I’m excited that today, Lydia Criss Mays is “Speaking From the Heart” and sharing her experiences with all of us. I have known Lydia for the past couple of years. I have been so inspired by her beautiful vision and passion that I asked her to be part of this series; she is a mentor to me. On See Beautiful’s website, Lydia shares the stories of others. In this interview, I’m delighted that we all get to hear her beautiful thoughts.

I'm excited that today, Dawn Brown, is “Speaking From the Heart” and sharing her experiences with all of us. Dawn was the Director of Student Life Services and head of Career Services at Carleton University (where I obtained my Bachelor's degree) in Ottawa, Canada. I am really inspired by Dawn's message of hope, so I asked her to be part of this series; she is a mentor to me. As said on her website, "she credits those she has met on the road and seas with inspiring her by allowing her to see life through their eyes." I had to ask Dawn to inspire fellow writers by asking her to speak from her heart!

During the winter months, the opposite of ‘moving’ or ‘doing’ occurs. Many people don’t feel motivated to do anything except sit inside by the fire and get warm. The lack of sun and cold temperatures prompt people to stay inside and enter hibernation mode. Growing up in Canada, you get used to long winters and learn to adapt to the snow and cold temperatures. You learn to have fun despite the harsh winter months. Still, we Canadians are always excited for spring to come!

Ever wondered how writing and reflection can inspire you to excel in your life? I'm excited that today, Michelle Ward, is speaking from the heart and sharing her experiences with all of us. I am really inspired by Michelle's vision and passion, so I asked her to be part of this series; she is a mentor to me. I spent the early part of my twenties reflecting on what I wanted to be when I grew up.

The Self-Discovery Retreat is rooted in my passions: psychology, water, empowering others, and writing. These interests have drawn me to seek out resources and build a community of people with similar interests. Over the years, one of the tools that really strengthens my growth are the articles in Psychologies magazine. I especially look forward to what the editor has to say in the first couple pages, so I asked her to be part of the "Speaking From the Heart" interview series. I'm so excited that Suzy Greaves is “Speaking from the Heart” and sharing her writing experiences with all of us today. 

As I said in my last post, conversations change lives. For me, one of those conversations was seeing Mo Isom being interviewed on Ellen. Watch the video here. Mo's story really inspired me and I had to reach out and connect with her.  I'm so excited that today, Mo Isom, is “Speaking From the Heart” and sharing her experiences with all of us. 

At just 23, Mo Isom is recognized as a powerful, fearless female voice rising up for her generation. Her unique personal story and athletic endeavors have provided her with a platform to inspire, empower and encourage others to live boldly, despite their circumstances. Having faced great personal tragedy—including battling an eating disorder, overcoming the suicide of her father, and surviving a horrific car accident—Mo is passionate about speaking on a wide variety of topics and is able to connect with men and women of all ages and demographics. 

When talking to people over the past few months, many have independently mentioned how years ago I was “floundering” in terms of transitioning from recent graduate to established professional; now, they love how I have found my balance.  Each has used that exact word, floundering, which means: “to make clumsy attempts to move or regain one's balance” (thefreedictionary.com). The reason the word was used was because I took a different route than what they were used to so they thought I was off course. However, I never thought I was "floundering," I used the term exploring instead. I knew exactly where I was going and working hard to get there.

Elizabeth McKenzie is a  twenty-something speech pathologist + life coach (and kinesiologist in training) from Australia. Her home on the interwebs is Your Highest Self  where she helps women rock their life with confidence, passion and purpose, showing them how to make that seemingly impossible dream life a reality. She is also the creator of Bringing Sexy Back Bootcamp, an ecourse to help women get their mojo back, speak their truth and learn the skills necessary to create a life they’ve chosen for themselves.

I found this quote by bestselling author Anne Lamott about lighthouses and it really speaks to my heart. I have been journaling and reflecting on the meaning recently so I thought I would share it with all of you.

Ever wondered what results from reaching out to someone whose story inspires you? A new friendship can form and you find strength to persevere. I'm excited that today, Tara Fall, is “Speaking From the Heart” and sharing her experiences with all of us.  I found her through her blog (http://findingstrengthtostandagain.wordpress.com/) by chance last year and am so blessed to have connected with her.  I think her story is so inspiring and should be shared with others. She has really inspired me to go after my dream, to persevere, and to overcome obstacles with optimism.  Check out the video of her story below before you read her interview to see what I mean.

Susa reached out to me earlier this year and then we connected through Skype. Susa writes a fashion blog Susu Paris Chic . Her passion for fashion goes deeper than the surface, though. Fashion is a game for her, but she also longs to dig profoundly, to talk about issues that really matter. Susa struggled with anorexia and is still dealing with depression. She seeks to find happiness in the midst of these trials. Susa has lived in Finland, USA, France and now Canada. Her travels have molded her into an open-minded girl who has a heart for small things that can render life more beautiful.  She is just as sweet in person as she is on her blog.

Scott L Vannatter is the oldest of two children, having one sister.  He was born in New Castle, Indiana and lives in Middletown, IN in his grandmother's home with his cat, Tamika.  Scott is a published author of 7 short horror stories, 4 of which are currently in print and on sale with Amazon in both anthologies (paperback) and  on Kindle.  Scott has 2 Master's degrees, worked in computers for nearly 23 years and nearly 6 years as a special education teacher.  A massive hemorrhagic stroke in May of 2010 made him stop teaching and start writing.  He is, currently, an Independent Marketing Director for Team National. He has been divorced twice and has two wonderful children, one male and one female both 30 years or older. He is happy with life and believes that "all things work together in the end; if it hasn't worked out, it isn't the end."