“Yep, buy the weird stuff. Buy the stuff that makes people go, “What is that?” Buy the stuff that makes your home the best estate sale when you die” ~ Author unknown.
Jeff and I recently took a quick trip to San Diego. I love travel!
I dipped my toes in the ocean, visited family, ate great food, etc. Even though the weather was weirdly cold and rainy, it was good to experience another part of the country!
Even so, I am surprisingly happy to BE home.
Your own brand of weird
It makes my heart happy to be surrounded by the weird stuff that tells my plucky story.
Midlife has afforded me the gift of truly appreciating my story. I finally invested time into getting to know what makes me thrive… creating spaces, offering hospitality and inspiring others.
Coming to terms with who I am has fueled a desire to helpyou discover your own brand of weird. I want to to give you permission to invest in your story.
Flown The Coop
Flown The Coop exists to create spaces, offer hospitality and inspire others.
Shopping with Flown The Coop will help you create spaces that tell your story. I am working hard to source items that can’t be found on Amazon, including the vintage and antique items you would expect, as well as handmade and small brands.
Flown The Coop will also be a creative space for connecting with kindred spirits! There will be classes on a variety of topics and skills you might not have tried before, including ways you can share your story through offering hospitality.
As a certified life coach, I will continue to help midlife women believe their best years are ahead with coaching sessions. The store will also feature items that inspire you to discover what makes you thrive.
Coming soon!
This vision will come together on March 25th for a Grand Reopening.
Hope to see you then. I’d love to learn about your story!
Here’s to buying the weird stuff and being your own brand of weird!
~Tiffany
And the birds fluttered around her writing “YES” in the sky!
Last week I shared a sneak peak of the reopening of Flown The Coop retail, a behind the scenes look at what’s taking shape.This week I want to share how I changed my mind and the transformation that first happened in my heart.
A year ago Jeff and I had plans to make the old store a home and list our home on Airbnb.There is no way I would have thought of reopening Flown The Coop retail.
In fact, a friend questioned me on the change of plans.
My response, “I changed my mind.”
That is exactly what happened.
The dream I had eight years ago of having a store was simply dormant.Working on an antique booth for the past year reminded me how much I love hunting for unique pieces and merchandising my finds.I discovered that I thrive creating spaces and working on a project. This fuels me with uncommon energy. My heart was definitely in it!
What was I thinking?
Re-Opening has not been without challenges.If I was living in the past, these doors would NOT be opening. I had to become aware of my stinking thinking.
So, what are the thoughts that might have kept me from reopening? Here are a few…
Is it possible or is it too late for me? Am I too old to work on creating something new?
My mind wanted to focus on the past failures.What would be different this time?
And of course, the big funding obstacle that always keep me stuck. Where would the money come from?
Before coaching, I would have allowed these thoughts to stop me from following the dream.
You can change your mind
I know you have big dreams too, but similar thoughts may be stopping you from following your dreams.
Coaching can give you the shake you need to get unstuck and remind you that you can figure it out.If you want it, you can make it happen. You are never too old to change your mind or follow a dream!
I want this for you!You can shift into feeling empowered, confident and capable of creating the life you’ve always wanted.You can change your mind.
I’d like to invite you to join me!Let’s schedule a time to chat about your dreams, what you believe are the obstacles and how I can help you change your mind.
Simply click on my calendar link and choose a date/time that works for you!
Far too many people sit on the sidelines of life. Given the chance to spread your wings and soar, would you choose the safety of what you know instead, even when it’s uncomfortable?
Midlife is the chance to create magic for yourself, to even go a completely different direction in the second half of life.
Why on earth would you not seize this season, an opportunity to create the life you’ve always wanted?
What is clipping your wings?
The biggest reason you don’t take flight is a resistance to change. It’s scary.
Almost everyone I’ve worked with has felt as if they were at a crossroads, but are stuck thinking the following…
What will their family and friends say?
They’re thinking, “now what” because they’re not sure of what they want or who they want to be.
The fear of failure keeps them from moving forward with any ideas. To make it worse, some even think they’re too old to try something new.
Many feel lonely and unsupported, while other people seem to have it all together on social media.
Some feel hopeless and depressed as if they can’t see past the hand they’ve been dealt.
What do you have to believe to spread your wings and soar?
You have to believe that your best years are ahead.
Suffering is optional. As a life coach, I help women identify their resistance and think differently about their future.
I’d love to help you stop waisting precious time on the sidelines. You still have a lifetime to create, dreams to discover, hobbies to explore and personal goals to realize. It’s not time to rest in a rocker on the front porch of life. If you rest, you rust.
There is purpose and meaning in this season. I believe YOUR best years are ahead!
If you are ready to spread your wings, schedule a FREE chat with me today by visiting my calendar link. OR if you are local, let’s meet for coffee. Message me if that sounds good!
Here’s to flying free and soaring into the future!
~Tiffany
And the birds fluttered around her writing “YES” in the sky.
How many diets have you tried in your lifetime? How many times have you started over?
I started a fitness journey in March 2019. At my best shape, when I felt great in my own skin, I had lost twenty pounds and major inches in all the key areas. Three years later, I am two pounds heavier than when I started in 2019.
There are lots of reasons that I let myself slide into unhealthy habits. I can almost pinpoint when my attitude shifted and it became harder to get back to the routine that delivered great results.
The underlying belief that sabotages my best intentions is that I want it to be easy. I was told in my early teens that I will battle my weight the rest of my life, so I better get used to diets and exercise.
There are two ways I could have internalized those words. I developed a belief that healthy habits was something to dread, but I could have developed habits that became lifestyle I enjoyed.
Success in creating the life you want is determined by how you choose to think about it.
This morning I woke up with dread. It’s the first day of another freakin diet.
Instead of letting that thought fester, I journaled.
Yes, I am starting over where I started three years ago. I have lots of regrets.
However, I am capable of sticking with a lifestyle that includes exercise and making good choices. I’ve done it before. Time to flip the script!
The reason I am starting this journey AGAIN is that I want to experience wellness and feel great in the second half of my life. Right now I am feeling the affects of my bad choices.
I am not starting another diet. I am creating a wellness lifestyle to avoid endless doctor appointments and the inevitable decline in health that most people accept with aging. It actually feels rebellious, which gets my butt off the couch to do the HIIT workout I had planned to do today.
What is your reason?
It is important for you to become aware of your beliefs that sabotage your best intentions.
It is equally important to know the reason you want to start something new.
After talking through her thoughts about weight loss, one of my clients realized that she feared missing out on fun and that after the newness wore off she would get bored with her diet. She decided that her intention moving forward would simply be, “I am healthy. A healthy me is a happy me, and I choose happy me.”
Another client was very close to hitting her goal weight and just wanted to be done. She reframed her thoughts and chose to think, “I’m just getting started.” It was not the end of her journey as a healthy fit woman. Actually, she is just getting started.
Are you ready to get started?
I help women stop wasting precious time upset about midlife, and start believing their best years are ahead. My clients conquer self sabotage in numerous areas of life.
You may know what you want, but something is holding you back.
If you feel stuck getting started, I can help you move past your resistance with confidence.
You can create your life, but you have to get started. Are you ready?
I’d love to chat with you about your new beginning. Schedule a free consultation with me today. Simply click on my calendar link and pick a time/date that works for you.
Here’s to new beginnings AGAIN! And believing the best years are ahead!
~Tiffany
And the birds fluttered around her writing “YES” in the sky!
After closing my store four years ago, I never thought I’d get back on the dance floor with my antique dream. Yet, here I am dancing with my dreams.
Coaching women who are struggling to see their next step has taught me the importance of following your bliss. It is not a cliché, clients really do come alive when they discover who they are and what makes them feel alive.
My bliss is found in creating spaces, offering hospitality and inspiring others. I especially feel alive when I am hunting for unique pieces, and then working them into a beautiful space for others to enjoy.
Revival Mercantile
My unique finds have found a home at Revival Mercantile in Brenham, Texas. Stacy, the store owner, hosts a community of creators on the second floor of her historic building that once bottled soda. The brick walls and hardwood floors are the perfect backdrop.
I love Revival’s mission statement… Our carefully curated collections tell your story and honor your journey.
“It’s not what I do, it’s who I am.” Maverick
Creating spaces isn’t what I do, it’s who I am. It’s more than a soul sucking job, but a chance to offer my spark of creativity.
There is a danger in confusing what you do with your identity. I follow retirement groups that regularly discuss the fear of retiring and loosing the identity they’ve held for decades. That fear sadly implies that retirement is a dead end and not an opportunity to dance with dormant dreams.
I believe it’s important to get to know yourself, to follow your bliss until you land in a beautiful spot that sets your soul on fire! It’s really about offering the world what only you can offer.
Can you feel the difference?
It’s your chance to dance
I invite you to join me on the dance floor of life. You are not a wallflower.
This is your season to follow your bliss, to discover who you are when you are dancing with your dreams.
What are the things you’ve put off trying? If making money was not the priority, what would you pursue?
It is not the season to live vicariously through others. If you need a little nudge out on the dance floor, I can help.
I invite you to schedule a consultation… a chat to see if working with me is a good fit for your journey. Simply reach out to me or use my calendar link to pick a time/date that works for you.
Here’s to following your bliss on the dance floor! It’s a revival! 🙂
~Tiffany
And the birds fluttered around her writing “YES” in the sky!
Amid the horrific world news we are bombarded with, how do you stay focused on truly living? Is joy possible in this f’cking chaotic world?
I had intended to give you a pep talk on joy from the vantage point of pursuing your midlife dreams.
My intention is to help you believe your best days are ahead, but that message just doesn’t feel right this week. Let’s face it… the world seems to be rapidly falling apart. {even though some of us have seen the writing on the wall}
Thriving in the fresh hell
In the early days of the pandemic, I decided to invest my time in thriving, believing it was not only possible to thrive, but necessary and worth it. I read books, created a victory garden, walked barefoot, etc. In 2021 I got honest about the fresh hell and the roller coaster we were riding.
Life doesn’t stop for a world crisis. On top of the world falling apart, there will be daily challenges, decisions to make, sadness from the loss of a loved one, weddings… the ebb and flow of life.
I fully understand that the only way I can truly live is to not allow the current events to jade me. Optimism thrives in joy and love.
Can joy become your superpower?
Wonder Woman once said, “It is about what you believe and I believe in love. Only love will truly save the world.”
I agree with Wonder Woman. Joy, love and happiness is even more critical, notwithstanding a chaotic world.
This world needs real life super heroes with joy being a superpower.
Feelings
“Happiness {joy} cannot be pursued, it ensues.” ~Victor Frankl
Pure joy slips in when you are open to feeling a wide range of emotions.
Are you aware of what you are actually feeling and why? Turn off the news, put your phone down for a minute and breath through your emotions.
I teach my clients to allow their emotions and learn from them.
Truth is that no one has the right to tell you how you to feel. Maybe you want to be mad for a time.
I’m not suggesting you indulge in anger, but allow the emotions to flow through you.
Learning this skill will give you superpowers.
Dare to engage in life.
The daily barrage of fresh hell has taught me that no one is coming on a white horse to save me or the world.
You have to become your own super hero.
I won’t be made useless or be idle with despair. I will gather myself around my faith. For light does the darkness fear. ~Jewel.
Like Jewel, I refuse to made useless by fear.
Joy ensues when you are engaged in creating your life from the inside and are willing to do the work to cultivate your superpower and celebrate the daily wins, however small they may be
When was the last time you noticed joy?
Pay attention.
My grandkids are experts at being joyously engaged in life. First of all they are willing to experience all the emotions. No one has to wonder what they feel. One minute everyone is happy, the next minute a melt down can happen for no apparent reason. And then life returns to normal once they had a very dramatic cry about it. I also admire their never ending curiosity. Each day brings a new adventure in learning and exploring is their full time job. Finally, I noticed that they know exactly what they want at all times and they seem to be singleminded about their desires.
Do you want to stand in your superpowers during these chaotic days? Are you willing to feel all the emotions life has to offer, even during conflict? Do you believe that joy is possible?
As one of my clients put it, you might need to help unleashing feelings and thoughts that you don’t even realize are holding you back.
Here’s your invitation to stand in your superpower.
Schedule a call with me. It’s as easy as choosing a time/date on my calendar that works for you.
Here’s to boldly engaging in YOUR superpowers.
The world needs YOU right now.
~Tiffany
And the birds fluttered around her writing “YES” in the sky!
If you, or someone you love, is considering downsizing an empty nest, let me offer you some tips to navigate the journey.
According to the Free Dictionary, downsizing is to live in a simpler way, especially by moving into a smaller residence. Other definitions pertain to a company reducing its size of personnel, which explains why the word feels so negative or even downgrading.
While downsizing makes sense financially, it can feel like loosing a loved one for women who spend their lives creating spaces for their families to grow and be. A house has walls, a home has a soul.
The walls of a home witness the life of a family and preserve memories, and is the creative expression for the woman in a season well defined. The thought of moving on to a new season in a new home evokes emotions of grief, fear of the unknown and uncertainty of identity.
Are you currently downsizing?
If I have just described you, here are a few tips to help navigate the journey.
Allow yourself to grieve. Please don’t minimize your feelings or put on a brave front. That is not helpful. If you feel the need to cry, cry! You will realize that emotions loose their hold on you when you allow them.
Allow yourself to dream of the future. You can dream even when grief comes in waves. Becoming future focused is vital. Make a list of 25 new things you’ve always wanted to try, then set a date to make one of them happen.
Find someone to talk to. More than likely you have someone in your circle of friends who has already experienced a downsize. Or even better, schedule a consult with me! I’ve helped several women process their feelings and create a path forward.
Downsizing care basket
If you have a friend who is currently in the process of packing up their memories for a simpler life, why not create a care basket for them as a show of support?
I wondered what my friends on Facebook would include in a downsizing care basket. Here are the wonderful suggestions….
Lots of tissues
Movie passes
Gift cards to restaurants
List of things to do within 50 miles
Places looking for volunteers
Wine – or as Jeff suggests a wine membership
Journal
Thank you card for the years they raised their family
A list of podcasts
Walking shoes
Flower seeds
Hummingbird feeder
Something funny – laughter is good medicine!
Best years ahead
What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet. ~Anne Frank
As always, my intention is to help you see that your best years are ahead! I understand that in order to create your ideal days ahead, you may need to first walk through the real emotions associated with what is left behind.
I also want you to know you are supported. I’ve personally navigated a downsize several times in the last fifteen years, even a move from Ohio where all my family and friends were. If you need help seeing a way forward, please schedule a consult with me. You can definitely move past the emotions and create an exciting future.
I’d love to hear your story. Please leave comments where ever you find this article as a way to show support for those who are just starting their journey.
Here’s to creating new spaces to hold our precious memories!
~Tiffany
And the birds fluttered around her writing “YES” in the sky
The cost of NOT restoring cherished relationships can take a toll on you emotionally and financially.
As I shared in last week’s blog, during 2021 Jeff and I were seriously talking about divorce, but chose to walk through healing and learn to communicate, with the help of a couple’s coach.
The good news is there is a happy ending to my story!
As Johnnie Taylor’s 1973 song goes … It’s cheaper to keep her.
I’d never sit in judgement of anyone who has divorced. It is a very personal choice, that at times may be the only option. I personally wanted to avoid it. I believed that what Jeff and I had was worth saving.
The average cost of a divorce with children in Texas is at $23,500.
The fastest a couple can get a divorce in the state of Texas is 61 days.
But we all know of couples that drug out their divorces for months, with costs soaring well above the average, not to mention the cost of separating assets and retirement.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve invested way too much in my cherished relationships to simply walk away.
Emotional Cost is so high!
In 2021 Jeff and I had two major grid lock issues. Every night seemed to be another round of fighting on one of them. It was miserable.
Let me remind you, we looked like a cute couple on Instagram. We hardly ever talked trash about each other to friends and family.
Although I had no idea how I would support myself, the real cost of divorce for me would be emotional. I felt disposable and was afraid of being lonely. All the arguing left me feeling unlovable and hopeless.
The questions that kept me up at night were…
How will this affect my family?
How will we spend Christmas and holidays?
Would we both go to the birthday parties and future celebrations?
How long will I carry the sting of rejection? Would I ever be able to trust another man?
How would I get use to NOT talking to Jeff everyday? Who would I run my crazy ideas past?
How we restored our relationship
Since March of 2019 I’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars in coaching and personal growth. I attended two Tony Robins events, got certified in Life Coaching through the Life Coach School and hired business coaches.
Like they say in the coaching world, I am a product of the product. I can honestly say that this investment has changed me and gave me the ability to manage my mind. And honestly, I was doing a lot of self coaching during this time!
When divorce was thrown around like a nuclear bomb in our home, I humbly acknowledged we could not resolve this on our own.
Hiring a couple’s coach was the most logical answer to our grid lock issues. We learned to listen and communicate what we actually meant. If we felt flooded in emotions, we simply stopped the conversation until we had time to process the feelings. Jeff and I finally came to resolutions that turned our relationship around. The cost of coaching? Priceless!
What we learned saved us from the high cost of divorce.
This week as I relive some of the hurtful thoughts that I had to work through, I am deeply grateful that Jeff and I did not throw it all away. I don’t even want to imagine what my life would be like if we had.
Out of our restoration birthed a new program
I am dedicated to serving YOU in BIG ways in 2022. I am willing to share what I experienced, in the hopes that YOU can restore your cherished relationships too!
Monday January 17, 2022 I am launching a personalized program to walk you through restoring your cherished relationships supported by a my new program called Restore Your Cherished Relationships in 90 days.
This program offers 5 valuable components.
Connection Calls.
This is a weekly one on one Zoom call with me. Every week you will have a 45 minutes with me to share your unique relationship issues. We will work through the emotions you are experiencing and create a path forward. This is by far the most valuable aspect of the program as you will finally feel heard.
I have experienced the most amazing a-ha moments in my life with a coach who’s only objective was to listen to me and offer genuinely curious questions.
Community Connections.
You no longer need to feel isolated. It always surprises me how convinced women are that they are alone.
I will create an online community for you to connect with women who are walking a similar journey. This will be your chance to be encouraged by weekly group Zoom chats.
Course Connection.
This is where I put together journal prompts, worksheets, reading lists, podcast suggestions and more. You will get a weekly email with all these goodies personalized for your journey.
Journaling through my emotions during this difficult time helped me get to know myself in a whole new level. I have great prompts for you to ask yourself high quality questions.
Constant Connection.
You will have 24 hour access to me via email. When you are in the heat of the moment and don’t want to wait for you connection call, you will be able to email me the issue. I will respond to you within 24 hours… but most likely it will be sooner.
The couple coach we hired offered this. One night when Jeff and I were flooded with emotion she was there to walk me through it. I will always be grateful for that!
The final component is my six week evaluation. At this time we will evaluate your progress. If you aren’t in love with your progress you will be offered a chance to jump ship or Course Correction. I am confident that you will start to see hope for your relationships at this point in the program.
Learn more!
Are you raising your hand wanting to know more?
Sweet! Click the link below to learn more about the program. If for some reason you still have questions… message me or schedule a chat on my Calendar.
Due to the personalize nature of this offer I will only be able to work with 10 ladies. So, don’t procrastinate!
The FACEBOOK LIVE where Jeff and I shared our journey….
Here’s to restoring YOUR cherished relationships in 2022!
~Tiffany
And the birds fluttered around her writing “YES” in the sky!
Do you have vivid childhood memories of Christmas morning? After weeks of dreaming of your perfect gift under the tree, did you wake your parents up early? How did it that morning feel?
Later in life, did you recreate that magic for your family? What was it like to see your children light up as they experience Christmas morning? How did that feel?
You are now entering an exciting season of life where you create this magic for yourself.
If your best life was the perfect gift under the Christmas tree, what would it look like? How would it feel to see your perfect gift under the tree? Would your eyes sparkle with excitement? How would that feel?
Unwrap the perfect gift
You may have no idea what your perfect gift would look like. So, let’s unwrap it.
Start with childlike faith, believing in the magic of Christmas. Create a list of 25 things you’ve always wanted to do. You don’t necessarily have to know how you will do the 25 things now, just dream.
What have you always wanted to learn? Scientist once believed that brain cells die off as you get older. According to Carol Dweck, who has spent her life studying mindset, learning something new is not only possible at any age, it is possible to change your beliefs as well.
It’s not possible to unleash from my current situation. This is all I know.
I can’t imagine life without the chaos of my family or career. I may be bored when I retire or have an empty nest.
It’s selfish to invest in myself or celebrate my unique gifts.
What will people say if I start thinking about myself?
I can tell you it’s possible for you to overcome all the doubt and negative self talk, and possible to unleash your best life in 90 days!
It is a bold gift you can give yourself!
Have you considered who would benefit from unleashing your best life?
How would you show up differently if you were living your best life?
If this is resonating with you, I’d like to hop on a short call to learn where you are at, where you’d like to go and offer ways to get you there in 90 days.
Midlife is a good time to reevaluate what you have thought is true about life, and possibly say no to your notions.
What is something you believed in your 30’s that you no longer believe?
Asking for a friend
I had fun asking my friends on Facebook to share beliefs they once had in our 30’s
Here are a few that I love:
60 is old.
My jeans had to be a certain size.
It’s not possible to train for a marathon at my age.
I had to be the peace maker.
People who had a lot of money had no problems.
What are yours?
I’m convinced that we all have notions that we might be ready to ditch.
Midlife is the perfect time to break free and truly live!
What are notions that you no longer believe?
OH… and while we are asking… where the heck did these notions come from? Who makes up the rules anyway?
It’s so fascinating to think about, but maybe it never occurred to you to reevaluate what you believe.
Let me encourage you to get curious about some of your notions that may need to be ditched.
Question everything
I think everything is up for questioning.
Do you have to be a certain size to be happy?
What age is too old?
Why not train to run a marathon at 50?
Your answers could be a clue to how your second half of life will go.
Are you ready to ditch the notions you once believed? If you can, life has endless possibilities!
Need help?
Some notions you no longer believe could be due to hardships and unexpected twists in the road. Even when life does not go as planned, I’ve seen resiliency that truly inspires me.
It is never too late to create new notions, see life with new possibilities.
You might recognize some notions, but are not convinced you could move past them.
I am confident that I can help you say yes to life. It is time to discover what your notion of fun is, what matters most to you and to fall in love with life.
Most of all I’d love to help you define life on your terms.
I invite you to take the first step by scheduling a chat with me. I can send you my calendar link. It is simple to pick a date/time that works for you.
Here’s to embracing new notions!
~Tiffany Eckhardt
And the birds fluttered around her writing “YES” in the sky.
