I got my wake-up call at 31 years old when I survived a heart attack.

 

At the time, I was working hard, climbing the corporate ladder, in a stressful Human Resources job that didn't inspire me. I was caught up in the common belief in our society that the measure of your life is how busy you are, and how accomplished you are in your career. Even though I was in good physical shape as a triathlete, I felt disconnected from myself. I was stressed out, and unsure of what I really wanted in life.

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During a 60-mile bike ride with friends, I experienced symptoms that at the time I had no idea had anything to do with my heart. I explained away all of the discomforts and kept riding. In the last 10 miles, I started to feel pressure in my chest. It wasn’t a sharp pain, so I wasn’t alarmed. I rode the rest of the way to my friend’s house, where the sensation continued to get worse, causing my friend to insist that we go to the emergency room. 

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After waiting for over an hour to see a doctor, they ran various tests, all of which failed to indicate anything wrong. Finally, the doctor looked at my file and said, “You have a family history of heart disease?” Hearing those words, I was certain that there was a problem with my heart. Seeing the look on my face, the doctor said, “it’s probably nothing, but we want to rule it out.”

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A blood test showed that my heart was in distress. They called in the cardiologist who found a blood clot in my coronary artery. I would not have survived the night had I not gone to the hospital. I was 31 years old, and had just survived a heart attack. After a stent and four nights in the hospital, I was sent home with multiple prescriptions and told I could go back to work on Monday.

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My near-death experience opened my eyes to the fact that I needed to change. I wanted my life to be full of passion, adventure, love, and laughter. 

 

After connecting with the American Heart Association, and learning more about heart disease - the #1 killer of all Americans and 80% preventable with lifestyle changes - I decided something needed to change.

 

Too many people die from heart disease, and I believe we can change that! I wanted to help others get off the hamster wheel, and lead healthier and happier lives.

 

I embarked on a long journey that included education in nutrition and life-coaching methods to become a holistic health practitioner, moving to a plant-based diet, and starting a yoga practice. As an inflexible athlete, I never thought yoga would be my thing, but it was exactly what I needed. I dove head first into yoga, and over the years have taken over 650 hours of training in multiple forms of yoga and education in human anatomy.

 

I started health coaching and teaching yoga while I was still working full time in HR. My path wasn't always easy, and I found myself slipping back into old habits. But, along the way I picked up tools and resources that helped me connect to myself, find my way, and stay on track.

 

In 2018, I left my corporate job to focus full-time on operating Firefly so that I could reach more people, and help them connect with themselves, others, nature and food. 

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My mission is to help you ignite your inner light, and start doing what you are meant to do now, rather than waiting until some day in the future.

 

I wholeheartedly agree with Howard Thurman: 

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”