Photo Credit: Miller + Miller Photography

Mandi Lynne M. Ed.

Leader | Mentor | Storyteller

So glad you stumbled to my neck of the woods. We talk a ton about beliefs on here and you should know where I stand. I believe all beings hold immense beauty and value to our world. If we can choose to move past harm and focus on the good in people, this world, and our potential (especially within ourselves), then we can heal the wrongs in this life, craft a better future and build a contagious momentum for pushing our world forward.

I have lived a bit of a disjunctive life and career but wouldn’t have it any other way. I have fought some harsh battles (after avoiding the aftermath of them for many years) and have walked with thousands of others on their journey to do the same.

The resources and experiences created here aim to help you feel your way through your struggles, rewrite a better ending for yourself and those closest to you, and strategically plan living out your unique calling. I can see potential even in the most trying of situations and I look forward to starting our journey here together.

when rock bottom hits

Laying in the fetal position on the cold floor with nothing to cling to but my hollow heart was the moment I finally broke wide open. Proof of my worst fear left-hooked me right in the face. My ex-husband had cheated for another countless time but finally chose to leave the kids and I far behind. All of the hateful thoughts I have ever felt of myself came to a shrieking climax of validity through his actions. If someone were to do such a hurtful thing, then there must be something wrong with me.

Have you ever felt this way before?

The words we hear and compose about the world and ourselves mold our beliefs and inner workings. They create certain perceptions and craft the reality we are living in. Beliefs can be helpful, hopeful, or harmful and can impact a brief moment or echo from the depth of our soul with a gripping hold steering every step of our future.

I first learned this lesson as a very young child. At only age seven, my innocence was taken. Too young to understand and forced to stay silent, I became one of the unfortunately misused by a trusted caregiver. Although I was hurt, scared and tired of being used and disregarded, I adored, trusted, and did all my little self could do to protect this person. It was all so confusing. I started to believe that is just how love worked. And to make sense of it all I began to compose a story with a few shameful words that would rip right through any innate ability to ever love myself. These three words echoed a false story into every belief I had about myself.

Defective, worthless, unlovable.

I hated my body and what it had experienced. I began to punish myself and try to control the aspects of my life that I could through self-sabotage, obsessive-compulsive and eating disorders, binge drinking, and whatever else would silence my harrowing reality. I pursued a game of performance to validate my worth and value while concealing my deepest wounds from the outside world.

This was an impossible illusion to emulate and it wouldn’t withstand what my life was about to bring. An unexpected pregnancy during college, cancer, a painful chronic illness, eighty pounds of extra unexplainable weight gain, loss of my career due to my weak immune system, miscarriage, infidelity, divorce, loss of my home (and having to move back in with my parents-eek!- love you mom and dad), bankruptcy and many other unmentionable things overwhelmed every corner of my life.

Everything I had identified with—my health, my career as a leader (who was supposed to hold it all together), my family as I had known it, my finances—were gone. Again I felt worthless. My body betrayed me. I hated my life. I cried and so desperately wanted life to go back to the way it was.

I couldn’t break free from the shameful grip these events held on me.

I needed release.

And it felt like I had nowhere to turn…

But UP.

I had to start with forgiving myself and believing that life could be better; that I deserved better. And I wasn’t defective and completely lovable the way I was, flaws, and all. It took a strong faith in God and the love of others around me for this to eventually sink in.

There, of course, was much trial, and error, therapies, and emotional, physical, and spiritual exhaustion, but I took a strong stance that I was no longer going to listen to limitations and the uncontrollable. I wasn’t going to let others’ negative actions (or my own) dominate my future forecast and I wasn’t going to hide behind a mask of people-pleasing, perfectionism and imposter syndrome any longer. I took baby steps each day to find the tiny incremental progress that gave me the motivation to keep moving forward.

My hope was back.

My mind, heart, and soul started to shift and I began to see a life of love, possibilities, and small everyday miracles instead of hate, hurt, anger, and shame. My words, beliefs, and actions I chose had to change for my life to change. Despite the pain and dismay endured, it harvested a strength and resilience that completely transformed how I experienced life and all of the events it would continue to bring.

Let’s be real Here.

I know you likely relate too many points in this text. I don’t necessarily have to mention that change isn’t easy and definitely isn’t linear. It will likely hurt for a while. It is hard to embrace vulnerability and flirt with fear— even years or decades after the hardship has ended. It will be ok, though not always easily so. Even though it feels as such, life isn’t happening to you. It is happening for you so you are equipped to rise above. The peaks, setbacks, explorations, adventures, and lessons keep this the most valuable journey we will ever embark on. And while each of our journeys is unique, it is one that we must take together because there is tenacious unity in our stories and experiences.

And that little audacious thread of hope we can each bring to each other?

Well that sews the “what is” to the “what could be” providing the contagious way we resiliently rise each and every time as long as we simply choose to

Can you see the potential of what it all can be?

Work With Me

pull up a chair and

I try not to waste too much time on the meaningless and always seek depth...in relationships, experiences, and even flavor. Earthy foods, dark roast coffee, bourbon whiskey, traveling, philosophical and spiritual conversation, and warm embracing affection is where I like to live. Spontaneous adventures and unexplainable serendipity help to make life feel like the gift it is.

I am a book nerd that craves cozy bonfires and I find the best healing comes from the solace of the woods or a serene waterline. Yoga, meditation, and horses have saved me more than once. I am obsessed with the magic, whimsy, and beauty of things and choose to lead and teach with the same hope and heart. Organizing brings me bliss, and the genius of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales will forever captivate my soul.

I am a single mom of three amazing kids. I love getting my hands dirty and making things shine again. I love old rusty pickup trucks with locks that get stuck and the warm heart of southern hospitality. Banjos, fiddles, and 90s rap really get my foot stomping or tush moving ;) Florence Welch and Stevie Nicks are my soul sisters, even if they don’t know it yet. I talk with my hands often, love cheesy puns, and sarcastic wit and while I try not to, may even let a swear word slip from time to time.

And, I am intently focused on doing my best to try and enjoy the ride!

some fun facts and official ‘stats’

Come visit me on my personal Instagram just trying a little each day in

The official stats and degrees…

Biology/Health Science and Secondary Education B.S.
Leadership and Administration M.Ed.
IIN Health and Wellness Coach
Global Leadership & Social Innovation Diplomas (UN’s University for Peace)
A million minors including sociology, psychology, philosophy and creative writing.

I have always loved art and writing but I landed in science of all places teaching high school biology, health, and anatomy. I quickly became enamored with social-emotional learning and uniting diverse resources to create curriculums, interventions, and programming through many leadership roles. I worked in both the preventative and crisis response end of these spectrums and was able to weave in service learning experiences along the way. These diverse experiences, alongside my own personal healing, enriched my view and understanding of the realities we all face and how we can best navigate change.

Due to my illness, I had to leave education but I ventured into roles such as consulting, marketing, executive director, director of partnerships, and business development for nonprofits, healthcare, and corporations. These were mainly focused on leadership, productivity, diversity, inclusion, holistic wellness, and mental health. Currently, I am the COO of MedCircle— a preventative mental health education company. I have led church and recovery groups as well as volunteered much of my free time to help organizations, groups, and individual people discover how they themselves can rise out of whatever ruins they are in.