I believe that in this life, there are no accidents. I believe in the power of connection and building relationships. I believe that when I feel pulled to someone, even if it’s a mere stranger at the time, that there is a reason for it. I have come to know that, for me, these are three truths.

It’s funny to think back to my self as a young child, so shy and so afraid to speak up or spark a conversation with anyone but family, friends, or classmates. Somewhere along the way though, I began to open up. I began to gain confidence. I began to get curious. Somewhere along the way, I found my voice. And somewhere along the way, I began to share my stories. Most recently, I have shared a piece of my story with Lisa Arnold.

Lisa Arnold is a beautiful soul, a talented photographer, and an outstanding listener. She has this magical way about her of getting right to the heart of things. Lisa is known for connecting with her clients in the most interesting way…by listening to them, having open conversations, getting to know them, and then photographing them and beautifully capturing “how they want to be seen”. She is also the host of the “How Do You Want To Be Seen?” podcast.

Originally, I knew of Lisa because we were both part of the amazing She Built This group founded and led by none other than Emily Aborn. In January of this year, Lisa and I connected on a more personal level because she was working on a new project to partner with non-profits and give back through her photography. At the time, I had just announced that I would be fundraising for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) as I prepared to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and so when Lisa reached out my curiosity was piqued, my inner voice said “yes”, and I felt the pull to connect. I am so glad I did.

While the project was not a good fit for me at the time, the conversation with Lisa left me wanting more. I remember when we ended our call we agreed to stay in touch because you just never know where life will take you. Perhaps we could help to support one another down the line in some other way. So this past June, after taking part in a bi-weekly She Built This peer group that I am part of and setting a goal to use my voice to raise awareness for LLS in new ways, I reached out to Lisa and asked if perhaps I could be a guest on her podcast. (Because remember, if you never ask, the answer is always no.) Thankfully, she said yes and just like that, we were reconnected again.

Lisa’s interview style is simply to have free-flowing conversation, letting one question lead to another in a very natural way, and ultimately asking the question, “How do you want to be seen?” Honestly, before we met in June to record the podcast, I hadn’t given much serious thought to the question. There was so much going on in my world in terms of officially rolling out my Coaching business, preparing to climb, fundraising, family, and, you know, ALLLLLL the things, that the only thing I really knew was that I was excited for the opportunity to reconnect with Lisa and let the rest happen as it may.

During the interview, I was able to share my story of divorce, my approach to Coaching and the “why” behind it, my thoughts on personal empowerment, my journey to summit Kilimanjaro and give back to LLS, and more. When we finished our conversation, I sat back in my chair and I reflected on the previous hour or so we had spent together. I remember saying to Lisa something about how I had learned so much about myself during our conversation by simply talking about and sharing my story. Because truly, I had. It was as if someone had given me a mirror to look into and “see” myself with a bit more clarity. How amazing is it when someone, through natural, flowing conversation, can help you learn things about yourself that you just hadn’t realized? Like I said, Lisa has a magical way of getting right to the heart of things.

The final question Lisa asked was, of course, the one she is known for…how do you want to be seen? And in that moment, these words came out of my mouth…

“I want to be seen as someone that others can look to and say, if you did that, I know I can and I will too.”

Ain’t that the truth.

I am a small town girl with a GIANT vision to positively impact the lives of as many individuals as possible around the globe. I want to inspire YOU. I want to motivate YOU. I want YOU to know that YOU CAN DO ANYTHING! I want to spread positivity and make way for change. If I am able to use my voice, share my stories, and positively impact YOUR life in some way, by all means, I AM IN! I believe that when we share our stories and our experiences, we all feel less alone. We begin to feel more alike than different. We begin to see ourselves in one another. We begin to feel seen. With each story shared, the ripple effect takes over, sending out hope, love, comfort, inspiration, motivation, joy, and ALL the good this one life we get to live has to offer.

I once heard someone say that story telling is the currency of the world and so today, I am inviting you to share your story too. To think about how you want to be seen. To remember that if something has happened to you, if you have experienced something, whatever it may be, someone else has too. If you are thinking something, someone else is too. If you are wanting something, someone else is too. They are just waiting for you to be vulnerable and courageous enough to use YOUR voice so that in turn, they too can find the strength to use theirs. And so the ripple effect begins…