When I write for this blog, I sometimes imagine we are meeting for coffee. That rather than looking at a computer screen, we are able to look into each other’s eyes and actually know how the other is doing. I think of the things I would say to you if you were having a bad day or facing some unforeseen struggle. I also think of the things I would say to you if you were doing unimaginably well—how we’d celebrate together.

To paraphrase that old song, life (and love) is a battlefield. It is hard, and often we have to fight for the things we want the most. But life is also a rollercoaster. There are some incredibly high, highs—like finding success, falling in love, feeling a sense of belonging, etc.—making the lows seem that much more profound. And when I have been in both the highs and lows of life, the place I have found the most comfort and joy, has often been in a coffee shop.

Over lattes or bottomless cups of coffee, my friends and I have found that almost all of the world’s problems can be solved. Or, at minimum, mitigated. I want the same to be true for this blog. I want you to find a place of comfort and belonging in this place. I also want this space to be one that you come to for courage. That as I (or eventually, others), share their struggles, you are able to say, “Me too.” And that as stories of overcoming difficulties are shared, you are encouraged to keep going.

But I don’t want to stop there.

A few pivotal life moments for me have happened in a Dunkin Donuts or a Starbucks. Over coffee, mentors or the best kind of friends have said the exact hard or scary words I needed to hear in the exact moments I needed to hear them. Words that pushed me to be the person I was meant to become. It is my prayer that the words written here, will be those that push you to become the person you have been created to be. It is also my prayer that a coaching program I plan to offer in the future (stay tuned!), will give me an opportunity to speak into your life more specifically. 

In an ever changing—at times scary—world, we can’t be reminded enough that we’re not in this alone. That there is hope. And that no matter what is going on around us, we are still called to love, learn and lead well.

Each Monday and Thursday, I hope that you will continue to “meet me for coffee” in this space. That you feel a part of the conversation. And that when you leave, you feel energized—almost like you’ve had your daily dose of caffeine. Know that I will be here, with my decaf latte, writing for your best.

But today, I want to give you an opportunity to connect even further. If the blog is our coffee shop, I want to invite you over for dinner. Starting at the end of this month, I will begin sending out a monthly e-mail. In it, I will be sharing deeper thoughts on love, learning, and leadership. I also will be sharing stories not shared on the blog (like tales from this month’s Italy trip), as well as further resources I love (internet finds, books, recipes, life hacks, etc.).

To sign up, click here.

I can promise you, in the future, there will be no flooding of your email inbox. Just these monthly emails. Oh, and the occasional email when there is news that you, my most faithful readers, should hear before anyone else.

So, will you join me for “dinner?”