Miracles that came from a side hustle

right before I quit my corporate job, I applied to be store manager of an ice cream shop. I had 0% doubt that I would get the role.

I was significantly overqualified. And I love ice cream.

Anyone fueled by a mint chip obsession can literally do anything. (I will live on this hill.)

I was feeling so desperate to be in control of my own life that I was ready to work 100 jobs that didn’t require me to be at a screen all day SO THAT I finally would have the energy to build my dream coaching biz on the side.

I thought to myself, I can easily...

• work 100 jobs that don’t require me to bring the office home.

• work 100 jobs that don’t require me to watch AI replace my friends 👈👈👈👈

• work 100 jobs that allow me to move, run, be outside, dig dirt rather than sit all day.

I loved my corporate job for the better part of nine years. and I loved my family there.

but at a certain point I did not like my outlook, their outlook, or Outlook the software.

there was a particular moment when my gut started screaming LEAVE just like it did before my divorce.

being the ice cream queen sounded like a cake-walk in comparison to the “transformation work” barreling towards me. we were in the middle of restructure torture and none of it felt right to me.

However, instead of taking the ice cream job (or the plant nursery job, the social media internship, or the yoga studio part-time role....)

I decided to STAY a FTE… BUT at a job where I could have everything I want (eat ice cream while taking client calls outside) and line my life with side hustles for FUN not for survival

so I hired me to run my business! Full-time!

and have been finding odd jobs to punctuate my career with more sparkle

by far the most fun I’ve had was being hired to play Princess of Genovia.... and by that I mean being hired to be a bride for a styled shoot

I didn’t get a tiara but damn did I feel like Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi 👸

Through this side hustle, I was blessed with a few miracles that completely freaked me out in the best way

• 💍 A receipt from the Universe that I am, in fact, partially my grandmother reincarnated (something my bestie medium had channeled 2 years ago!)

• 💍 A portrait I didn’t get on my wedding (and probably never would have gotten ANY other way…even at the next wedding).

• 💍 A bucket list experience that I had been intentionally manifesting for a few months. And getting paid, which I was not expecting!! 🥹 (Highly recommend checking out thecannonsphotography on instagram. They are the sweetest photography couple who put on this workshop!!)

Two years ago my medium bestie channeled some interesting information. Souls can come from “soul buckets” lol. Her words, not mine! She explained that we are all cut from the same cloth but some of us are even closer than that. We have soul families that come from the same big “bucket” of consciousness or essence.

My paternal grandmother, Mary, died 50 years before I was born. So obviously I never met her but she was the light of my Dad’s life. I know he misses her every day. The way that she cared and loved for my Dad mirrors the way that I do. Unconditionally…sometimes to a fault.

I’ve only ever seen a handful of photos of her but when I sent my aunt the bridal shots she replied and said I looked just like her Mom.

She then sent a photo I’ve never seen of Grandma Mary but….. tell me we’re not the same person.

DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE??

Lace. High-neck. Stud earrings. Hair up.

The crazy part of this is that I didn’t have any decision-making involvement for what I wore or how I was styled. These were all choices made by the insanely talented creatives at the workshop!!

And by the grace of god, they recreated my Grandmother on her wedding day.

Is that a miracle or is that a miracle?

Of course, it’s not wild that I look like her. But it’s divine that I was dressed like her, have her essence, and had no idea this photo exists.

I call this a doozy of an ANGEL SIGN. 😌

While I was married I wore my Mom’s wedding band as my own. The band felt like the only tangible way she could still protect me. Like it held her bullet-proof fortitude and by transitive property gave it to me.

But during my wedding (a day I now refer to as “the event”) nothing about my Mom was memorialized. Not her veil. Not her photos. Not her rings. Nothing.

In hindsight, I understand why. That day was never meant to be special.

Fast-forward four years and I am in full glam, exquisite gown, ready to be photographed to showcase the beautiful artistry all the vendors and creatives put together.

And to my surprise, 20 photographers are asking me to hold up my hand so they can get shots of the rings. HER rings. Rings that were not part of the marketing for this workshop.

This imperfect diamond, still a little tarnished from her gardening days. And the band that protected me through my hardest chapter. The perfect symbol of my mother’s love and grit.

I loved every second of this workshop. The Graceful Gathering was nothing but pure joy, giggles, camera flashes and hot flashes too! Lol! I had been dreaming about doing a wedding shoot as a side hustle since I got divorced. And this was everything I wanted and more.

The “event” I had that everyone calls the best day of their life was one of my worst. But I realize now it just wasn’t supposed to be. And that’s totally ok.

I have no regrets.

But that doesn’t mean I’m not sad that I only have two portraits of me in my gown (that I still have and love). It doesn’t mean that looking back doesn’t hurt.

In fact, it put more pep in my step to actively find a way to relive a wedding day without any of the stress.

And this photoshoot was more fun than that entire “event”, start to finish.

The best part was getting to do it all with Kevin by my side.

Another bucket list activity checked off. Cheers to a hundred more!