Through the Cracks Coaching LLC

My “Why” …

and My Lingering Obsession with “How”

To me, having a solid foundation of support is key to building the strength, confidence, and resilience you need to go for what you want in life and thrive. Yet so many people either don’t have support, or don’t know where to find it. I know there have been times when I didn’t have support when I wanted it most.

One of those times was when I’d decided to leave my corporate 9-5 and strike out on my own for a more fulfilling work experience as a freelancer. The reality of it was that I was working close to 24/7 and felt chained to my computer. I was taking on heavy workloads with tight turnarounds, so I was constantly racing against the clock. This left me feeling physically and mentally exhausted, and at the same time, stressed about the uncertainty of whether I would get any work.

I was afraid to do the math, but when I finally did, I was earning well below minimum wage. I couldn’t pay for all of my bills and prescriptions, had to cut way back on groceries, and was finding it harder and harder to just function. I felt trapped. Although searching for a job is a full-time job in itself, I pushed myself to do it. When I eventually landed a job that fairly compensated me for my work, I was able to pay my bills, get out of debt, and get back on my feet — by myself.

Building my finances back up helped me move from feeling disempowered to feeling empowered and liberated to make choices that I knew were right for me, which has given me inner-peace. Going through that experience made it clear to me that I want to help people figure out their own steps toward taking their power back emotionally, energetically, in their relationships, financially, at work, and in other areas of their lives.  

On my path, I’m thankful to have found the most incredible support networks, and that I got to a place where I could make a career transition into coaching … and that’s why as a coach, I want to provide unwavering, unconditional support for you, especially if you feel unseen and unheard, and if you struggle with trusting your intuition.

Still, because I’m fascinated by processes, my lingering question has always been, “how?”

In this case,
“How to provide support that helps you trust yourself to make choices that are right for you, so you can experience connection, growth, and love, as you enjoy a fulfilling life?”

With that question in mind as I created my signature program, and behind everything I put into all of my coaching, I can provide that kind of support for you by offering 1:1 sessions that:

• Are devoted to listening exclusively to you
• Include questions and discussions to help you reflect on challenges you have and the outcomes you want to achieve — what you’d rather be experiencing
• Allow you to hear your own inner-wisdom
• Foster growth and empowerment by providing you with tools, resources, and manageable steps to take, as you exercise your power to discern distraction from direction
• Hold space for you to transform as you intentionally move toward your goals and the version of yourself you want to be, more quickly than you could do alone

— and all of this is so liberating.

Why Vegan?

I get that a lot, so …

You know how certain sensory details from memories never fade, no matter how much time has passed? A memory I distinctly recall from when I was around 3 or 4, was feeling the indescribably soft fur of my mom’s fur coat … a rabbit-fur coat. I loved rabbits. I was drawn to them because I thought they were one of the cutest creatures out there, and because of their sweet, peaceful demeanor, and that soft fur that didn’t compare to anything I’d ever felt.

Once I found out that rabbits had to be killed to make that coat, I was devastated as I realized that something as beautiful as that coat, which I had unknowingly loved, was the result of something so horrible. As I got older, that memory haunted me. So for my 15^th birthday, way back in 1993, I gave myself the gift of going vegetarian. That’s been the best gift I’ve ever given myself.

Eventually going vegan was a natural progression for me, and 32 years later, compassionate living is still my cause. By being vegan, that encompasses compassion for animals, the planet, and ourselves.

Although that fur-coat memory still haunts me, at the end of the day, no matter what kind of day I’ve had, I always know that I’ve done my part to live compassionately by not supporting the meat and dairy industries and by not buying or using items that contain animal by-products or were tested on animals.

I can live my life exactly the way I want to live it, without the cost of another life.

What Vegan- / Vegetarian-Focused
Compassionate-Living Coaching Can Be

Heart-centered, purpose-driven, rooted in your values … sound like you? I had a feeling. Living compassionately is in your nature. Are you still wondering, though, what exactly compassionate living means? What’s so freeing about this, is rather than being confined to a set definition, compassionate living embraces a broad span of qualities, values, and lifestyle choices. Being vegan or vegetarian naturally fits within that realm.

As for the coaching? Compassionate-living coaching provides you with support and guidance for the everyday circumstances and challenges you may experience, whether you or someone in your life is vegan or vegetarian — ways of living that I consider to be in a through-the-cracks space.

So, if you’re:

• Curious in general about vegan or vegetarian lifestyles
• Are thinking about incorporating more vegan or vegetarian dishes into your diet
• Are a parent, spouse, or partner who has a vegan or vegetarian in your life and are seeking some support with that
• Already are a vegan or vegetarian and are looking for guidance on aligning your personal values with all other parts of your life
  — or you want to know more about something else …
   

I’m here to help you figure out or further refine what compassionate living can look like for you.

Each veg-centric coaching session will be tailored specifically to your expectations, but in general, sessions will integrate these concepts:

• Extending the same compassion you have for animals and the planet, inward, toward self
• Aligning your life, work, and personal wellness with your values and ethics, so you can thrive without compromising your values
• Providing support for boundary-setting and self-advocacy
  • This could include exploring ways to confidently and consistently communicate how your compassionate-living values are legitimate and important, when family, friends, and others question your choices
• Putting thought into sustainability without burnout; this could mean:
  • Educating yourself not to the point of exhaustion, but so you can make informed choices
  • Giving yourself grace if you consume/purchase something you didn’t realize wasn’t vegan or vegetarian
• Addressing the pressure to know everything there is to know behind your lifestyle choices in order to educate others or defend your way of being
• Being prepared for situations such as ordering meals, including pre-selected types of meals for special occasions like weddings, work events, etc.

Deeper-dive focal points could include:

• Deciding where you stand on certain issues, based on what feels right to you,
  for example:
  • Are you OK with eating honey or not?
  • How do you feel about purchasing and/or wearing leather, wool, or cashmere?
• Knowing which ingredients should be on your radar when dining out, as well as questions to ask or consider, such as:
  • Do you prefer that the food you order from restaurants isn’t prepared in a fryer or on a grill where meat or other animal ingredients are also prepared?
• Getting informed about restaurant/convenience store options locally and/or when travelling
• Being the parent or partner in the know, to guide and assure, but not dominate your child or partner’s compassionate-living choices or exploration

Points for parents to further consider:

• Reiterating the same boundary-setting and self-advocacy concepts listed above, by modeling to your child how to confidently communicate that their compassionate-living values are legitimate and important, when family, friends, and others question their choices
• Being prepared for what your child can do when attending school or extra-curricular events, and there isn’t anything veg on the menu
• Learning about vegan brands or brands that include vegan items, when shopping for your child for hair and skin-care products, makeup, etc.

Standing your ground as a compassionate, conscious changemaker and path-paver isn’t always easy, but can be deeply fulfilling. I’m here to provide support for those who embrace, extend, and are curious about compassion for animals, the planet, and ourselves. Is this speaking to you?