Picture this: It was the "usual" happy hour with friends. I believe it was margaritas in our glasses. The music is lively. The restaurant is packed. We each went around the table, and each of us shared our stories on the past week. One girl had some vices about her boyfriend, another one had some stresses at work, the gal next to me was moving somewhere she did not seem excited about, everyone had money complaints. It was in that moment, I realized: happy hour sure didn't feel happy. 

true story: my coaching practice was inspired by happy hour

At this time in my life, I was traveling back and forth between LA and Sacramento (hmm... come to think of it, I guess, I still do that pretty often!). Anyways, back to the story. I would travel back and forth to attend these really cool women's circles, take kundalini yoga classes, drink green juices, or adaptogenic lattes. I would go see women authors and speakers that I discovered through reading their books or following their businesses. And I would meet with other like minded women, aspiring entrepreneurs, and thought leaders, just trying to get to that "next level" in their lives and just talk about life over coffee or lunch or really amazing dinners.

It was an exciting time! My very own type of renaissance.

They say, you have to fill up your cup of inspiration before you can inspire others. And I was getting so filled up, that I was overflowing. 

Back to happy hour, I went home that night and wondered, what would it feel like to sit with a group, still talk about "all the things", but then help each other to create inspired action to really make changes in our lives...

A community of healthier, happier, inspired, and empowered people. 

Soon after that, I decided to create a Meetup group and called it "Healthy Happy Hour". And, while we had a few in attendance, it was actually a fail. 

Later, inspired by a book I was reading by Gabrielle Bernstein, called "May Cause Miracles: A 40-Day Guidebook of Subtle Shifts for Radical Change and Unlimited Happiness", which is a modern appetizer version of the spiritual text and practice A Course in Miracles, I decided to start a book club to hopefully gather some peeps for positive discussion around the lessons in the book. I changed the name to Happ(ier) Hour. And in my online invitation (aka love letter), I invited friends and strangers to meet at a local coffee shop patio (which also shared space with a local wine bar!), to take 1 hour out of their busy life, to meet, have a glass of something, and chat about happier things. 

That idea magnetically grew into an online community of thousands!

I have some of the BEST memories of those women that showed up during that time. 

Like when we took our "book club" to see Gabby Bernstein speak in-person in SF (a few times!) and a friend who owned a limo, gifted us the limo and his driver for a magical evening of sisterhood, inspiration, and of course, miracles!

Those regular Meetup sessions, eventually grew into our community The Sunshine Estate and helped me connect to my purpose in life coaching by offering 1:1 private coaching, online group courses and masterminds, and in-person workshops and retreats. 

Change starts with one little seed of an idea. The idea that something, anything in your life could possibly be different than it is. That it could be better. That you could be happier. It takes time, love, care and eventually, that tiny seed takes root. With sunshine, water, and the right environment, it grows and blooms. 

Whichever season you are in, think of what tiny seeds you are wanting to plant and nurture. 

Think of our online spaces as a retreat space for you to check into, take what you need, connect, leave what's not for you. This is for you. This is for us. 

it's happy hour
but somehow,
it didn't feel happy