Dianna's Blog

Where you, me and your reality and your awareness, all meet for coffee.

How to build your inner self

Hey diy Ass-kickers I spend most of my time thinking, sharing and teaching about how we can find peace within ourselves. Real peace that allows us to speak our minds and bodies, and stand up for what we know is important. Real peace that lets us accept ourselves as...

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That time when you know you need to dig deeper…

Gremlins. Inner mean girls. Those pain-in-the-ass, bossy pants messengers that hold you back. The voices inside your head. You know what I’m talking about. We all have them, we just call them different things. Whatever we call them, those voices can strangle us into...

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Happy birthday to me!

Hey diy Ass-kickers Today is my birthday, and I adore birthdays! I love having a day all about me. And no, that’s not selfish. That’s loving a day that is full of reflection and plenty of self-care. Life gets complicated sometimes, right? We know what we want and...

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I wanna know your top 5

Hey diy Ass-kicker Values are important because they define why we do what we do, how we do it, and when/where we do it. Given the chance, our values can lead us to do things that can literally make us feel like a rock star. Getting to know our values is an incredible...

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How are you showing up?

Over the last few weeks, the outpouring of condolences, caring and love to my family has been incredible. And very comforting when we are still reeling from one expected loss and one very unexpected loss. As I read the beautiful words in notes, on memorial pages and...

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What is your spirit?

What is your spirit? I have never considered myself a religious woman. But I am spiritual. In fact, connecting to my spirituality has been one of the most healing things I have ever done. There have been times in my life when I needed and wanted to find the sweet spot...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

Life or death, it all comes down to us.

I am back at my desk after some time off. My dad recently passed away into the next realm, and my deep core told me that I needed the time to process my life with him and how his life ended. The tears have been plenty and the emotions have been all over the map. My...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

The Gratitude Habit

There is an author that I just love! Dr. Brene Brown, a researcher and social worker from the University of Houston, writes about shame and vulnerability.  Her theories are simple, practical and so damn applicable to every day life that I find myself constantly saying...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

When Intentions Don't Work

I adore setting intentions. I set them for the kind of day I want to experience, the kind of relationships I want, and the things that I want in my life. But as much as I use them all the time, it's true that sometimes they don't work. You intend great stuff all over...

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Nobody gets to tell you when to feel shitty

I had another post for today but as I sat down to put it together, I heard this crazy radio story about January 21st. January 21st is apparently Blue Monday, the most depressing or saddest day of the year. Based on a psychological formula, it’s about how we feel about...

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Just how long is your f-ups list?

Hey diy Ass-kickers! I love reading (and writing) about forgiveness. Forgiveness is an important part of our yummy self-care existence and is something that we all need to get a handle on. Why? Because we all fuck up sometimes. If you’re not making mistakes, you may...

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Believing more than just the shit in your head

Hey diy Ass-kickers What is it that holds us back more than anything? Our beliefs about ourselves. What is it that keeps us believing what we do? Our history from childhood to this morning. Our thoughts and feelings that come from how we see ourselves throughout our...

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The #1 thing that will make your 2019 rock

Hey diy Ass-kickers! Lets start the new year off with a big bang! Do you really want to change shit up in your life? Do something that will make a big impact on what you accomplish and how you feel in the coming year and beyond? There is one thing that you can do, and...

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2019 and the guts of change!

It’s started. The niggling of the new year’s approach. The pull to make changes. The yank to improve who we are. 2018, and the past couple of years before that, were very different for me. They brought with them tons of change, not just at the beginning of each year...

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Not everyone is feeling great right now…

Hey diy Ass-kickers As much as the holiday season brings so much love, warmth, and feelings of peace to us, not everyone feels it. But you know that already. People struggle with this time of the year. It can be a huge trigger for those who don't have that love,...

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Self-rescue and learning from my love

Hey diy Ass-kicker! I was having a chat with my love the other day, you know, one of those wonderful talks over coffee in the wee hours of the morning before anyone gets up and turns on too many lights! My guy is a very sensitive man and we are (for the most part) on...

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Mind fuck or mind focus?

Do you know where your mind is focused every day? Your mind can be focused on anything you chose to focus it on. It can work to help you grow and feel good about your life, or it can zap the shit out of it. That includes your physical energy, your relationships, what...

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The mo-fo challenge!

This weekend is American Thankgiving. Our Thanksgiving celebration was over a month ago, but Canada being so close to the US in so many ways, and having family, friends, and clients living in the US, I like to acknowledge the celebration. As I thought about this blog,...

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So who the ‘eff does that?

Hey diy Ass-kicker! I have a good friend who had a nasty break up of her long-term marriage a while ago. She and I spent long hours talking about what had happened and why, looking beyond the pain of the moment to recognize the underlying issues for her, making some...

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When you really wanna stand for something

Hey diy Ass-kickers I truly admire people who live and work to service of others and the community. Especially those who take a stand for what they know clearly is not right. There are so many people (women and children are high on the list) that need support of...

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On not being an asshat in return…

I had an issue with this guy the other day. The circumstances don’t matter, suffice to say that he pissed me right off. I don’t get triggered much these days, thankfully. I would describe myself for the most part as calm and in control of myself. But this dude messed...

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It’s not always about the demands of others

Hey diy Ass-kickers! We talk a lot on this blog about getting to the point where we feel tapped out, completely full of the demands from others who want us to do more for them. And we’ve talked a lot about how that leaves us feeling. Resentful and pissed come to mind...

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Yep, the Universe has kicked my ass!

Hey diy Ass-kickers! This weekend in Canada is our Thanksgiving celebration. I do love this weekend. I love that my daughters have kept up our family traditions with their kids. I love that we all know that it’s not a work day, it’s a play day. I love how we all do...

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Consistency Equals Momentum…

Hey diy Ass-kickers   It’s true! Consistency = Momentum. Are you the kind of woman who decides her goals and just makes them happen, no matter what? I love that. Or are you like so many women that I have crossed paths with over the years of this work who...

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I Can't Hear You!

Hey diy Ass-kickers!   Seriously, how loud can you be?   You’ve got something to say, right? Don’t you want people to hear you?   Of course you do.   But sometimes it’s not as easy as we think it should be. Sometimes there are...

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Suffering really is optional

Hey diy ass-kicker!   Suffering from any experience, unlike wearing pants, is definitely optional.   If you are chest deep in shit right now, you might want to argue with me.   “But you don’t know what I’ve been through”  ...

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Summer break, anyone?

Hey diy ass-kicker!   It’s summer time! Do you love it as much as I do?   The heat, the sunshine, the life blood given to all things growing?   Now, you all know that my coaching practice is one of healing. The women who come to me for healing...

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Looking Inside

Hey diy ass-kicker!   Truth.   I am in recovery. Recovery from looking outside of myself for direction, validation and worth.   For many years I was eyeballs deep in looking outside of myself. It wasn’t that I didn’t know what I wanted or...

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So I stepped out for myself. Now what??

Hey diy ass-kicker!   Yay you! You did it!   You stood up and stepped up. For yourself.   You said what you needed to say. You did what you needed to do. You behaved like the woman you want to be.   The woman you really are.   Because we are...

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Sweet Spots and Peace…

Hey diy ass-kicker!   Not sure where you hang your hat, but here in Canada, it’s our birthday.   I’m in the midst of spending a great long weekend with my family. But I’m also slightly stressed about an upcoming move I’m making that...

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WTF Is Balance?

WTF Is Balance?

I really hate those contests about women winning balanced life awards. To me, that shit is just one big set up. I mean really, don’t we have enough pressure to be perfect? Perfect daughters, perfect moms, perfect wives, all while being that perfect employee that...

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What you need to know about body language

Hey diy Ass-kickers! We all know by now that we talk with our bodies. Like when our feelings are written all over our faces, or we cross our arms across our chests or sit back from people we really don’t want to engage with. Body messaging can even be gendered. My fav...

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It’s time to start believing…

Hey diy ass-kicker!   If you really believed in your right to live your life on your terms, wouldn’t you be doing that?   If you really believed that you were worth putting up with some fear or some discomfort to get what you want, wouldn’t you...

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Are you a “yes” girl? Tell the truth now!

Hey diy ass-kicker!   I love saying yes, feeling the freedom of being a yes girl, and living in a world where yes is always possible.   But unless we pay close attention to our what we say yes and no to, being a yes girl can trip us up.   Do you say yes...

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It’s Mama’s Day!!

Hey diy ass-kicker!   Congrats Sweetie! It’s your day to be celebrated for all you do as a mom! And I’m guessing you’ve done plenty.   I love Mother’s Day and the chance to express my appreciation and thanks to my own mom, and...

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Keeping your needs front and center..

Hey diy ass-kicker!   Remember the time that you really wanted to do, have, or be something so bad it would keep you awake at night?   But for whatever reason, even though it seemed perfectly logical at the time, you did nothing about it. Even though your...

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The ease of letting go…

Hey diy Ass-kickers!   When was the last time you felt all tied up in knots over a situation in your life?    Stressful situations and circumstances scream for a resolution, a fixing of the problem. And as women, there isn’t much we do better than...

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The Choice or Habit Quiz!

Hey diy Ass-kickers   Personally, I believe that we all need to kick our own asses. No matter what stage of life we are in, how happy or unhappy we are, what we have accomplished or what we haven’t, we all need to be clear about what our behaviours are and...

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5 Ways to Make Yourself an Even Better Person..

Hey diy Ass-kickers   As this life goes, I am clear on my commitment to two things.   One, that I am a diy ass-kicker. I know that my happy existence is based on how I perceive and create my own experiences. The more I take responsibility, the better my life...

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Play in the dark, yes. Grow in the dark, not a chance.

Hey diy Ass-kickers   When you were a kid, did you play outside at night?   Did your family go camping? Did you wind up heading to the outhouse in the middle of the night? Did you use a flashlight to get you there and back to the tent?   My siblings and...

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Is this you? How we fight with ourselves.

Hey diy Ass-kickers   Women come to me for coaching when they can’t seem to make their lives the way they want them to be.   It’s not that they don’t know what they want, or even how to get it. They just can’t seem to make it happen....

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A Note to My Sisters

Hey diy Ass-kickers! Today is International Women’s Day, and even though I don’t celebrate it with the visible energy I once did, it’s a day that presents itself as our chance to check in with what is happening in our lives just because we are women. It’s a chance to...

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The war between the heart and the head…

Hey diy Ass-kickers   When my heart and my head are fighting - and they do regularly - I can get completely overwhelmed.   I know ____ is right in my head, my sensible head that I can confidently say is smart, savvy and knows it’s stuff.   But I...

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10 reasons why we take one for the team…

Hey diy Ass-kicker,   For your reading pleasure…10 reasons why we take one for the team:   Because we don’t want to make our accomplishments obvious in case we make someone else feel bad Because somewhere in our growing up, we were left with the...

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3 ways to get your inner tank filled!

Hey diy Ass-kicker,   “It’s quite valuable to have the courage and the confidence to say, ’No, fuck off, leave me alone, thank you very much.” -Helen Mirren   In light of the above, I give you 3 easy ways to get your inner tank...

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When did you start hiding?

Hey, diy Ass-kicker!   It’s a simple question really.   When did you start hiding?   Exactly when in your life do you first remember holding back, denying your needs and/wants, stifling your creativity, your ability, your inner or outer beauty, or...

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This Trips Me Up Every Single Time…

Hey diy Ass-kickers   There is one big thing that I know well about myself.   I’m a lover, not a fighter. To me, relationships are just as important as the end result of a project, a process, or a life. In my world, relationships top my list of values...

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Life lessons in wine and coffee???

Hey diy Ass-kickers!   I have this space in my kitchen. It’s a wine/coffee bar. A place to make your morning coffee and pour your afternoon wine. Ok, your evening wine if that works better for you!   I adore that space. It’s not only funky...

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My holiday wish you for…

Hey diy Ass-kicker, It’s finally here, lovely. Christmas. And whether you celebrate this day or you have another celebration that is meaningful to you, here is my wish for you. I wish for you to know how magnificent you are. How pure. How full of love. How...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

When the holiday food or drink is screaming for you!

Hey diy Ass-kickers! Back with another big holiday challenge, this one is sooo easy to slip into if we let the season kick our asses rather than the other way around. If you are anything like me, you’ve had holidays where that cookie jar full of gingerbread yummies or...

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I'm grateful for you!

Hey diy Ass-kickers! This is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. Just saying that brings pictures to my mind about warm family gatherings, plenty of good food, and giving thanks for all we have present in our lives.  My favourite part of Thanksgiving dinner is when...

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Grab some diy joy!!

Hey diy Ass-kicker! How do you get yourself to the point of feeling joy and contentment in your life? I don't mean the joy the comes from having the things that you think will make you feel good about yourself, like money, a hot lover, a kick-ass career, or a...

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Sweating relationships is never small stuff.

If you're sweating relationships so much that you have trouble thinking about anything else, there is something very wrong! Because sweating relationships is not positive, joy-creating, or life-affirming. And as much as you might want to argue this point, it’s also...

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Guys, periods, and advice…

Hey diy Ass-Kickers!   I took a little vaca from the blog the past couple of weeks to let myself be totally focused on other things in my life.  Sometimes stuff creeps up on us that simply demands our attention, and it takes time to work their reality into...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

Did you not get what you expected either?

Happy Sunday ya’ll! I’ve missed you, but have been taking some “me” time to vaca with my family. The whole fam-damily under one roof for a whole week on a beach… Awesome! ​​​​​​​One of the highlights was making and eating cake by the...

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The difference between accepting and fighting back.

Hey diy Ass-Kickers! There is a big difference, you know. A big difference between accepting what’s in front of us, breathing through it, and letting go of the parts that you really, REALLY, want to hang on to and, standing your ground, saying...

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Are you as nice as you want to be?

Hey diy Ass-Kickers! This is Canada Day weekend, our 150th birthday bash! I hope you are celebrating our great nation all weekend long. One of the themes this year is about Canadians being nice. I love that. Because we are nice people and given how our world...

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No matter what your dad was like…

Hey diy Ass-kicker! Today is Father’s Day.  This day becomes even more special to me each year that I still have my Dad. He is 91 years old. Every year he is still on this earth with us is a blessing that I am very grateful for. I hope your feelings for...

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Who’s got your back?

Hey diy Ass-kicker! Since relationships are a primary source of pleasure and pain in our lives, many of us spend tons of time thinking about the people around us, specifically if they have or don't have our backs. So who might that be to you? Who do you think...

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The Beatles got it wrong. YOU say goodbye and YOU say hello.

Hey diy Ass-kicker! I recently read a line from a colleague that said “Funerals happen every day when you’re expanding”. Love that. And it’s so true. You don’t get to say hello to the new without saying buh bye to the old. See, there is only so much room in those...

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The art of kicking your own ass!

Hey diy Ass-kicker! You wouldn’t believe the number of messages I get from women who say things like “Wow, so glad I found you! An ass-kicking is exactly what I need! Will you help me?" It's common to respond that way when we think we don't...

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Selfish? That's fantastic! And, Happy Mom's Day!

Hey diy Ass-kicker! How many times over your adult life have you decided that you would not do something because that would make you selfish? Or decided that you had better do something because not doing it would make you selfish? Probably many times. We women are...

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An easy way to put yourself first

Hey diy Ass-kickers A little pondering for a Sunday morning... Have you ever thought about all the things that make you smile, make your heart warm, bring you joy and make you feel content? In the age of connecting to gratitude, I'll bet you have. Hell, maybe you've...

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Don’t let anyone ‘eff with your shine!

Don’t let anyone ‘eff with your shine!

Hey diy Ass-kickers! The other day someone left a comment on my CML Facebook biz page about a post. That post happened (oh my gosh!) to have used the f-word, not once but TWICE. (Second oh my gosh!) I believe the actual text in the post said “Unfuck yourself. Be who...

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Are you even just a little bit curious?

Hey diy Ass-kickers! Hope you enjoyed the Confidence Series the past few weeks. Confidence really is no big deal. Especially when we learn a few tricks of the trade. Oh, and decide that we’ve got all the power we need to let our confident selves fly. We are strong...

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What gets in the way of working your confidence

The Confidence Builder Series- What gets in the way of working your confidence Hey DIY Ass-Kickers! So now you have a different way of looking at your confidence, and you know what values you would stand up for. So lets take a look at what else can throw working our...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

Our internal confidence toolbox

The Confidence Builder Series- Our internal confidence toolbox Hey DIY Ass-kickers How did you make out last week? Did you take the challenge? Kick some out-dated confidence beliefs to the curb? Or did you decide that you didn’t have confidence after all??? That was a...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

How to manage your emotional shit-kicking

How to manage your emotional shit-kicking Hey diy Ass-kicker! Everyone has had an emotional shit-kicking at some point in their lives…divorce, loss of a job or status, loss of people you love. Sometimes several in one lifetime. Shit-kickings are going to hit us...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

Random thoughts on this International Women's Day

Random thoughts on this International Women's Day Hey diy Ass-kicker! Today is International Women’s Day. I’ve been thinking about what’s important to me today, and I want to share it with you, so here are some of my thoughts… I don’t care about women being in power....

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

Are you willing to do the work?

Are you willing to do the work? Hey diy Ass-kicker! I’m kinda curious about you. When you decide you want something really badly, do you get tough with yourself and set things up so you can get it, achieve your goal or grab your brass ring? Then what happens? Do you...

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Letting go = joy

Hey diy Ass-kicker! Man, there’s a lot to let go of in this life. Letting go is about carrying something with you that is simply not joyous. Things that get, and stay under your skin. And those things don't need to be earth shattering to anyone but you. Any of these...

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Getting through Valentines Day and beyond!

I love Valentines day. But I know there are so many women who dread it. I love it because it’s one huge reminder that love is something that should be cherished, enjoyed, and celebrated.  If you are a woman who is single by chance or by choice, by now the overwhelm of...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

Sick again? Try this.

Sick again? Try this. Hey Diy Ass-kicker! How is the first part of 2017 rolling out for you? Mine has been super busy with coaching, grand babies, extended family needs, and lovely quality time with my hubby. Unfortunately, it’s also been filled with minor illnesses...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

Here's how you can look like you!

Here's how you can look like you! Hey Diy Ass-Kickers! We’ve all got a story. Sometimes it is tell-worthy in our minds, sometimes we keep it secretly tucked away from the light so no one finds out about it. I’ve told mine in snippets. When I’m feeling ready. When I’ve...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

Grey rocks!

Hey diy Ass-kickers! Last weekend, I had a booth at a local Women’s Show. I love doing shows like that. I love just yakking with women and letting them experience how valuable coaching is to figuring out your shit and what to do about it. My theme at this show was “I...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

Don't Let Your Self-Worth Run The Show

Hey diy Ass-kickers! Like you, there are certain things that capture a ton of my attention.  One of those things is thinking about women and their self-worth. I think about the roots of self-worth, how, when and where we get started with beliefs that don’t serve us,...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

You are your own change

You are your own change Well Happy New Year diy Ass-kickers! So I know that by now you have clearly decided what it is that you want to get busy on for 2017, right? That’s what I thought. I can feel the excitement that comes with thinking about how amazing those...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

Set yourself some heartfelt goals!

Set yourself some heartfelt goals! Hey diy Ass-Kickers! Every year about now, I take time to look at what the new year has to offer me. The opportunities, the potential, the awareness and the growth that are all open to me. The chance to feel the way I want to feel....

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

This is real life

This is real life There is plenty of strategic communication advice on Google. I believe that the best communication comes from the heart and the deep core, a simple but effective principle that has worked for me. And while I don’t always get it right, here is what I...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

Aligning With Your Deep Core

Aligning With Your Deep Core Hey diy Ass-kickers So spill it…how are you feeling this week?  It’s not quite been 2 weeks since the results of the US Presidential election came down the pipe. Honestly, I’ve never seen such a strong reaction to either an election race...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

On being good enough…

On being good enough... Being good enough. It’s that thing that we like to avoid thinking about, yet can feel so deeply. It’s that thing that impacts, dare I say, all of us, at one time or another. It’s that thing that holds us back from living full out. Think about...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

Has Your Healing Practice Gone to Shit?

  Has Your Healing Practice Gone to Shit? Hey diy Ass-kickers! We need to be perfectly honest here ladies, we all want to feel our best and most of us know what we need to do to get there, but there are so many things that interfere with our healing practice. And...

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Life or death, it all comes down to us.

Tired of Self-Doubt?

Tired of Self-Doubt? Hey there diy ass-kickers! If I had a magic wand that I could wave over all the women in my life who are riddled with self-doubt, I would. I wouldn’t need the beautiful gown, the glass slippers and the up-do that comes with the wand. I would just...

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Check out Dianna’s podcasts too!

“Thank you for that post, it came at a great time. Enjoying your emails."


"Awesome read, Dianna … thanks a lot, I needed this.”


“Incredible post! Not a perspective one often sees or thinks about but totally worth it. Nicely done - both in communicating that message and navigating it yourself.”


"Thanks for the powerful message! Thank you for sharing your wisdom and higher purpose with us!"


"Great article Dianna! Good reminders for all. Easy to get caught up and sucked in. We all have a role to own. Thanks for being so awesome!"


"Love this morning's read!!!! So sensible!!! May I forward this to my daughter?"


"Beautifully stated. Your voice is always compelling and thought-provoking. Thank you for putting YOU out there.”


"I love this message, Dianna! A wonderful distinction for the necessity of a lifestyle change as opposed to a “break” through a vacation or time off. I hits very close to home as it’s been in my awareness for the past several years that this is true for me."


"Beautiful!! I resonate with all of this."


“I absolutely love this post!”


“Love this! Enjoy rest and connection, I’m doing the same."


"A sweet article, Dianna! A dryer ball bringing joy, go figure!"


"You are just amazing - thank you so much."

"Wow. This is powerful. I’m going through this like a mud bog."


"Dianna -this (post) and everything looks so good."