to dream again!
midlife women
E mpowering
My Welcome . . .
Hi! I'm Michell (without an "e" on the end)! JESUS ADDICT, native of the Kingdom, wife of a preacher man, retired SAHM, grandma to Parker Elizabeth(!), minister, author, women's mindset coach, life vision strategist, creator of the "Cultured Life" Signature Program system™, blogger, mentor, speaker, teacher, encourager, advocate, seeker of knowledge, hater of injustice, humanitarian, lover of family and life, admirer of the arts, devotee of dance (I'm sure it's the 38% of Congolese that makes up my DNA), hostess with the mostest, lover of (insightful conversation, mellifluous music, and a finger lickin' good meal), Carolina girl, southern belle at heart, and . . . living out the second half of my life like it's golden!! (and that's just scratching the surface!)
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, I'll attempt to tell you (almost) everything about myself, why I do what I do, and how I can help you on your journey to uncovering the real you!
I'm your personal, professional, and relationship coach all wrapped up in one (with over 23 years of experience.) My main focus is mindset work. Offering online 1:1 mindset coaching for women, and live interactive transformational workshops. I've got a caring and listening ear, but I won't let you wallow in your pity party. I'm sweet as syrup (I get that from my momma), but I can spot BS (bologna slices) a mile away. We all know that only keeps you stuck. I'm an optimistic realist, who believes anyone can create anything, if they have the right mindset. I love to have fun, but when it's time to get serious, I know how to get the job done. I don't like wasting your time, I'd much rather get to the root of the problem, so we can solve it and move on to the next task. And I'm committed to sharing with you the knowledge and Godly wisdom I've gained over the years. The perfect combination of empathy and straightforwardness. Confidential and professional. And I'm not afraid to get in the trenches with you. I'll be there (holding your hand...if needed) until the task has been successfully completed. But if you want me to stick around afterwards, I can do that also.
I'm an ordained minister with 23 plus years of ministerial experience, who's seen her share of the good, bad, and ugly parts of ministry. But thank God the good has always outweighed the bad and ugly. And in the process, many lessons were learned. I've been married to my husband Todd, a pastor, for over 30 years. Over 23 of those years have been spent working together in full-time ministry. During that time, we have pioneered churches in Michigan, South Carolina, and North Caroline. Our three adult children - (Kerington, Joel, and Blake) and son-in-law (Allyn) - all work with us in ministry at our church, 1 ACCORD. And unbeknownst to her. . .our granddaughter, Parker Elizabeth, is being prepared to do the same (smile). We're like the Osmonds of ministry. . .we do everything together. . .and we wouldn't have it any other way!
L-R (Son-in-law-Allyn, Son-Blake, Former husband-Todd, Daughter-Kerington, Son-Joel, Me)
Granddaughter-Parker Elizabeth
Grandson - Leo Alexander
My Why...
Working in ministry, full time, gave me years of experience I wouldn't change for anything. There was nothing more gratifying than working in God's Kingdom and serving His people. But once I hit my mid-forties — and as rewarding as ministry work was — I realized I wanted to do more. So, I rediscovered my love and passion for writing. I started blogging in 2012 to somewhat satisfy that desire, but after a few years, I realized that something was still missing. That's when I resolved to reinvent myself and go for my dreams. But I had to figure out exactly what those dreams were. After a season of studying, self-reflecting, and doing 'inside' work on me (with help from Holy Spirit, of course), I was finally able to create the business and life that aligned with what I desired! My Doing You Well Programs were created using the same techniques and lessons I created and used to transform my own life. I know firsthand about making life changes and guiding women through their transitions in life. And when you don't know how to properly make that shift, it can overwhelm you, or worse, bring your life to a standstill. This not only robs you, but it robs those placed in your life you're called to impact.
Everything I do in my coaching business and my ministry is centered around and motivated by this one thing... I hate to see women live beneath their God-given potential! When we do this, we're unable to bring our full selves to the table. Thus, robbing everyone who's counting on us to be their advocate, their voice, their inspiration, their champion, their teacher, their mentor (or whatever we're called to do). My mission now is to share (everything I've learned and applied to my own life) with women (including those outside of the four walls of the church), who have a strong desire to seek more out of life than what they are currently experiencing, which has put me on my path to empowering mid-life women to dream again!
I love helping others (especially women) uncover and tap into their God-given potential. It's awesome to see God's creation live out His dream for their lives—John 10:10 (part B) style, aka "The Zoe Life", aka "The God-Life" (got that one from my former husband)—with freedom and without explanation! That's where my personal development and mindset coaching comes in. My Signature programs will help you with your personal growth (mindset), assisting you in getting to the next level in every area of your life.
I do what I do because I believe every woman is worthy of living the God-ordained, purposed life designed specifically for her. Not only worthy, but it's her God-given right! Which is the only life where she'll walk in her fullest power and find true fulfillment and joy. Regardless of her background (age, education, environment, or social status), she deserves the same opportunity as anyone else to tap into her God-given potential. No one else can do this for us, but if we're equipped with the skills needed to do it for ourselves, we become unstoppable! I empower women with the tools needed to accomplish this. I help women see (then bring out) the best in themselves. My mission is to empower women to become their best selves. Not emulate someone else's life, but fall in love with hers, by finding joy and Godly purpose in every area of it! She'll have the courage and confidence to leave her passive, passionless, unfulfilling life behind, so she can get on the path to transforming herself and recreating her life - to fully walk in her calling and live unapologetically!
My Work...
Mentoring women and writing are my passion; and my calling is ministering in the areas of women's issues, marriage/relationships, and family/parenting. What do I love about writing and coaching? They both allow me to use my creative juices while serving others.
So what makes me different from the last coach (whose website you recently visited), you ask? Well, it's my artful ability to incorporate my God-given gift of storytelling and entertaining into my coaching, coupled with practical teaching and my total reliance on the Holy Spirit — to bring a whole new experience for my clients. My background in ministry gives me a perspective on coaching that most coaches don't have.
My A-1 sauce is magnetic inspiration! And I'm convinced this comes via one of the spiritual gifts God has anointed me with (which I like to call my "superpower") — the gift of faith (the supernatural ability to trust God's Word and His promises and inspire others to trust Him, no matter the circumstance or conditions). Unbeknownst to me, as a child, God was preparing me to operate in this gift through my ability to imagine the unimaginable. And when I connected the dots as to why (as a child) my imagination was so grandiose, I fully embraced God's grace and anointing (to do what I do) and operate in it, which led to the unfolding of my purpose - to empower others to think and dream big concerning their lives. I'm passionate about encouraging and helping others see their full potential and won't let them give up. And I'm willing to put in extra time to make it happen. I catapult my clients to the next level without being pushy or overbearing. I know when to give them a nudge and when to let them take the lead. Not to mention—I make it a point to earnestly pray for each of my clients, getting wisdom and clarity from God on how to best serve them. (This isn't just my work, it's my ministry.) You'll leave coaching sessions with me, on fire, inspired, confident, and equipped with the tools needed to maneuver through life successfully. This, in turn, transfers to those around you.
The approach and techniques I use for one client, may not be used for anyone else. Because we're all different, I believe we should be coached differently. I purposefully only take on a few clients at a time. That way, I'm able to fully commit and dedicate my entire attention to them. This allows me to connect with those I work with on a more personal level—fostering an environment of trust, where meaningful work and revolutionary breakthroughs happen. My Signature programs and premium packages were created to include these essential elements, allowing my clients to envision the unlimited potential they have lying within. I teach my clients how to use their imagination (it's not just for children, but it's something God gave us all), coupled with their faith (guess what... another awesome thing God gave us) to create the (Ephesians 3:20) life He planned for them!
With my programs and packages, your best assets (your untapped potential) are allowed to come to the forefront (even the ones you don't think or even know you have). I've got the ability to sometimes see what you were created to do, even before you recognize it, but I'll never force it on you. Because the coaching process I use in my programs allows you to naturally arrive there. Some people call it intuitiveness, but I'm smart enough to know it's Holy Spirit Who lives within me. I'll also show you how to use your gifts and talents to own your worth! And teach you how to eliminate those things from your life that drain you and prevent you from maximizing your assets (empowering you) so you can stop losing out in both your personal and professional life. Showing you how to finally begin to have a love affair with your life! And, to top it off—I know that tapping into Holy Spirit is the surest way to a true transformation, and the possibilities with Him are unlimited!!
As an author, there are three genres of writing I focus on — self-help, realistic fiction, and children's literature. All three (along with my desire to see others live life fully) are the catalyst behind my unique coaching style. I'm a storyteller by nature and telling stories (by that, I don't mean lies) has been a gift of mine for as long as I can remember; and as a child growing up, God gave me a colorful imagination and (thankfully) parents who didn't mind one bit. Summer was always my favorite time of year, as I would go to the library and get as many books as my little scrawny arms could carry. Holing up in my room until I had read every.single.one. I would make up these characters in my head, create stories around them, and, of course, act them out. While in elementary school, I even had a pseudonym (Dana Polinkski), my childhood alias. Don't even ask! I guess I should have known back then I was destined to create.
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As an ordained minister and having worked in full-time ministry for 25 plus years, I've been afforded the experience and opportunity of serving and helping others—counseling them, learning the way they think, and why they do what they do—then showing them how to use the Word of God to impact and change their lives. What God has taught me (through His wisdom) over the years has proven to work and my desire is to share with others—in a candid, honest, and to the point way—what I've learned.
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I write children's books because, as a child, my imagination started with a book. I want every child to have the experience I had while growing up—books that took me to a world much bigger than what I had ever known. Allowing me to daydream and use my creativity to see things BIG; which carried over into my adulthood, helping me walk out my Kingdom assignment. I want my books to motivate children to read, be creative, envision, and discover their gifts and talents. God gave us the ability to create and conceive in our minds so we could see ourselves doing great things! Unfortunately (as we get older) we listen to the enemy and sadly, some of us lose this.
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I write realistic fiction because I love to entertain... plain and simple. I love welcoming people into my world and making them feel good. This knack for entertaining others started when I was a little girl; and my love for comedy sketch shows like Sonny and Cher, The Carol Burnette Show, Tony Orlando and Dawn, and The Flip Wilson Show only fueled my desire to entertain others. Whenever my parents had company over, I would dress up and act out my characters until, of course, they told me to shut it down. Yeah, I was that→ kid!
Putting a cast of characters on paper and seeing them develop into people who could easily be someone we know is thrilling to me! The best part... I get to start from scratch, give them names, personalities, a backstory, and turn them into whoever I want them to be. The most fascinating thing about all of this—God gave us all the ability to do the very same thing! He imagined us, then created us, and expects us to take that same concept and apply it to our lives! We're to imagine our future, develop and work on our craft, hone our skills, then use our faith to make our dreams come to fruition! What I love about what I do, is that I get to use this same technique with my clients.
My first published book is a self-help book on marriage and relationships, entitled Real Talk (and it's just that). You can find out more information, read an excerpt, and purchase a copy here. I also published my first fiction work, The Roots of Roswell , you can read an excerpt and order your copy here . If you want to read more of my writings, you can visit the site that spearheaded all of this, "Prowess & Pearls". You can connect with me on social media below in the footer. Also, I've launched my new Membership site for mid-life women and you can get all the deets here! If you have any questions, please contact me here. Or you can live chat with me by using the tab in the bottom right-hand corner of the page.
My desire is for my work to embolden you, for my writings to inspire and bring a smile to whoever reads them, and for God to be glorified for every life I touch and every person whose life I help change for the better! I'm here to encourage everyone—especially those of you who think you're past your prime—to live out your dreams; because there's no stopping point or cut-off age when you're developing into the real you (I'm living proof)! I'm a firm believer in helping others discover who they are in Christ and how He sees them—in their finished state! My motto in life—I live by and challenge everyone to do... is to "do you well!"!
Having a blast serving Him
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