From Chaos To Clarity- How The Happy Barkers Began
The Breaking Point: Christmas Eve 2013
In 2013, at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve, I found myself walking into Target—completely overwhelmed and exhausted. I hadn’t even started my Christmas shopping. Kyle was 5, Ellie was 2, and I was trying to juggle a full-time job, parenting, and everything in between. As I entered the store, the weight of it all hit me. Tears welled up, and I started crying right there in the aisle.
How had my life turned into such chaos? Why was I so unhappy, and what could I do about it? I didn’t have a clue.
The Crisis Before Christmas
Just ten months before, I had been rushed to the emergency room with a rupturing ovarian cyst. Stress had finally caught up with me. My husband, Tim, was traveling for work—often gone for weeks at a time in Asia—while I tried to keep everything together at home. Ellie had chronic ear infections and wasn’t sleeping for more than four hours at a stretch. I didn’t know how to ask for help, slow down, or take care of myself.
To make matters worse, my job wasn’t exactly supportive. I was told to “smile more” and “get back to my normal cheery self.” The pressure to do everything perfectly was crushing me.
A Life-Changing Discovery
Then, something unexpected happened. As I stood in Target, eyes red from crying, I wandered over to the book section. On the bottom shelf, I saw The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. I picked it up, almost on instinct, and decided to buy two copies—one for me and one for Tim.
I had this idea that we would read the book together, month by month. Each month, we’d read a chapter, work through the exercises, and then come together to talk about it. Maybe, just maybe, this would help us reconnect and find some peace.
The Birth of The Happy Barkers
By the third month, something shifted. I felt lighter. Tim and I were having more meaningful conversations, and I started to feel like myself again. I realized how powerful this journey was becoming, so I decided to start blogging about it. I wanted to document our experience and share what was working for us with others.
I called the blog The Happy Barkers—a nod to The Happiness Project that started it all.
Over the course of that year, blogging became an outlet for me, and The Happy Barkers grew. Since then, our journey hasn’t stopped. Over the last 12 years, Tim and I have explored all kinds of personal growth—attending Tony Robbins seminars, starting new businesses, closing businesses, selling everything we owned, and traveling across the country with our kids.
A Journey of Transformation
We made huge life changes, leaving behind the things that weren’t serving us anymore. We sold everything, moved into an RV, and traveled the U.S. with Kyle and Ellie. We visited 35 states and 30 national parks, pushing ourselves to grow beyond the ordinary and live the life we truly wanted. Now, we’ve settled in Colorado, and life continues to surprise us in the best way.
Through all these changes, I’ve learned so much about resilience, happiness, and what it means to live a fulfilled life. I went from feeling completely trapped and overwhelmed to finding a sense of purpose and freedom. That transformation is what drives me today.
A New Chapter: Helping Others Find Their Happy Place
Now, I’m training to become a certified health and wellness coach. I want to help women and couples break free from the grind and find their own sense of happiness and balance. I know what it feels like to be stuck, and I don’t want anyone else to feel that way. This is why I’m so passionate about coaching—because I believe everyone deserves to live a life that feels good, fulfilling, and extraordinary.
Ready to Live Beyond Ordinary? Join Us!
If you’re feeling ready to make some changes in your own life, I’ve got something exciting coming up! In January 2025, we’re launching Living Beyond Ordinary, a course designed to help you break free from the everyday grind and create the life you truly want. It’s filled with everything Tim and I have learned over the years, and we’re so excited to share it with you.
No pressure—just sign up for the waitlist here and consider it your first step towards living a life that feels truly amazing!
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. My hope is that it inspires you to believe in the possibility of change, no matter where you are in life right now. It’s never too late to choose happiness, to take care of yourself, and to create a life that feels aligned with your true self.
If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, know that you are not alone. I’ve been there, and I’m here to help guide you through it. Together, we can find your happy place and create a life beyond ordinary—one filled with joy, purpose, and peace.
With love and gratitude,