🤔 QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
- Are you measuring yourself against someone else’s highlight reel instead of your own progress?
- What’s one area where you’ve been too hard on yourself that actually deserves some grace?
GIVE IT A GO
Use these as journal prompts or just take a moment to reflect—because your journey is yours, not theirs.
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🏆 YOUR CHALLENGE THIS WEEK
Pick one "should" you’ve been holding onto—something you think you should be doing because someone else makes it look effortless. Now question it. Is this truly your goal, or someone else’s expectation? If it is yours, what’s one small way you can work toward it on your terms this week?.
KEEP IN MIND
By the end of the week, check in with yourself. Not based on someone else’s standard—but your own.
Hit reply and share your thoughts or ask me a question - I might feature it here, but don't worry, your name stays between us.
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❔SPILL THE BEANS: QUESTION(S) OF THE WEEK
"Hi Athena!!!! Or oops BEAN! I read the post Thursday night! What do you think the difference is between who do you want to be vs who am I becoming"
Great question. Not sure what it is for everyone but here's how I thought about it. It shifts the focus from some far-off, maybe-someday version of yourself to the choices you’re making right now—the ones that are actively shaping you. Here’s why this question hits me different:
- I focus on the journey. “Who do I want to be?” makes it sound like there’s an endpoint, a final version of myself that I’ll reach once I check all the right boxes. But life doesn’t work that way. Growth isn’t linear. “Who am I becoming?” keeps me focused on the process.
- I acknowledge that I’m always changing. I’m not the same person I was a year ago, and I won’t be the same person a year from now. I evolve through my experiences, choices, and challenges, and I embrace that constant transformation.
- I create room for grace. “Who do I want to be?” can feel like a ruler I’m constantly measuring myself against—one that only highlights how far I still have to go. It’s easy to turn that into self-criticism, feeling like I’m not there yet, not enough, not doing it right. But “Who am I becoming?” reminds me that growth is gradual and that showing up—even imperfectly—still counts.
- I take ownership of my journey. “Who do I want to be?” can feel external, shaped by comparison, expectations, or what I think I’m supposed to do. “Who am I becoming?” makes it personal. It’s not about meeting an arbitrary standard—it’s about owning my choices, taking responsibility, and deciding what I actually want to build for myself.
- I stay present. When I fixate on who I want to be, it’s easy to disconnect from where I am right now. But who I’m becoming? That’s happening in real time. Every decision I make shapes that person, and I choose to be intentional about it.
Asking “Who am I becoming?” is an invitation to engage in your own transformation in a way that’s fluid, forgiving, and real. It’s not about waiting until you have it all figured out.
Exciting Changes Coming to the Seminar in 2025!
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✅ BEAN THERE, LEARNED THAT: Bracing for the Backlash
You ever put something out into the world and immediately brace for impact? That was me two weeks ago when my article for Morning Chalk Up and BarBend went live. I knew exactly what was coming—snarky comments, unsolicited opinions, and the kind of DMs that make you wonder if people actually read past the headline.
I was ready for it. But here’s what surprised me: It never came.
Not a single negative comment. No angry DMs. No long-winded messages telling me why I was wrong. The internet, in all its usual chaos, just… let it be.
I won’t lie—I had spent energy preparing for a fight that never showed up. And that made me realize something: how often do we hold ourselves back, assuming the worst-case scenario is inevitable? How much time do we waste bracing for impact when, in reality, the impact might never come? Talk about perspective shift right?
Years ago, I would have spiraled. I would have questioned myself, my message, and whether I should have just kept quiet. But here’s the thing—I knew why I wrote that article. I knew who it was for. And that’s what mattered.
The lesson? Not everyone is out to tear you down. And even if they were, it still wouldn’t change the fact that when you stand firm in your beliefs—when you know exactly why you do what you do—outside noise doesn’t hold the same weight.
So, if you’ve been holding back because you’re afraid of what they might say, let me remind you: They don’t get to write your story. You do.
☕ FRESHLY BREWED: WHAT I'M READING OR WATCHING
POD of the Day… (Spotify) James Hobart keeps dropping these quick, 10-minute podcast spots, and I’ll be honest—at first, I wasn’t sure. But now? I’m hooked. His way of thinking, and the random-yet-insightful topics he chooses have made this one of my favorite listens. My standout episode from the last two weeks? #73, Emotional Custodian. The timing was uncanny—it felt like the universe was nudging me to hear it right then. Was it meant for me? Maybe. Was it eerily relevant to my life in that exact moment? Absolutely. Either way, if you haven’t given it a listen yet, I highly recommend it. It might just hit you at the perfect time too. 😉
The Bible... Mom and I are still going strong with our One Year of the Bible journey, and somehow, we’ve already hit Week 13. Never in my life did I think I’d be casually calling her up to say things like, “OMG, Moses finally died this morning!” or “Wait… they yeeted themselves off the whole cliff!?” Like this....But here we are—bringing a whole new level of drama to our daily Bible check-ins.
🫘 COOL BEANS - The “Wait…This is Healthy?” Mousse
Since this week’s theme is "Perspective Shifts", we are going to challenge expectations—something that looks indulgent but is actually nourishing that shifts the way we think about eating well.
Ingredients:
- 2 ripe avocados (the secret creamy base)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (the chocolatey magic)
- 1/4 cup milk of choice (almond, oat, cow—whatever works for you)
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup (sweetness without the sugar crash)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (because everything’s better with vanilla)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (just trust me on this)
- Optional: Dark chocolate shavings, berries, or whipped cream for topping
Directions:
- Blend it up – Toss everything into a food processor or blender and let it rip until it's smooth and creamy.
- Taste and tweak – Give it a quick taste test. Want it richer? Add a little more cocoa. Need it sweeter? A drizzle more honey.
- Chill out – Pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the flavors deepen and the texture thickens.
- Serve and enjoy – Scoop it into a bowl, fancy it up with toppings if you want, and dig in.
This mousse is so velvety you’ll forget it’s packed with good-for-you fats and antioxidants. Enjoy.
Stay tuned for more inspiration and ideas—let’s keep growing together.
Until then, take care
Your friend, 💖
