading the back section of Oxygen magazine where they feature "real women living the Oxygen lifestyle.." and then I started fantasizing... maybe that could be me some day... And now I say, WHY NOT?? So, I'm going for it! Tomorrow morning I'm starting 60 days of JNL Fusion workouts and I figure by the time summer comes I'll be ready for my next photo shoot that I can submit to Oxygen! 

 

Do you have dreams, goals, wishes, fantasies that you've put on your "some-day-maybe" list? Well I say it's time to move them to your to-do-now list!! Life is happening NOW.. don't let it pass you by!!

Yours in health,
~Mimi~

PS~ Want to join me in my free, 60-day, private FB group for support, accountability, motivation and inspiration to get fit for summer? Go here and request to join - I'd love to have you:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/243414309130232/

Unveiling ~ Part One!

You may or may not have noticed a shift in gears around here lately. I'm sure your news feeds and inboxes are just as swamped as mine, so either way it can be hard to keep up! Definitely though, my articles has been more sporadic and my posts have broadened in topic from self-love to fitness to food. Over the past 2 years I have taken myself on a personal growth and development journey of a lifetime! A personal overhaul, if you will. I have gone through various workshops, seminars, leadership programs; and I have really stepped outside of my comfort zone to shed my past, develop a life that I love, and become a person that I love and that my family and friends can love more. 

*In Part Two of my Unveiling, I will share more of my recent journey with you all. In the meantime, feel free to get to know me by checking out my 35th Birthday post or my About Me page.*

What I'm here to unveil now is what I've been doing more recently. I have been working toward fine-tuning my goals and figuring out how to take my own journey and turn it into something that I can give back to others. I have discovered my mission and my passion in life.. And I've realized that I am here on this planet to make a difference in the lives, in the health, and in the happiness of others. So, I'd like to share with you how I will be starting to bring this all into reality and how I will begin to be available to help YOU create a life of happiness and vitality!

Here are some of the things I'm working on in 2013:

*Open NOW: 
Launched my health empowerment program for women in January (Mimi's Health Camp). Healthy living can have a different meaning for everyone. In my program, we start with the inside and then work our way into developing a lifestyle that works for YOU. This means developing self-love, healthy eating and exercise habits that are sustainable and unique to each individual. 

*Cooking classes and personal training to help women create a healthy lifestyle that works for them. This isn't about following a strict diet or workout regimen. This is about developing new habits that work for YOU.

*Sweaty Betty Ambassadorship: supporting and empowering as many women as possible in their journeys to health in this amazing community of women.

*Working to offer Mimi's Health Camp online by summer 2013 - stay tuned!

*Heavenly Healthy cookbook in the works - to be published by the end of the year!?

To stay in the loop, sign up for my Heavenly Healthy newsletter here:
NEWSLETTER

As always, thank you for reading, following and supporting my journey and please let me know how I can support YOU! 

~Mimi~

PS. One of the greatest quotes and tools that has been of amazing value to me lately: 
Collaboration, NOT competition~
When we can work together as a team, we can truly create miracles!

35 Years~ 35 Pieces of Me

Today is my 35th birthday and the last year has been a whirlwind for me. Such is life. I have recreated my life and I have found my purpose on this Earth. Inside of that, I have reevaluated my presence here on my blog as well as in the "cyber world." How is my presence serving my purpose? I have looked at what has been missing in who I portray myself to be for all of you, and what I have seen is that because of a lack of time, my presence has become less personal. And I feel that takes away from what I'm really committed to giving. I never intend to seem perfect, but I now know that I'm perfect just the way I am. So, today I put this list together with the intention of letting you know who I am.

Enjoy~ if you wish... :)

1. I have 5 kids.

2. I have never been overweight, but I have been very unhealthy. 

3. Two of my kids are biologically my brother and sister. My husband & I raised them from the time that we were 18 years old. 

4. I don't watch TV. 

5. I have 3 tattoos. 

6. I can be kind of wishy washy when it comes to making decisions. 

7. I was raised in a drug & alcohol induced environment. 

8. My favorite color is purple. 

9. I love to dance. 

10. I am spiritual, not particularly religious. 

11. I used to have a problem with alcohol. I have resolved that through personal development and love for myself.

12. My kids are the light of my life. 

13. My husband is my best friend and I'm so thankful we never gave up!

14. I want to visit Italy.

15. And India.

16. Sometimes I'm insecure. 

17. Making a difference for others is what moves me.

18. I don't love politics.

19. The ocean and the sunshine sooth every part of my soul.

20. I love to cook!

21. Indian and Thai foods are my favorite cuisines.

22. I just love FOOD.

23. I will never stop learning and growing.

24. I love the outdoors.

25. I declare that this year I am financially free.

26. I hate to be cold.

27. My dad passed away when I was 21 and I will miss him always.

28. Even though I grew up with my Mom, I have always missed her.

29. I can be really hard on myself.

30. I've done some things I'm not very proud of. 

31. I am no longer defined by my past.

32. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a super model. 

33. One of my favorite things to do is LAUGH.

34. I often laugh so hard that I cry. 

35. I love people. Really. I love all of you!!