I spent this past week in Amsterdam … walking cobblestone streets, breathing in quiet canals, and pausing in places heavy with history.

A few days ago, we visited the Anne Frank House 🏡.

It was sobering. Humbling. And, to be honest, it shook me.

To stand in that hidden annex and realize how many families lived in constant fear. In the Franks’ case, for over two years! It took courage and HOPE to just survive another day.

The world remained silent for far too long. It left an imprint I’m still processing.

Back home in the U.S.,this week marked the 4th of July … a celebration of freedom, 🎆 independence, and the rights we hold dear. 

But as I stood in that quiet room in Amsterdam, it became painfully clear.

We’ve forgotten what true freedom means.

Not the kind we chant at parades or debate in headlines.

But the freedom to be fully human.

• To embrace difference, not fear it.
• To rest without guilt.
• To speak truth, even when it’s inconvenient.

The women 👩I work with often carry invisible stress. And more often than not, it’s tied to a quiet war within …

… pushing themselves to hold it all together, to fit in, to stay safe in a world that doesn’t always feel safe.

That kind of stress is corrosive. It may not make headlines, but it wears us down just the same.

This week, I invite you to reflect on what independence means for you … not just politically, but personally.

Where in your life are you still hiding in silence?

Where have you abandoned your needs to meet others’ expectations?

And what might shift if you gave yourself the freedom to slow down, listen in, and care for yourself as if your life depended on it …

… because in many ways, it does.

It’s liberating self-care.

Your nervous system deserves peace. Your body deserves rest.

Your story deserves space.

And the world needs more women who are well enough to stand up … kindly, clearly, and courageously. 

The world needs more Wellness Warriors.

Take a breath. Take a beat. And take back your power.