The Resilience Key: Channel Your Grit Into Growth

Does love last forever, and is it enough to help you stick it out long term? Be it in a relationship, a career, or any goal - what's even more important than just "being in love?" In this episode, we'll explore the strategy of reframing simple "love" in a new context, one with purpose, that will help us stay on track...and in love. Connect with me online: web Facebook I...

Work harder and all your efforts will pay off...right? It's all about the hustle, right? Hmmm. Is it? If our hard work isn't paying off, and we're looking for a different result, should we keep toiling on and on in the same way? In this episode, we'll discuss "hustle culture" in the context of my own work environment (tattooing), and look at some strategies we can use to...

In this season, I'm exploring lessons I've learned from my full time work as a tattooist for the past 16 years. One great metaphor from tattooing? There are no shortcuts or walkarounds. Big tattoos - like sleeves and backpieces - take time and commitment. Getting a tattoo? Even with numbing cream, it hurts. No way around it. Life is like this as well. Anything worth doing takes time, effor...

Age is so relative. If you're 20, the thought of 40 seems old. And if you're 40, maybe you don't feel old. Or maybe you do. Maybe you've fallen into the trap of thinking that just because someone else you knew went "downhill" at a certain age it will happen to you as well. In this episode, we look at some ways to reverse this kind of mindset. Sure, we all age. But we choo...

It's so easy to look at someone else that we perceive as having it all together and think...I could never do that. We get down on ourselves. We perceive that maybe we have even failed if we don't achieve what others have - on the surface. But is that really the truth? Of course not. If there's one thing I've learned in the past 16 years as a tattoo artist (and now a tattoo studio o...

What happens when we go through something difficult and traumatic? Can we just leave it behind and simply move on, like nothing happened. Of course not, we all need a chance to process the event - and then let our feelings OUT rather than letting those feelings fester inside. In this episode, we'll explore more stories from my tattoo chair about this topic, and look at ways we can avoid common...

In a world where we measure ourselves by metrics and feel like we "know" folks we follow online, it's becoming rarer and rarer to step outside our collective comfort zones and connect with others in person. While I don't believe in throwing out the proverbial baby with the bathwater, and I personally benefit from the use of social media in business, when it comes to really pursui...

Welcome back to The Resilience Key Podcast after a hiatus for season TWO! I'm excited to be back with you all. This season of 10 new episodes has an interesting and unique theme. If you've listened to the previous episodes of the podcast, you'll know that my full time job is as a tattoo artist and tattoo studio owner. While you may think my job is all about art, it's really more ab...

Hi all - you may have noticed the past weeks we have been absent. The Resilience Key is on a short hiatus, and we'll be back with Season 2 soon! Listen for details. More on my social media pages: Instagram and Facebook . As always find me on my website !

What's the one thing you likely take with you everywhere? Think about it.  It's likely your phone. While it's great to be hyper-connected with our loved ones, this hyper-connectivity is a double-edged sword.  It's become a reflex - for many of us - to unconsciously grab that phone and start scrolling any time we have a free second.  Is this a good thing?  This is the phenomenon...

I realized this week - after nearly two years of consistent weekly podcasting - that I've never actually directly tackled the subject of grief.  So here we are... Grief is a universal emotion.  Live long enough, and you're going to experience a loss.  Why don't we talk about it more? In this episode, we talk about: What's the grieving process like? What's the "right way" to grieve?...

One thing my husband has always said - the true definition of adulthood is learning how to enjoy yourself between moment of endlessly solving problems. It's so easy to get lost in problems.  In pushing for more.  In struggling...daily.  And we forget the entire point of our travails - it's to enjoy the present moment. If you're feeling stuck, like you've lost your ability to find jo...

Today's episode is a highly personal one - and this is the first episode I've ever done completely unscripted.  Let's get real and raw today! We'll be looking at the idea of "red flags" and how - as humans - we tend to ignore them. Then what happens?  Often, those red flags will add up over time, forcing us to either make a huge change in our lives, or to remain stuck. So what do we do w...

When we're going through a life challenge, it's easy to think we're all alone in our struggle. But here's the thing - anything we've gone through is likely something that someone else has experienced at some point (and maybe even overcome).  We're human.  And part of being human is experiencing those challenges and those struggles - it's normal!  No one is so special that "they're t...

Have you ever wanted to make a big shift in your life, but when you think about moving forward, all you can remember is advice or conventional wisdom telling you that it's not a good idea? So many big changes only happen if we're willing to ditch the illusion of safety and start thinking outside of the box. In this episode, we'll look at the trap of leaning into conventional wisdom, looking at som...

Do you constantly feel like - whenever you're making headway in some personal or professional goal, that something ALWAYS seems to get in the way? Yes, me too. Rather than personalizing this, thinking that "the universe is out to get me," I think it's better to frame this as simply a byproduct of life itself.  In this episode, we look at how we have the tendencies to look at things as grand s...

Why are we all so obsessed with the cult of youth if aging (and eventually dying) is the one inevitable thing in life? In this episode - and I promise, it's not grim! - we explore this topic.  We look at ways to detach from the idea of what we should look like according to societal standards, and ways in which to look more toward our inner strength to define ourselves as we age. Connect with...

I'm sure you've heard the saying "hard work always pays off." Nope, I'm sorry.  It doesn't.  Not always. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you feel like you're toiling away, never reaching your goal?  You just can't...get there.  And then you simply chalk it up to the "universe must be against me." Nope.  That's not it either. The issue is we have to direct...

No one can possibly be happy, or optimistic, or fulfilled, or grateful, or passionate about like one hundred percent of the time. A great fallacy that is sold to us from the personal growth industry is that we can "manifest" our best lives by thinking the right way all of the time, and that something might be wrong with us - that we need to GROW more - if we aren't happy all the time. Guess what....

It's the new year (happy 2023!), and undoubtedly a bunch of us out there have made some resolutions, which is a good thing!  It's always great to pursue new goals or want to make a change in your life. However, a lot of us misplace our energy.  We look for the path of least resistance.  We look to someone to give us advice, tell us what to do, and the quickest way to get there. &nbs...

This is a special short holiday episode of The Resilience Key!  Like it or not, we can't get away from the idea of Christmas, whether or not we participate.  And part of the cultural phenomenon of this holiday is gift giving.  In this episode, I'm going to ask you a question - what's the most important gift you can give? The answer may surprise you. Reach out to me through my websit...

How often have you said - at this time of year - "oh, I'll start X Y or Z as soon as the holidays are over"? You're not alone. Why do we put off making changes that are good for us until times that we perceive as "less busy?"  Is that really a good idea?  In this episode, we'll look at the green light phenomenon - the idea that we need permission or approval or the "right time" to start...

It's the holiday season, and it's also the time of year where many of us tend to get overextended.  Parties, gatherings, buying gifts, baking...we feel like there are a TON of things we HAVE to do out of a sense of obligation. And while prioritizing family and friends in a caring way is a good thing, if we do this to the exclusion of taking care of ourselves...well, we're bound to crash. &nbs...

The end of the year is upon us, and I always hear a lot of folks talk about "getting through the holidays" followed by "making a new start" on January 1.  This is all good, but... When it comes to a fresh start - when it comes to leveling up in life - there's a danger when looking for help.  It's super easy to fall into the trap of magical thinking, quick fixes, and shortcuts peddled by...

If you're someone who wishes things were different for you on the holidays, you're not alone.  A secret? EVERYONE has issues with someone or something every year at the holidays. However, if you spend your time focusing on how you wish things were different, you're missing out on great potential - you're missing out on seeing some amazing things right in front of you.  Right now. This is...