Hi friends, I’m Addy!

Mama. Wife. Educator. Fumbling home chef. Thrift store treasure hunter. Hopeful writer. Mexican food lover. Eager world traveler. Crime podcast junkie.

I grew up on a farm in a small Idaho town. In 2nd grade, I decided I would be an attorney because it seemed far more appealing than farming. Apparently, the long days, hard work, and dirt scared my 8-year-old self (if you know, you know!). Education was always a priority in our home and so I jumped all in. I received my degree and went to work in state government. It was during that experience that I realized quickly that while I enjoyed learning about the law, I was called to serve in a different way. I followed my heart and completed my formal education, achieving 5 degrees in total! I worked as a counselor and school psychologist, serving all ages. After working in the schools, I found myself wanting to support future counseling professionals in doing the work differently. Since then, I have served as a faculty member; providing workshops for teachers, staff, and families; presenting at regional and national conferences; conducting research and writing.

You may wonder why all of this matters. Truth is, it doesn’t too much, except that it illustrates the path I have been on for YEARS…for as long I can remember, actually. I have always operated at full speed.

I hustled through school and achieved a lot academically and professionally. If I wasn’t “doing,” I didn’t consider myself to be successful, useful, or productive.

I was doing all the things I thought necessary to do life the “right way.” The harder I worked to “do it all,” the less joyful I felt about my work, my worth, my relationships, my impact, and my future. I reached a point where I felt exhausted, stuck, ashamed, frustrated, uninspired, sick, impatient, and burned out. I lacked patience and grace. I rated myself a C+ in each of my roles. I knew something had to change. In my observations and conversations with other women in a variety of contexts and seasons, I found other women who could relate. I encountered so many who were feeling worn out, stuck, unsuccessful, and wondering if this is what they signed up for!

I spent the last 6 months taking time to get quiet, reflect and consider my work, my purpose, my dreams, and my future. I pushed myself to think creatively of how to do life more joyfully. As you might imagine, there is no magic wand for this stuff and I actively work on this daily (there is no perfection here!).

I decided to take this opportunity to lean into my “nudge” and use my experience to help other women navigate the stress, burn out, and the “funk” in life.

Beyond being a mama, wife, and educator, I am a kid taxi, fumbling home chef, thrift store treasure hunter, hopeful writer, Netflix binger, wannabe back-up dancer, exercise enthusiast, informed optimist, Mexican food lover, and eager world traveler.

I hope you will find community, validation, support, and inspiration here. I look forward to running alongside you in your journey to living a more ENGAGED life!