“Living ‘light and polite’ is not really living. Living ‘light and polite’ can be a way of keeping everyone in the dark about what’s in your heart.” ~ Ann Voskamp

These words jumped out at me from the page of an article my Mom sent me over the weekend. I was struck by how familiar the author’s sentiments are to what I call the Good Girl epidemic. As a recovering Good Girl myself, I describe this way of living as doing life the way we think we should, or the way others may think we should, rather than doing life the way that we choose and intentionally empower. So many of my clients and lady friends share a similar story.

Symptoms of living Good Girl-style include:

• Suppressing our true wants, needs, and heart’s desires
• Limited joy
• Resentments and blame
• Choosing other peoples’ comfort over our own happiness
• Work, relationships, and sex lives that lack depth and passion

And that’s just to start. Any of this ringing a bell for you? If so, I’m sure you are aware that this is not the most pleasant or empowered place from which to live your life.

I have good news and I have bad news. Ready?

The bad news? Nothing is going to change if nothing changes.

The good news? You can choose a different way.

For those current, former, or recovering Good Girls who crave lives of passion, depth, and expression, who are unwilling to continue living ‘light and polite,’ I created a Group Coaching program called From Good Girl to Grown-Ass Woman. This week, our inaugural group is wrapping up 12 weeks together. These ladies, after having thoroughly investigated what their lives might look like through the lens of Grown-Ass Woman, have taken on creating shifts in their lives all over the place: with their romantic partners (including past, present, and future); with their families; with their relationship with money; with their own self-care and well-being.

Who is Grown-Ass Woman, anyway? Well, for me, she is the version of me who speaks from her heart, even if it makes other people squirmy. She doesn’t get so scared or anxious anymore when others don’t get her. She walks a little taller and apologizes a little less and loves herself a whole lot more than ever before.

I wonder who she is for you? And what life would be like for you, fully embodying her wisdom and beauty and sass and grace?