Welcome!
Hey there, pretty lady!
WELCOME!! I cannot tell you how happy I am that you’re here, however that came to be. Whether you stumbled onto this page or you’ve been following along for a bit, I am pumped because I know this space will bless you and encourage you. Before we jump into all of the details, I wanted to share a bit of my story with you because if we’re going to be besties, we should get to know each other, right?
I’m Carli (please accept this virtual hug from me), a born and raised Pittsburgher, who has made Lexington, Kentucky home sweet home. I’m a middle school teacher, wife, and mama, who loves family time, chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven, running at sunset (balance, right?) and hand-lettering. You can usually find me jogging around the neighborhood with my toddler in the stroller, sipping a glass of Pinot Noir on the back porch with my husband, or aimlessly wandering through the aisles at Target (what did I come here for, anyway?). I’m a big fan of the outdoors, traveling, and finding a random old playlist to jam out to with the windows down… We’d be friends, right?!
Anyway, a few years ago, I was bogged down and running ragged trying to live into the idea of perfection, which led me on an unintentional journey to discover how to be truly content with myself and my purpose, living joyfully, freely, and fully. Now, I’m on a mission to help other women do the same!
After years of growing up and living my “normal” (anxiety-filled, stressed, non-stop worry, deep-rooted insecurities, negative body image, unhealthy food/exercise/body relationship, low, LOW self-esteem, avoidance, and fear) I slowly started to see that maybe what was “normal” to me, wasn’t so normal after all. While I had schedule filled with friends, social activities, sports, classes, volunteering, and I appeared to have it all together, I felt like a tangled ball of knots inside. I was constantly comparing myself to others, worried they would see through to the “real” me, and reject me… afraid of appearing as anything but perfect.
For nearly 10 years I mentored young middle and high school girls dealing with all the same issues I had growing up, and it was one of the most humbling and rewarding experiences of my life. Those relationships are still near and dear to my heart. The irony is that a few years post-college (right after I’d left my volunteer mentor role), I was running from my own pain, fear, and insecurities, which led to a constant need for busyness to fill the void and give me purpose. But, before too long, I hit the bottom… Hard. My anxiety reached a new level, and suppressed memories resurfaced (which all had deep connections to my sense of “normal”) that needed to be dealt with head on. Through God’s good grace, reading, self-reflection, journaling, counseling, and wise friends, I began to really see and believe for the first time WHO I was made to be, the value I had being a child of God, and the purpose He set before me.
I’ve been on a journey of self-love, joy-filled service, and building my life on foundation of confidence in the Lord since. This growth has allowed me to lean into who I am, what gifts I have to offer to the world, and refuse to let negative thoughts settle in and take root. My heart’s deepest desire is to serve women struggling with these same issues and help them to break free from those chains. By no means do I believe that I “have all the answers” and can solve all of your problems with the click of a button (wouldn’t that be nice?) Sorry, girl, I wish! What I do believe is that YOU were made for a purpose, ON purpose, by a God who loves you deeply and longs for you to know your true value and worth in Him alone. It’s His joy to see you living fully, freely, and fearlessly in who He is, so you can be who He made YOU to be.
My hope is that you will recognize that you deserve to live a life of purpose, abundant joy, and complete confidence in who YOU are, not the lady to your right or left. YOU were made for more than what you’re settling for. If nothing else, I pray these words stir hope in you, and if you’re on a journey to cultivate confidence in your life to live fully and freely, I’d love to chat with you.
No matter where you are, or how you arrived here, I’m glad you’re here, and I hope you’ll stick around for a while.
XO, Carli Jean
