By: Audrina Blackburn
Ask Rae
With Rae Indigo
Rae Indigo, is an esteemed yogi and martial artist known worldwide for her unique courses on wellbeing, including mind science, meditation, and breathwork. As a biochemist, she also pioneered a line of high-end, organic skincare. When she’s not teaching others how to live stressfree, she’s likely surrounded by the love of her three feisty Pomeranians.
True growth often emerges not despite hardship but because of the resilient way we meet it.
Las Vegas is encircled by a harsh, unforgiving desert vastness: cracked salt flats shimmer under the relentless sun, while barren mountains loom in jagged silence, yet beneath their seemingly lifeless facade, an astonishing abundance of life lies hidden, waiting for the rare touch of rain to burst forth in vibrant wildflowers and vibrant green.
Just like you.
Our spring doesn’t announce itself with gentle showers or lush
greens. Instead, after months of sun and dust, a quiet miracle unfolds: seeds that have lain dormant for years awaken with the slightest winter rain, pushing fragile green shoots through cracked earth until entire valleys erupt in improbable color, vibrant desert marigolds, golden poppies, and delicate lupines carpeting the red rock like scattered jewels.
These rare blooms don’t wait for ideal conditions; they seize the fleeting moisture available and transform barren landscapes into breathtaking displays of life. Just as these wildflowers bloom brilliantly from apparent nothing, so too do women in the heart of
the city, using the resources at hand, however modest, to rise, flourish, and radiate confidence. I love this about our desert city.
This spring, let’s peel back the facade on what it really means to “Become Her”.
What is confidence in bloom?
True growth often emerges not despite hardship, but because of the resilient way we meet it.
The Foundation: Family & SelfCare Routines
Confidence takes root in the rich soil of emotional safety, nourished by consistent, joyful
rhythms that we ourselves create. While we all crave more joy in life, the truth is simple and empowering: we infuse joy into our routines through deliberate choice.
This begins with a powerful decision, what one of my teachers beautifully called “Tend your own garden.” Instead of fixating on the overwhelming problems of the wider world, where our influence often feels limited, we start right here, at home. We transform our living spaces and daily habits into a harmonious garden: a place of beauty, order, and peace that we actively cultivate.
While this seems obvious, the boredom of the mundane often stops us from doing just this. It often feels both boring and difficult to change what has become rooted in habit. But making these little changes really, really, really, really does work.
By choosing to bring more joy into the mundane, the morning coffee ritual, the evening wind-down, the small family moments, we shift the overall tone of our lives. These everyday experiences make up the vast majority of our days; they are the steady backdrop against which everything else plays out. When we tune them with intention, adding warmth, gratitude, or simple pleasures, we accumulate a wealth of day-to-day wins far more quickly than waiting for rare, big breakthroughs. Each tuned moment builds momentum, layering quiet victories that foster natural,
sustainable confidence.
In this way, tending your own garden isn’t retreat; it’s radical self-empowerment. It creates emotional safety for you and your loved ones, models resilience for your family, and reminds us that true blooming starts in the soil we can reach, right under our feet.
Decluttering Without the Stress: A Nurturing Path
Spring cleaning doesn’t have to feel like a punishing climb. When we stop approaching it with that familiar inner pressure, the kind that spikes cortisol and leaves us hollowed out, we discover something gentler: decluttering as deep, loving self-care.
I got tired of letting urgency steal my peace. So I decided that every task becomes what I choose it to be. The mundane can be sacred if I let it.
Washing dishes, folding clothes, sorting a drawer, they’re only drudgery if I say so. The power is in that quiet choice.
Set the scene with joy: your favorite music, a flickering candle, a warm mug in hand. Give yourself full permission to go slowly. Twenty minutes here and there is enough, longer only when you’re truly in the flow, never from that old place of “not enough.”
Adulthood is endless homework with no final bell, so why keep whipping ourselves? Protect your energy. Tend gently. That’s the path.
As you touch each item, ask with soft compassion, not judgment: Does this support the woman I’m becoming?
Would she cling out of guilt, or release with gratitude?
The woman you’re stepping into doesn’t clear space because she “has to.” She does it because she craves room for what truly lights her up. She knows the task can stir deep feelings, and that’s exactly why we avoid it. A closet isn’t just fabric and forgotten things; it holds memories, old identities, tender attachments.
When we sidestep that drawer or shelf, what else are we quietly dodging in our lives? What old patterns whisper in the background, quietly draining our light?
Procrastination brings its own small grief, those familiar threads of guilt, shame, and clever stories about why “later” is better. All that noise, for what?
The moment I let go, the relief is instant. Lighter. Clearer. More myself.
I’ve begun to see the mirror. If I can hold onto objects long past their season out of habit or fear of discomfort, might the same quiet loyalty keep me in relationships, roles, or beliefs that no longer fit?
Decluttering isn’t just tidying. It’s a revelation. An honest teacher.
My teacher once unpacked my suitcase at her ashram, removing anything not aligned with the
work ahead. At first it felt austere, even invasive. But as she folded only what served, I saw how much I carried for emotional reasons alone.
The discomfort cracked something open, and freedom followed.
So release with reverence. Thank each piece for what it gave you. Then let it go forward — donate to Las Vegas women’s shelters, family centers, or community thrift shops. Watch release become quiet generosity.
This way of clearing doesn’t burn you out. It soothes the nervous system, quiets the inner critic, lets hidden patterns rise and dissolve in soft light. A clearer home creates breathing room for the heart. Emotional safety settles in. And from that safety, true confidence quietly blooms.
Done like this, your decluttering stops being a chore. It becomes a tender ritual, one that honors the woman you are right now, and lovingly makes space for the one you’re becoming, day by gentle day.
Emotional Safety: The Quiet Power of a Tuned Space
A home reflecting intention signals safety to your body and mind. Clutter creates subtle chaos while curated spaces invite calm.
Tune the little things: add desert-friendly plants for life and oxygen, soft throws in colors that soothe, family photos displayed
with care. These details whisper, “You are held here.”
Creating the “good day” extends to your environment, choose lighting that feels warm, organize counters so mornings flow effortlessly.
When your surroundings nurture you, stress decreases, clarity increases, and you show up more authentically everywhere.
Spring Home Projects: Small Acts, Big Bloom
Renewal doesn’t require big budgets. Tune small elements for powerful impact, try repainting an accent wall in a hue that energizes, rearrange furniture for better flow, plant herbs on a sunny patio. Each project becomes an act of self-love, reinforcing your agency.
Tie in daily good-day habits: use that beloved travel mug during a weekend refresh, or wake early to enjoy progress over quiet coffee.
These projects mirror inner blooming, small, consistent choices yielding visible transformation.
The Ease Multiplier: Doing More With Less Stress
Here’s the magic rule: Ease Multiplies.
Approaching routines, decluttering, and home tweaks from ease multiplies what you accomplish. A stressed state narrows your focus, but a
nurturing intention opens you to flow through your day.
If I notice my mornings are not smooth, I wake up 15 minutes earlier to set a calm tone for the day and this improves everything that comes after much better than 15 extra minutes of sleep, making family time richer and tasks smoother.
Own things you love whenever possible. I used to always buy the cheapest version of something in an effort to save, but doing this with items I use regularly really made my days feel mediocre, so I stopped.
Investing in quality items eliminates daily friction and frees up energy for creativity and joy.
This ease compounds as your life blooms into calmer decisions, deeper connections, sustained momentum.
You rest without guilt, create without force.
Confidence blooms not from pushing harder, but from tuning finer.
This spring in Las Vegas, as the city awakens in color, tune your days intentionally. Start with one small shift, those extra morning minutes, that perfect mug.
Create the good day every day, and watch confidence unfold naturally.
You’re already blooming. Let your home, habits, and heart reflect it.
Amber Dancy
Hi, I’m Amber Dancy –Energetic Leadership Coach and Business Relationship Strategist. I believe that, sometimes, rebelling is the most practical thing you can do for your life… and your business or career.
Our mission at Practical Rebel is to create powerful, well-rounded leaders who are showing up for impact without sacrificing themselves or their teams in the process. My approach is a unique blend of coaching, consulting, mentorship, education, and guidance.
My techniques are designed to support the work of breaking the patterns that are getting in the way of you having MORE – more time, more energy, more money, more life, more impact.
I specialize in supporting leaders in “people” professions, including therapists, social workers, healthcare workers, non-profits, human resources professionals, coaches, and wellness professionals. Your work should support your life, not drain it.
Home Cooked Happiness: Cooking with Love with Jennifer Affronti
Jennifer Affronti is a former model, actress, stage performer, television personality and burlesque dancer. Her personal journey through chronic illness led her to completely change her career path to become a resource and advocate for people who want to live happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives. She is now a certified Holistic Health Coach and the founder of Wholelistically Healing, where she focuses on empowering individuals to take control of their health and well-being through personalized coaching and guidance.
Irish Meatball Stew
March brings us St. Patrick’s Day (or St. Paddy’s Day, if you’re feeling extra festive), and with it the luck of the Irish and all things warm, comforting, and nourishing. These Irish eyes will forever adore my Momma’s corned beef and cabbage, but this year I wanted to introduce you to another classic-inspired Irish dish that deserves a spot at the table.
This Irish Meatball Stew is hearty, soulsoothing, and perfect for those cool evenings when you crave something grounding and cozy. And let’s be honest—if the celebrations went a little too hard the night before, this stew has a magical way of settling your tummy and bringing you back to center.
Before we begin, let’s slow things down just a bit. Take a deep breath. Ground yourself. Feel
your feet on the kitchen floor. Turn on your favorite song, wiggle those shoulders, and dance it out while your loving energy infuses the food you’re preparing for your family. And of course, don’t forget your prayer, intention, or words of gratitude.
Now… let’s make a little magic. Ingredients for the Meatballs:
• 1 lb ground lamb or ground beef
• ½ cup breadcrumbs or panko
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
Ingredients for the Stew:
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 8 petite golden potatoes, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• Sea Salt and pepper to taste
• Cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1½ tablespoons hot water)
Directions:
1. Prepare the Meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, onion, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and salt. Mix gently
until just combined. Form into small meatballs and place on a baking sheet. You should have about 20 meatballs.
2. Bake the Meatballs: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Bake the meatballs for 10 minutes, flip them, then bake for another 10 minutes until lightly golden. Set aside.
3. Sauté the Vegetables: In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until fragrant. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.
4. Make the Broth: Stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Pour in the beef broth and bring everything to a gentle simmer.
5. Thicken the Stew: Add the cornstarch slurry, stirring well. Let the stew simmer for another 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
6. Add the Meatballs: Gently return the meatballs to the pot and simmer for 10–15 minutes, allowing all the flavors to come together beautifully.
7. Serve & Enjoy: Ladle into bowls or a cauldron, take a moment of gratitude, and enjoy this cozy Irish-inspired stew with the people you love.
I Was Never Afraid of FAILURE, I Was Afraid of Being SEEN.
By: Audrina Blackburn
For most of my life, I’ve been willing to work hard.
What I wasn’t always willing to do was be seen
Not seen in the polished, put-together way. Seen in the way that invites judgment. Seen without a guarantee of approval. Seen without knowing how the room would respond.
That fear followed me longer than any fear of failure ever did.
Evolution Isn’t Reinvention, It’s Integration
One of my favorite tattoos simply says evolve.
Not because I believe in burning everything down and becoming someone new every few years, but because I believe every season teaches you something you’re meant to carry forward.
Entrepreneurship didn’t replace my past. It required it.
Long before I was a CEO, I was a professional ballroom dancer.
Dance taught me how to carry myself before I ever knew why that mattered. It taught me poise, creativity, discipline, and presence. Teaching dance eight hours a day forced me to learn how to read people quickly, how to connect with different personalities, energy
levels, and learning styles. Those weren’t “soft skills.” They were leadership training.
I just didn’t know it yet.
Learning How to Matter in a Room
My first role in corporate was entry-level at a performance marketing company.
I didn’t have authority. I didn’t have seniority. What I did have was curiosity and work ethic. I learned how to solve problems, how to anticipate needs, and how to make myself undeniably valuable by going above and beyond, not performatively, but intentionally.
That instinct carried me forward.
I moved from entry-level to Director, and eventually to Vice President of Business Operations. But the climb wasn’t clean.
As a Director, I once received feedback that absolutely leveled me. I had mishandled a team situation, and it was made very clear that my leadership had missed the mark. I remember how sick it made me feel, how personal it felt, and how tempting it was to defend myself.
Instead, I listened.
That moment reshaped how I lead. I evolved
my communication, my awareness, my emotional intelligence. Over the next seven years, I became one of the top -ranked leaders in the company, not because I avoided mistakes, but because I learned from them.
Owning My Strengths Changed Everything
I’m not the visionary behind our intellectual property at Summit Chasers Network.
That’s my partner’s gift.
Mine has always been different.
I build the systems that hold the vision. I create the collateral that translates ideas into something people can actually understand. I keep teams aligned. I notice what’s breaking before it breaks. I lead people.
Recently, I was named CEO.
Not because I’m the loudest voice, but because I know how to operationalize complexity and create environments where others do their best work.
For a long time, I underestimated that.
Entrepreneurship has taught me that the skills you bring with you matter, even if they don’t look like the ones social media glorifies.
Why
This Shapes Our Work at Summit Chasers
The founders we work with are often deeply skilled, but unsure how to translate who they are into a business that reflects it. They think they need to become something else to grow.
What they actually need is permission, and structure, to bring all of themselves forward.
At Summit Chasers Network, we help founders integrate the skills they’ve built across every chapter of their lives into a coherent business ecosystem. Not to make them louder, but clearer. Not to make them someone new, but more themselves, on purpose.
Our community attracts people who understand that growth isn’t about reinvention. It’s about evolution.
And that evolution never really stops.
The Real Fear and the Real Choice
I still don’t always show up as consistently online as I “should.”
Being seen still stretches me.
But I’ve learned that waiting to feel ready is just another way of hiding. And that the work, whether personal or
professional, asks us to keep choosing growth, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Failure isn’t what holds most people back.
Judgment is.
And the decision to be seen anyway is one of the bravest skills entrepreneurship will ever ask you to build.
Where This Continues
I’ve learned that growth rarely happens in isolation.
Founders need spaces where they can think out loud, pressure test ideas, and be around other people who care about doing things well, not just fast. That’s why we built the Founders Table Community.
It’s a room for operators, leaders, and builders who are in motion. People who are different but not always fully defined yet. People who want to learn by observing, asking better questions, and being part of conversations that go deeper than surface-level tactics.
Alongside that community, we run 6-Week Growth Sprints for founders who are ready to bring structure to what they’re building. The sprint is focused, intentional, and designed to help founders clarify their position, strengthen their foundation,
and build momentum without abandoning who they are.
The common thread in both is simple. You don’t need to become someone else to grow. You need clarity, support, and the right environment to evolve. If this resonates, I’d love for you to follow along on social media and join us inside the Founders Table Slack Community. Come sit at the table, listen in, and engage when the timing feels right.
Evolution isn’t a single decision.
It’s a practice.
Spring carries a quiet promise. Not the urgency to rush or prove, but the invitation to emerge.
After months of turning inward, resting, reflecting, and releasing, something begins to shift. Light lingers longer. Energy stirs. And for many women, especially those navigating perimenopause and mid-life transitions, there’s a subtle but undeniable sense that something new is taking shape.
Not a reinvention… A remembering.
When we talk about becoming her, we’re not talking about creating a new version of yourself. We’re talking about reconnecting with the woman you were always meant to be, before life asked you to become who everyone else needed.
Before the roles… Before the expectations… Before the constant giving.
This season isn’t about becoming someone else. It’s about coming home to yourself.
When Confidence Starts to Feel Different
Many women notice that
Becoming Her: Conf idence in Bloom
By Jessica Waugh
confidence changes during this phase of life. It no longer feels loud, performative, or fueled by external validation. The kind of confidence that once came from pushing harder, proving worth, or being endlessly capable begins to fall away.
And at first, that can feel unsettling. But what’s actually happening is a shift from being confident because you are needed to being confident because you trust yourself.
For years, many women built confidence around being reliable, accommodating, and selfsacrificing. That kind of confidence is praised, but it comes at a cost. As hormones fluctuate and energy changes, the body often says what the heart has known for a long time. This way of living is no longer sustainable.
And that’s when a deeper confidence begins to grow. One rooted not in approval, but in alignment. Not in performance, but in truth. This is the confidence of a woman who no longer abandons herself to belong.
Perimenopause as a Becoming, Not a Breakdown
So many women are taught to
see mid-life as a decline. A loss. A period of unraveling. But what if it’s actually a period of discernment?
Perimenopause has a way of stripping away what no longer fits. Old identities. Old expectations. Old definitions of success that were built on endurance rather than selfrespect. What remains… is clarity.
This phase of life often brings a lower tolerance for misalignment. Less patience for overgiving. Less willingness to stay silent or small. That’s not a flaw. It’s wisdom. Becoming her means allowing outdated versions of yourself to fall away so the woman underneath can finally breathe.
Soft Confidence Is Still Strong
We often associate confidence with being bold, outspoken, or assertive. But the confidence that blooms in this season doesn’t need to announce itself.
Soft confidence looks like:
• Saying no without apologizing
• Trusting your intuition even when it doesn’t make logical sense
• Choosing rest without guilt
• Letting your presence speak louder than your performance
This kind of confidence is grounded in nervous system safety and selftrust. Both are deeply connected to hormonal balance. When cortisol is constantly elevated from stress, people-pleasing, or self-betrayal, confidence erodes. When the body feels supported and safe… confidence returns naturally.
Not because you tried harder…But because you stopped overriding yourself.
Letting Go to Let Yourself Bloom
Spring reminds us that growth doesn’t come from force. It comes from space. To bloom, something has to be released.
Becoming her often means letting go of the version of you that learned to survive by shrinking, over-functioning, or disappearing into responsibility. It means loosening your grip on identities that were built for endurance, not fulfillment.
You don’t bloom by becoming more… You bloom by becoming truer.
Simple Ways to Embody Confidence This Season
You don’t need to overhaul your life to step into this version of yourself. Small, intentional shifts create powerful momentum.
• Check in with your body before committing. Before saying yes, pause and ask, “Does this feel expansive or draining?” Your body often knows before your mind does.
• Practice grounded language. Notice how often you overexplain or soften your needs. Try speaking clearly and simply. “That doesn’t work for me.” “I need more time.” “I’m choosing something different.”
Confidence grows through clarity.
• Align your routines with how you want to feel. Confidence isn’t built in moments of pressure. It’s built in daily rhythms that support your energy, sleep, nourishment, and emotional wellbeing.
• Honor what feels true, even if it’s quiet. You don’t need to rush your bloom. You don’t need to compare your growth to anyone else’s. Trust your timing.
Feminine Empowerment Is SelfTrust
Empowerment in this season isn’t about doing more. It’s about believing yourself.
Believing your body when it asks for rest.
Believing your intuition when it nudges you in a new direction. Believing that you don’t have to earn your place or justify your needs.
Confidence blooms when self-trust becomes your foundation.
Becoming Her, Gently
Spring doesn’t demand that flowers bloom overnight. It simply creates the conditions for growth. This March, allow yourself the same grace.
You are not behind… You are not broken… You are not losing yourself…
You are peeling back the layers that were never truly yours. You are becoming the woman you were meant to be, before the world taught you to put yourself last.
And the confidence blooming now is not loud or performative. It’s rooted…It’s embodied… It’s yours.
About the Author
Jessica Waugh is a Certified Menopause Specialist & Lifestyle Practitioner and a National BoardCertified Health and Wellness Coach with over half a decade of experience helping women navigate the complexities of mid-life transitions.
As the Founder and CEO of The Pause Affect and Co-Founder of Hot Flash Heroes, Jessica’s mission is deeply personal, inspired by her own experience with very early-onset perimenopause and the lack of support she faced along the way. That journey drives her passion to ensure no woman feels dismissed or alone during this transition.
Jessica specializes in rewiring the everyday habits that hijack hormones, helping women break free from patterns of self-sacrifice and exhaustion so they can step into the fullest version of themselves, not who they became for others, but who they were always meant to be.
Blending root-cause science with compassion and actionable strategies, Jessica empowers women to embrace this phase of life with clarity, resilience, and unwavering confidence, transforming menopause from a source of frustration into an era of empowerment. Through community events and small group workshops Jessica creates safe, supportive spaces where women can connect, share, and thrive. Learn more at www. ThePauseAffect.com.
The Blue Skillet Family Restaurant
The Blue Skillet Family Restaurant has proudly served the Las Vegas Valley for over 16 years. What began as a single family-run establishment has grown into two beloved locations—one at Bonanza and Nellis, and the newest location at Fort Apache and Tropicana.
We are a from-scratch kitchen specializing in American classic comfort foods. Our breakfast favorites include fluffy buttermilk pancakes, French toast, biscuits and gravy, and crepes. For lunch, guests can enjoy a variety of burgers, fresh salads, and flavorful sandwiches. Dinner service is currently available at our Bonanza location and will be coming soon to our Fort Apache location.
The heart of The Blue Skillet is family. Both
locations are proudly owned and operated by sisters Angelica and Sofia, who represent the next generation of the family business. Angelica oversees the Bonanza location, while Sofia manages the Fort Apache location. As a truly family-operated restaurant, you may even spot other family members helping out across both locations.
At The Blue Skillet, we are committed to delivering exceptional customer service in a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly dining spot or a cozy seat at the counter, we’re happy to accommodate. If you’re a Las Vegas local or visiting from out of town, we invite you to stop by and experience The Blue Skillet for yourself.
March arrives quietly, but it carries so much meaning. It is the space between who you were and who you are becoming. The pause before the bloom. The inhale after a long season of holding your breath.
March arrives with confidence, but not the loud performative kind. This is the confidence that blooms quietly. The kind that comes from knowing who you are and no longer apologizing for it. From shedding old identities that no longer fit. From stepping into spring lighter than you were before.
This kind of confidence does not announce itself. It does not demand attention or validation. It does not need permission. It grows inward first. It takes root beneath the surface, where no one is watching, before it ever shows itself to the world.
For so many of us, confidence has been misunderstood. We were taught that it looks like certainty, boldness, perfection, having all the answers. But real confidence, the kind that lasts, is softer than that. It is quieter. It is steadier. It is built through self trust.
March is about remembering that confidence is not something you put on. It is something you uncover.
It is what happens when you stop performing and start listening. When you stop proving and start honoring. When you stop shrinking yourself to make others comfortable and allow yourself to take up space in a way that feels natural and true. This month invites you to look at the versions of yourself you
If You’re Learning to Trust Yourself
By: Jennifer Hass
have outgrown. The labels you once needed but no longer do. The habits, roles, expectations, and stories that once kept you safe but now feel heavy. March asks a gentle question. What are you ready to release so you can grow?
Shedding does not mean failure. It means evolution.
Just like nature does not cling to winter out of loyalty, you are not required to carry old versions of yourself simply because they once served you. Growth requires honesty. And honesty requires courage.
There is a particular strength in choosing softness. In allowing yourself to slow down enough
to feel what is true. In choosing alignment over approval. In trusting that who you are becoming does not need to look like anyone else.
March is a reminder that feminine confidence is intuitive. It is embodied. It is rooted in self awareness rather than comparison. It comes from knowing your values and living in a way that reflects them, even when no one is applauding.
This is especially important for women who lead. Women who build. Women who mother. Women who carry responsibility not just for themselves, but for others. Confidence for us is not about dominance. It is about presence. It is about knowing when to push forward and when to rest. When to speak and when to listen. When to hold and when to let go.
March invites you to trust your timing.
You do not need to rush your becoming. You do not need to bloom on anyone else’s schedule. Growth is not linear, and confidence does not arrive all at once. It is built moment by moment, choice by choice, through the way you show up for yourself when no one else is watching.
This is the month to reconnect with your identity. Not who you were told to be, but who you actually are. The woman underneath the roles. The expectations. The noise.
Ask yourself who you are when you are not performing. When you are not producing. When you are not caretaking. When you are simply being.
That is where your confidence lives.
March is also a season of renewal. Of clearing space. Of letting fresh energy move through your life. As the days grow longer and the light shifts, there is a natural invitation to reset. To open windows. To breathe deeper. To allow yourself to feel hopeful again.
Hope does not mean everything is perfect. It means you believe in your ability to navigate whatever comes next.
Confidence blooms when you honor your inner voice. When you trust your instincts. When you stop outsourcing your worth to external validation. When you begin to see yourself clearly, without distortion.
This month, we invite you to practice self acknowledgement. To notice the ways you have
grown. The ways you have healed. The ways you have shown resilience, grace, and courage even in moments that felt uncertain.
You are allowed to be proud of yourself without waiting for permission. You are allowed to take up space without apologizing. You are allowed to evolve, even if it makes others uncomfortable.
March is not about becoming someone new. It is about becoming more fully yourself.
At RISE, we believe confidence is not about perfection. It is about alignment. It is about living in a way that feels honest and intentional. It is about choosing authenticity over performance and presence over pressure.
This issue is dedicated to the woman who is blooming quietly. Who is redefining strength on her own terms. Who is learning that confidence does not need to be loud to be powerful.
If you find yourself in a season of becoming, know that you are not behind. You are not late. You are not lost. You are right where you need to be.
Let March remind you that growth can be gentle. That confidence can be soft. That becoming does not require force.
Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is allow yourself to bloom.
With so much love,
Jennifer
Why Dogs Are Family
By: Rissa
There are very few relationships in life that ask nothing of us yet give so much in return. Dogs are one of them.
From the moment a dog looks at you, really looks at you, with that steady, knowing gaze, you feel it. You are seen. Not for your productivity, your success, your mistakes, or your mood. Just you. That kind of acceptance is rare in the human world, but for dogs, it’s instinctual. Loving us is not something they try to do. It’s who they are.
Dogs are the perfect best friend not because they are easy, but because they are honest. Their love is unconditional in a way that feels almost sacred. They don’t keep score. They don’t hold grudges. They don’t care what kind of day you had, how you showed up, or whether you felt strong or
small. They simply meet you where you are every single time.
That alone is powerful. But dogs offer so much more than companionship. They are healers. They are protectors. They are partners.
And in many cases, they are lifelines.
For me, this truth is personal. My dog Domino is, without question, my best friend. He has been there through quiet mornings, long days, moments of overwhelm, and moments of joy. He doesn’t need explanations. He just knows when to sit close and when to play, when to be still and when to remind me that life is meant to
be enjoyed. Domino shows up every day with loyalty, patience, and a kind of love that never wavers. In his presence, I am grounded. I am calmer. I am home.
Unconditional love sounds poetic until you experience it. Dogs embody it effortlessly. They don’t require explanations or apologies. They don’t need us to be better before they love us. They love us as we are and somehow inspire us to become better simply by being present. When life feels heavy, when grief settles in, when anxiety tightens its grip, when loneliness creeps in quietly, a dog doesn’t try to fix you. They sit beside you. They rest their head on your knee. They stay.
That constancy matters more than we often realize. In a world that constantly demands growth, change, and performance, dogs are a reminder that love doesn’t have to be earned. It can simply exist.
This is why so many people say their dog saved them. Not because the dog changed their circumstances, but because the dog changed how they felt inside them.
Science backs up what dog lovers have always known in their bones. Dogs are good for our mental and emotional health.
Therapy dogs and emotional support animals provide comfort that reaches beyond words. Their presence alone can lower cortisol levels, reduce anxiety, ease symptoms of depression,
and regulate the nervous system. For people living with PTSD, chronic stress, trauma, or emotional overwhelm, dogs can help create a sense of safety when the world feels unpredictable.
A dog doesn’t ask you to explain your pain. They don’t rush your healing. They respond to energy, not language. If you’re anxious, they settle close. If you’re sad, they stay near. If you’re overwhelmed, they ground you. While dogs are gentle healers, they are also powerful protectors and working partners, especially in law enforcement and emergency services.
Police dogs, often referred to as K9s, are highly trained professionals. They serve alongside officers with extraordinary loyalty, intelligence, and bravery. Whether tracking suspects, locating missing persons, detecting narcotics or explosives, or protecting their handlers, these dogs perform life saving work under intense conditions.
Dogs don’t replace human connection, but they
enhance it. They fill gaps we didn’t know existed. They walk with us through seasons of growth, loss, change, and joy without asking for anything but care and kindness in return.
They love us when we feel unlovable.
They stay when we feel alone. They protect when we feel vulnerable.
They heal in ways we can’t always explain.
In a world that often feels fast, loud, and demanding, dogs offer something rare. Steady, unconditional companionship. No expectations. No masks. Just presence.
That’s why they aren’t just pets. They’re family.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day & Happy Cooking!
5. Take them out, smile at your beautiful shamrocks, and enjoy your lucky treat!
4. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for about one hour, or until the yogurt is firm.
3. Using a spoon, dollop the green yogurt on top of the pretzels. Gently spread and shape it with a spatula — this helps everything stick together nicely.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place one lollipop stick on the paper, then arrange three pretzels at the top of each stick to form a shamrock shape.
1. In a medium bowl, mix the Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey. Add a few drops of green food dye and stir until it turns a cheerful shamrock green.
Directions:
• Non-toxic green food dye (I use Watkins natural food dye purchased at Sprouts) This recipe makes 3 shamrocks. If you’d like to make more, simply double the recipe!
• Cookie sheet
• Parchment paper
• 3 lollipop sticks
• Honey (to taste)
• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 9 pretzels
What You Will Need:
Cooking with love always makes everything taste better.
Turn on some fun music, dance around the kitchen, and before you begin, take a moment to say a blessing over your food and get ready to make some magic.
First things first…Let’s get happy!
St. Patrick’s Day is all about good luck, happiness, and celebrating the color green! Shamrocks are a special symbol of this day, and making them together in the kitchen is a fun (and tasty) way to celebrate. These Shamrock Yogurt Pretzels are simple to make, a little bit sweet, and perfect to make.
Shamrock Yogurt Pretzels
Heather Scott is a freelance photographer for RISE Magazine, capturing authentic moments that celebrate community, creativity, and connection. With an eye for natural light and genuine storytelling, her work highlights the beauty in real people, real stories, and the spirit of entrepreneurship.
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