Boring stuff: I live in Holly Springs, NC with my husband, two sons (6 and 2), and dog. I grew up in Fuquay Varina, NC and went to NC State, receiving my undergrad in 2010. I majored in Business with a minor in Accounting but I have worked in the Healthcare and Clinical Research IT industry for my entire career. Now I’m branching out and doing some cooler shit for myself.

What you’re here for: To be blunt, I have been through some shit. I have been through some shit that I think, or rather, I know, other people are going through as well. I was fat. I drank too much. I hated myself because of those two things. I was stressed and anxious and overwhelmed with the daily tasks that come with being an employee, a mom, a wife, a daughter, a friend, and a neighbor. I was able to fight through my shit and come out the other side. I was able to rise above my personal version of hell and turn my life around in a way that others can too. I want to help people do that. I am a normal chick who went through normal shit, but finally discovered that my mediocre life didn’t have to be mediocre. I learned it’s okay to want more. It’s okay to expect more for myself. It’s okay to not settle for anything less than exactly the life I dreamt of when I closed by eyes. 

My goal with Shimmer and Shame is to share stories and experiences that people will relate to. When I first started on my journey, I found it really hard to connect with people in the sobriety, nutrition, fitness, or mental health spaces. They felt like they were in a different world – they were either way worse off than me or way better off than me and I couldn’t find a common ground. I wasn’t an alcoholic living under a bridge, I didn’t need a crane to be lifted out of my bed, I wasn’t suicidal. But did that mean I didn’t deserve to live better? 

My hope is that people will read this and see a version of themselves in the experiences I share and the stories I tell and maybe not feel so alone with their thoughts. I plan to share stories, details, and pieces of my life that I haven’t shared with many people (or anyone). Some will be funny, some will be sad, some will be shocking. I will cuss a lot. I may veer off track and lose focus a lot. But I promise you this: with every story, detail, and experience I share, I will also offer advice and insight. I will offer a fresh perspective and a different way of thinking about things. I will be the guinea pig. I will make the mistakes and share them with you, so you don’t have to make the same ones. I will be raw, I will be fresh, and I will always be honest. 

There isn’t a magic pill or special personality trait that successful people have. Success and happiness can be achieved by anyone who wants it bad enough and you don’t have to give up your personality, friends, or current life to make it happen. I will show you how 🙂

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