Saying goodbye. A little over a week ago, March 30th, my sweet mama took her last breaths before joining loved ones in Heaven including all the pets waiting at the Rainbow Bridge. I can only imagine her happiness seeing Griff and Gidget and Denim and Brownyn and Tiki and so many others. I can imagine my mama dancing and singing, free of the confines of a body that was done living. Her spirit has always been free...now her body can be free as well. I got to spend last week with her reminiscing and planning and visiting...laughing and crying as we said our final goodbyes. It was the hardest week of my life and I’m so grateful for the time I had with her in her final days. She will be missed. Love you, Barbara Williams. Rest peacefully. I’m so proud of you. 
YOU are worth the work to heal your shit. YOU are worth the investment of time and money and patience and radical compassion with yourself. It's never too late and you're never too old. Today might just be your day to start. 
It always, always, ALWAYS comes back to awareness. I get a little spicy below...you've been warned. Always. Annoying. And? Always Seriously though. If you're unawares, you can't catch the little moment between when your brain says something shitty about you and...you believe it. And now you have a Shitty McShister thought stuck in your head - driving the bus. Without awareness, you continue to slog through your days - going through the motions and wondering how the hell did I get here and fuckall with this life. Awareness is the difference between buying the box of wine because quantity over quality and you just kind of want to drown out the noise of your family and buying that delicious red that pairs perfectly with the stuffed peppers you're cooking that night (this was me last week if you saw my stories). Awareness is letting your heart break because something is fucking sad (for me right now it's my mom's imminent passing) instead of drinking that entire box of wine in a couple of nights and feeling really shitty the next morning questioning your life's choices and beating yourself up. Awareness is apologizing when you've been the asshole. Awareness makes you realize that you - yeah YOU - are inherently worthy. Just as worthy as your child or another loved one. Awareness is what allows you to bring curiosity into your life - examine your patterns and beliefs and why you do things the way you do including getting in your own way SO YOU CAN live a life that lights you the fuck up instead of dimming your shine at every turn. Awareness is sexy and confident and radical. And I KNOW you want to be sexy and confident and radical because you're here...reading my words. I hear you - but Jen, how? How do I be aware? You decide and then you practice. You set alarms and reminders to check in with yourself throughout the day. You constantly fight against the siren song to stay unawares. Tantalizing us to over everything - spend, indulge, drink - anything to numb what's deep down inside. Awareness allows you to heal. To feel both hurt and joy, sorrow and ecstasy. To feel alive. Simple but not easy. Also? You can absolutely do hard things. 
cw: loss of a parent We received word week before last that my beautiful and adventurous mama’s body is done with all the diabetes and kidney stuff and her time with us is short. Make no mistake though - she’s still the witty, snappy, brilliant woman she’s always been and if you know what I mean...you KNOW what I mean. Last week and this have been full of phone calls and tears and planning and visiting and lining up more visits to get sisters and brothers and grandchildren and trying to get care lined up for her so she can go peacefully at home. Did I mention the tears? So many tears and memories and planning. I wrote the first draft of her obituary last weekend and that was surreal. I’m grateful I have the time to write her obituary and have her edit it. I’m grateful we have the time with her to plan and prepare and process. So. Much. Processing. Did I mention tears? My mom is accepting this bravely and courageously much like everything she’s faced in her life and she’s faced and dealt with a lot from her health to my dad to her career changes to all her adventures big and small. I know life is extra hard right now and nerves are frayed and emotions simmering just below the surface. If you have the capacity for it, I’d love extra prayers, thoughts, mojo, etc to be sent her way. The whole family appreciates them. She’s a fighter - that’s for sure. She’s going to go down swinging with that mischievous glint in her eye 💖. xo 
🔈 Sound up LOUD for this one because IT IS EXTRA!!!!! And it's absolutely, 10000% ok to be extra. Extra loving (especially with yourself). Extra intelligent. Extra generous. Extra ordinary. Extra kind. Extra emotional. Extra boundary-setting. Extra sexy. Extra <fill in the blank>. Check-in with yourself...where are you dimming your EXTRA and where are you going to stop that shit already?!? Your right people will love you for your extra-ness. Find your right people. Connect the fuck back in to your extra-ness. #youareworthit #radicalcompassion #radicalkindness #mentalhealthmatters #youareabadass #lifecoaching #mentalhealth #worthit #emotionalhealth #emotionalmaturity #howtofeelbetter #Illbedamned #notonmywatch #happier #haveyourownback #beyourownbestfriend #lifecoachingforwomen #youareenough #youareworthy #holyshitmoments #couragetochange #couragetoheal #loveyourlife #getoffthemerrygoround #shiftyourmindset #realtalk #nobs #emotionalresilience #selfawareness #selfhealers 
And hooboy do I have a lot of wisdom! You too? We should totally be friends!!!!! #emotionallyresilient #selfawareness #selfcompassion #pursuitofhealing #emotionalwellness #emotionalwellbeing #emotionalstrength #realtalk #mattersoftheheart #self-healing #selfhealers #innerwork #emotionalhealth #emotionalhealing #selfworth