Greetings from sunny California! James and I are here enjoying a bit of downtime before heading down the coast to Santa Barbara to host our I Heart My Life Mastermind event. Today we’ll be taking a drive down the gorgeous California coast, then staying in a beautiful hotel overlooking the ocean. I can’t wait!

And what makes it all the better is that just a few years ago we stopped in at this very hotel to have lunch with my parents while we were on vacation with them.

During that first visit, I was stunned by the beauty of the place, and inside I was secretly wishing I could have the chance to stay there…but considering that my parents had had to pay for our vacation (because James and I didn’t have the money to even fly out to California back then), that seemed like a far-off wish.

I’d yet to make anything in my business at that point — I was still figuring things out and in big-time debt. Honestly, it would’ve been pretty easy to just call it quits at that point…

Yet today, here we are, driving down the coast to that very hotel, and this time we’ll actually be staying there – and no longer having to ask my parents to help us out with the trip!

(And yesterday I even had an amazing photoshoot here in Cali with an incredible, high-end photographer who works with some incredible people in our industry like Gabrielle Bernstein! Here’s a sneak peek!)

My life now looks completely different from what it looked like on that trip with my parents. I’ve gone from basically broke and struggling as a new entrepreneur to running a 7-figure dream biz. I’m helping women change their lives, and making the sort of impact I’d always felt deep down I was meant to make in the world.

Looking back, I’m so grateful I didn’t throw in the towel back in those beginning stages of my biz when things felt like such a struggle. Instead, I chose to press on, to dream big, to follow my heart, and to not make myself wrong for wanting more.

I’ve always loved what one of my coaches once told me. She said that when we’re going after something big in our lives and businesses, it’s like we’re a pot of water on the stove that’s just about to boil. But unfortunately, so often people give up just when they’re on the verge of boiling – right when they’re on the verge their breakthrough.

Lovely, I’ve learned that when things feel tough – when you’re getting “no’s” from potential clients, when you can’t quite seem to figure out the next step, when you’re having to ask you parents for money or struggling to pay off your debt – those are the times to be the most persistent.

When you’re up against a challenge and in the midst of the struggle, you’re getting closer and closer to that boiling point.

It’s so tempting in those moments to give in to thoughts like “maybe I’m dreaming too big” “maybe I shouldn’t want more – after all, my life now isn’t so bad” or “maybe I’ve got my head in the clouds”. Here’s what I have to say about that:

DON’T.

Don’t give in to those naysaying thoughts. Don’t give up. Don’t second guess yourself.

Flip the switch on those thoughts. Follow your heart and stop making yourself wrong. Your dreams are there within you because they’re meant to be.

I’ve come to believe that truly anything is possible. And that’s not just for certain people with a “secret sauce” or super special skills – anything is possible for you too, lovely.

You have to persist through the challenges. You have to find your passion, believe in it, and go after it with all your heart no matter what anyone says. And believe me, you have what it takes to do that. Don’t stop just before it’s time to boil.

After all, like I always say I’m just a girl from Ohio with really big dreams. I don’t even recognize my life from what it was just a few years ago – in fact, my life is even better than I’d dreamed possible!

And if I can make that happen, I know you can too, lovely.