Make Room For New Voices

Hello to the Make Room Community! I’m Kirstey, Andy’s Executive Assistant. I’m usually behind the scenes and not in the spotlight, but Andy asked me to be the first guest curator and I'm honored to have the chance to share with you all.

It's Women’s History Month and there are perspectives that I can share that Andy just can't. I'm not only a woman but I have three young daughters (ages 8, 5, and almost 2). I feel like I have the ultimate responsibility and opportunity to embrace every part of myself as a woman and to set an example for them. I want my girls to know their worth and to know that we women are stronger together. We're the magic in this world, we get to take up as much space as we please, and that is a beautiful thing to share.

The world hasn't told my daughters how to be or who to be yet, and that fills me with hope. As a mother, I have the opportunity to shape their understanding of what it means to be a woman. I want them to know that they can be whoever they want to be and that they are capable of achieving anything they set their minds to.

New Mantra I'm Claiming

I love myself enough to be the main character in my own life.

I recently finished Ginny Clarke's 5th Dimensional Leadership course (amazing by the way) and learned so much. As a part of the ‘Speak Your Truth’ Dimension, we dug through the truths we aren’t telling ourselves and that we’re hiding from. This was LIFE CHANGING for me!

To give you a bit of background, my husband is a Green Beret in the Army and I have spent the last decade following him and his career in service to our country. I’ve dedicated myself to him and our babies since I was 22 years old. I don't regret this and wouldn't change it for the world. Both roles are a huge part of the purpose I have in my life. With that being said, I recently realized that I’ve been making too many decisions and living too much of my life based on the identity of being ‘Tyler’s wife’ or ‘Blair’s mother.’ Doing this work with Ginny reminded me I AM MY OWN PERSON and deserve to go after my dreams and pursue what fulfills me just as much as anyone else in this world.

Does anyone else need this reminder sometimes?

Quote I’ve Been Pondering

“If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know it’s not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That’s why it’s your path.” - Joseph Campbell

This quote is mentioned in one of my favorite books, Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown. I love the reminder that our paths in life are not predetermined, but are shaped by the choices we make and the actions we take. It’s easy to get caught up in the idea of having a clear, linear path to success or fulfillment, but the reality is that our journeys are often full of twists, turns, and unexpected detours. What’s important is to embrace the process of creating our own path, taking ownership of our choices, and learning from the experiences that come our way.

Topic That Fascinates Me

Birth order is one of my favorite things to use when trying to figure people out. Andy and I are both fascinated by it and compare notes given he’s the oldest sibling and I’m the youngest.

For my family, some birth order trends are already playing themselves out.

• My oldest daughter is independent, very social, and extremely smart. She’s super hard on herself and she’s definitely my most intense child.
• My middle child is the most nurturing. She is much more relaxed and goes with the flow. She’s a little more quiet and reserved (even though she cares more than she lets on) and she’s also my peacekeeper.
• Then…there’s my youngest. She’s still a baby so I’m learning about her but she is definitely a FREE BIRD! She does what she wants. She’s a firecracker, super adventurous, and gets away with more than she probably should.

Obviously so many things factor into who we are, but it’s always so interesting to me to find the similarities. Andy definitely has that firstborn energy while on the other hand,  I relate to my youngest more than I thought I would.

Does where you fall in the birth order say much about you and how you show up in the world?

Lifehack For Busy People

One more thing about me is that I’ve been a nutrition coach (macro-focused) for almost 5 years now. I figure I should throw this in here since you likely won’t hear Andy talk about nutrition in this newsletter ;)

My approach is centered around fueling the body properly and taking care of overall health, while also breaking away from the 'less is more' mentality that can be so damaging. I'm passionate about helping my clients (mainly women) break the cycle of yo-yo dieting and develop a more positive relationship with food. This means asking the tough questions, offering lots of support and encouragement, and reminding them that keeping promises to ourselves is one of the most important things we can do for our well-being.

I’d recommend this blog as one of my favorite sources of easy meal prep recipes for busy folks! One of my absolute favorites to make is the Single Serve Enchiladas and I LOVE prepping with the containers recommended. It makes life so much easier for me. Highly recommend!

I hope you enjoyed the first guest newsletter in your inbox this week. Connection is SO important and I think this is a great way to learn about other perspectives. After all, that’s what we’re all about here over on Team Andy: Making Room for Many.

All my Best,

Kirstey

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