Your email is probably being flooded with offers for free shipping and the largest discounts of the year. But before you place another order with Amazon and Target or stop by Starbucks to refuel, consider the value of shopping small (even for a few items on your list).

Here are a few reasons I choose to support small business owners…

One of the most common things I hear from moms and admittedly say myself is, "I'm overwhelmed. I have too much to do." As true as those statements might be, we have a lot of control in our life. We decide how much goes on our plate and how often we stop to rest.

It’s possible you might be the cause of your own stress, especially if you’re prioritizing everyone else’s needs above your own. If you want to eliminate stress in your life, you first have to

The moment you share the news that you are pregnant you get advice. This advice comes from everywhere. You get unsolicited advice on which hospital you should deliver at, whether you should get an epidural, what type of diapers to use, whether you should breastfeed, whether you should have the baby sleep in your room or in their own room, how long you should breastfeed, and how to get your child to sleep through the night. And that's just the first few weeks!

When I would interview candidates in my Human Resources days, I often asked them to recall a leader they admired. The interesting part about their responses is that many of the leaders they spoke about were mothers, grandmothers, teachers, coaches and even peers. These weren't individuals with manager, director, vice president or chief in their title. They were ordinary people who simply made a lasting impact in their life.

This week, I was going to write about wedding vows - how they describe the words and actions we hope to live by in our marriage. But as I revisited the promises my husband and I made to each other on our big day, I realized that I could benefit from making some of the same promises to myself.

A question I often ask others is, “what do you already know about coaching?” This gives me an opportunity to educate others and dispel any misconceptions that might exist about coaching. It also ensures potential clients have the right expectation of partnering with a coach. Through these discussions, here are four common misconceptions I hear about coaching:

I used to think I had to wait until I had more time and money to do the things I wanted. Like get my coaching certification, launch my business, or travel outside the country.

If the conditions were right, then I could chase those dreams.

Do you know what one of my favorite things about Mother’s Day is? The priceless handmade cards and trinkets. My absolute favorite is the All About My Mom fill-in-the-blank papers. The one where your child describes their favorite thing about you, what they think you are good at, your favorite food, etc..

What I love about it is you get to peak inside the mind of your child.