I used to hear people say "just show up as the highest version of yourself" all the time, and honestly? I had no idea what that actually meant. How do you embody a version of yourself you've never been before? Especially when you're feeling stuck or disempowered?

I've been wrestling with this question personally as I transition from being a fitness instructor to stepping into my role as a keynote speaker and leader. Sometimes I don't feel like my highest self at all. But here's what I've discovered: you can't step into that powerful version of yourself from a place of feeling powerless.

It Starts with Visualization

The breakthrough came when I realized I needed to feel this future version of myself first. I started doing daily visualizations – imagining myself six months from now, a year from now, three years from now. I picture myself walking into rooms with confidence, making decisions without hesitation, inspiring others simply through the energy I carry.

I even created a rec...

Leadership is one of life's greatest privileges. Whether you're guiding a team, managing a household, or mentoring others, it's an honor to have people look to you for direction. But I've learned through experience that leadership can also be incredibly lonely—carrying the weight of responsibility while trying to stay grounded isn't easy.

You Can't Pour From an Empty Cup

Here's the truth I've had to learn the hard way: you literally cannot pour from an empty cup. When I focused entirely on my work, my team, and my goals while neglecting myself, the result was predictable—burnout, loss of clarity, and the feeling that I was running on fumes.

For years, I didn't even recognize myself as a leader. I owned a gym and thought I was just training people, not realizing I was leading a community and guiding my team to become better trainers. Once I understood the leadership role I had stepped into, I saw how critical self-care was to doing it well.

My Five Leadership Self-Care Strategies...

The conversation happened in a small yoga studio in New Jersey. I was home for the holidays, taking a class with my recently retired mom who's in her 60s. After class, the instructor shared something that broke my heart: "After I turned 40, my body felt like it started falling apart. I gained weight. I felt too tired to move. My body just didn't behave the way it used to."

Her words struck a chord because I hear this same story from women I work with every day. The metabolism changes, hormones shift, and suddenly the strategies that worked in your 20s not only stop working—they can actually work against you.

But here's what I need you to know: your changing body isn't a sign of failure. It's an invitation to show up differently.

The Mistake Most Women Make

When women notice these changes, their first instinct is often to double down on what used to work. They cut more calories. They add more cardio. They buy expensive supplements promising quick fixes.

Then they feel frustrated...

We've all had those moments where everything seems to fall apart at the worst possible time. Mine happened at 3 AM in a car with my stepdad, 10 minutes from the airport, when my stomach decided to stage a full-scale rebellion.

There I was, sweating, panicking, and praying for a miracle as I clenched every muscle in my body. When we finally reached the airport and faced a massive line to enter the terminal, I spotted salvation through a window—a bathroom in another terminal. Without thinking twice, I jumped out of the car, leaped over a barrier, and sprinted toward relief, leaving all my luggage behind.

Was it embarrassing? Absolutely. But this chaotic moment reminded me of something I learned after tearing my ACL on American Ninja Warrior: life's "shit moments" (sometimes literally) are inevitable, but they're also where we grow the most.

That's why I created the R.I.G.H.T framework:

R - Recognize and Feel: Give yourself permission to feel whatever emotions arise without judgmen...

I had to have a serious conversation with myself the other day. You know the kind—just you, your thoughts, and that uncomfortable question you've been avoiding: "Why haven't I been showing up for myself?"

It hit me while driving alone, reflecting on patterns I've noticed year after year. When life gets busy or chaotic, I'm the first thing I drop from my priority list. Maybe you can relate?

The Breaking Point

This year was particularly eye-opening. I kept scheduling workouts, setting goals, blocking time for myself in my calendar...and then bailing at the last minute. Once you break a promise to yourself once, the second time gets easier. Then it becomes a pattern.

I asked myself the hard question: What's really holding me back?

It wasn't fear of failure. For me, it was feeling overwhelmed by new challenges and making excuses about not having enough time—even though deep down I knew that wasn't true.

The Mindset Shift

After retiring from American Ninja Warrior, I found myself ...

I’m not good at goodbyes.

This week, something I was really looking forward to came to a close and even though my gut felt it coming, it still stung when it happened.

But before I get into that, let’s rewind.

Courage Looks Like a Cold Email

This week, I finally leaned into something I’ve been resisting for months: cold outreach.

Wild, right? I’ve spoken in front of thousands. I thrive on stage. But hitting send on an email to someone I don’t know… that felt like a mountain.

Still, I did it.

With 1% courage and a few funny subject lines, I hit send, and the responses poured in.

I even landed spots on several speaker bureau websites and booked meetings just days later. Why? Because I showed up. I asked. I let go of the pressure for a yes and embraced the power of the no.

My client Amrutha had the best mindset shift: “My goal is to get 100 no’s.” And suddenly, outreach felt less scary. Less personal. More like practice.

So… where in your life do you need to swing, even if you mi...

Have you ever felt like you're constantly playing catch-up in life? That's exactly where I found myself recently—in that uncomfortable space between retiring from American Ninja Warrior and trying to figure out my next chapter.

For years, I've struggled with a deep-seated belief that I wasn't enough. Despite my achievements—six-time American Ninja Warrior, three-time cover girl, Miss Fitness America—internally, I constantly felt behind. Whether I was running with friends and couldn't keep up, or sitting on a boat looking at my friends with their marriages and businesses, the same thought persisted: "I'm not there yet. I'm not enough."

This scarcity mindset wasn't just affecting my personal life; it was blocking my business growth and speaking career too. I knew something had to change.

The Turning Point

Last week, I decided to stop fighting these thoughts and instead lean into them. I wanted to examine why I kept returning to this comfort zone of scarcity and self-doubt, then ch...

This week, I caught myself doing something I thought I had grown out of: Comparing myself to other people and shrinking.

I’ve been stepping fully into this new season of keynote speaking—and as I was updating my site, pitching for events, and prepping for an upcoming talk, I made the mistake of scrolling through a bunch of other speaker pages.

And just like that… Self-doubt crept in.

“Do I have enough?”
“Is this page as good as theirs?”
“Am I really ready for this?”

Maybe you’ve felt this too.
Like when you’re about to reach out to a lead and talk yourself out of it. Or you want to launch something new, and suddenly it feels safer to do nothing.

Or even in fitness—when you want to get started, but a little voice whispers, “You’ll probably fail anyway.”

That’s where I was this week. And then my friend Keith gave me the best reminder:

“So what if you swing and miss?”

He’s right. What’s the worst that happens? You send the message and get no reply. You show up and it’s messy. You put...