What image are you projecting? I don’t know about you, but I get exhausted being “on” even when things are going smoothly behind the scenes. After my first depression, I started to call it “putting on the show.” I don’t want to put on the show anymore. My life feels best when I’m authentic. And sometimes that means I’m not positive or smiling or full of great things. It means I’m quiet, resting, learning. Or crying, raging, simply sad. Some days all I want to do is watch Disney movies because I need to feel lighter and remember the joy and wonder that Little Jackie once felt. But 98 percent o ..read more

I’m exhausted, confused, feeling like a blank slate. These are my first signs of burnout. I stare at my computer not knowing what to do and not wanting to do a damn thing. Then guess what happens? I start to beat myself up. “Nobody likes you.” “You’re a hot mess.” “Why even bother getting out of bed?” My burnout turns mean real quick. Have you figured out what yours looks like? Let Me Save You Time I’m someone who does the work. I spent 15 consecutive years in therapy until recently when I basically graduated. Seriously, my therapist gave me the “all good.” I journal, meditate, balance my ene ..read more

Trauma can show up in ways you never expect. Did you ever think it would be a player in business? In a world where we’re taught to keep professional life and personal life separate, trauma making a cameo in your work day can be especially jarring. As a heart-centered business owner who loves her boss (I’m so funny), it shocked me when I realized how “BIG T and little t” trauma are still impacting me. In This Story, Trauma Starts in Childhood My first experience with abuse was at three years old. It kicked off a lifelong unhealthy relationship with men. Then there were the mixed messages I rece ..read more

How are you resting every day? That’s not a typo. I’m recommending some rest every single day. No, this doesn’t require retirement or a big vacation (though we know wellness travel can help). This is about filling your cup. Consider creating a rest routine. The world around us moves so quickly pressuring us to keep up. For some of us, that speed isn’t attainable. For others who naturally sustain energy, you still need time to rejuvenate. If you make rest a consistent practice, you’re less likely to burn out. And then we’re normalizing taking care of ourselves. Yay! Let’s Talk Energy As you loo ..read more

Human Design? What in the world is Human Design? I remember when my friend, Lisa Caruso of JoyWelle, first mentioned this to me. She said it was very complex and interesting. Hmmm… Intriguing, but nothing I needed. Then the Universe stepped in (as she often does). I met a Human Design professional, Kristi Sullivan, who is a fellow co-author of The Ultimate Guide to Creating Your Soul-Aligned Business. I kept the conversations going, learned my Type, and then started to read. Your girl loves a good book. Like water on a hot summer day, I couldn’t get enough. I read eight Human Design books in e ..read more

What are you afraid of? Being rejected… Feeling stupid… Moving to a space of insecurity… Being negatively judged… Failing… Or is it that you’re not valuable at all? Fear is a beast, isn’t it? The monster creeps into your brain making a mess out of the well designed estate. It breaks the things you love, replaces them with things you hate. Those things don’t define you, represent you, understand you, care about you. Fear brings in the worst possible items and then brings out the worst in ourselves. What does your fear look like? Mine is everything I tried to be at one point in my life when I wa ..read more

“You can’t heal what you never reveal.” These words of wisdom from uber successful business mogul, Jay-Z, have struck me in a way that continues to resonate. So much so that it lives as a post on my social media feed. And each time I read it, I can feel it and see it in new ways. Revealing our deepest, darkest thoughts and experiences can be downright terrifying. When we do, it almost feels like we’re naked in a room with fully clothed executives. And what are all of the clothed people doing? Judging us, of course. At least that’s how we feel or what we’re scared of. I remember when I embarke ..read more

Written by Portico  Lessons from a Beginner, Novice, and Long-time Surfer The team at Portico has collectively been to hundreds of countries. As savvy world travelers, we always love to experience the authentic side of each place we visit. Which is why many of our travels have led us to surfing.  We’ve rounded up three perspectives from three different members of our team: Jacqueline, our CEO and novice surfer; Steph, our head of social media and beginning surfer; and Arestia, our head of content and long-time surfer. Spoiler alert: we think everyone should try surfing. Read on ..read more

What do you think depression looks like? Because of pharmaceutical commercials, we’ve now been taught that someone walking around with a smile may actually be struggling on the inside. But do you really understand what that looks like? Feels like? And how to support someone with depression? No, I’m not a medical expert, counselor, or mental health professional. What I am is a woman who lives with depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Just when I thought depression had walked out of my life, she has come back for more dances. Because of this real life experience, we’re going to get real about depress ..read more

Do you consider yourself a wellness traveler? It’s okay if you don’t. Maybe you’re not 100% sure about this whole wellness travel thing. You love your time at the pool with sun and cocktails. And nobody is going to take that pleasure away from you! Nor should they. But hear me out. Wellness can be part of your experience along with proper lounging, shopping, or other activities that suit your fancy. Tip #1: Set the Intention for Wellness While it’s fair to say that wellness means different things to different people, for the sake of planning remember it relates to mind, body, and spirit. Cons ..read more