We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amanda Fortin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Amanda, appreciate you joining us today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

I feel like many of us have a breaking or wake up point or points. I remember mine vividly where I knew my life had to shift. I My husband and I were in the first years of our marriage. We both had a lot of baggage and not a lot of communication skills. I was deep into my depression and not realizing it yet. During a fight, I was so mad and so frustrated, I slammed my phone into the counter and I literally saw red. I knew then that I never wanted that feeling or all the feelings I have been having again. At the moment I thought the red was anger, but I know now that my root chakra was trying to show me how unrooted, how out of unaligned and how out of control I was.

That started me in the process of self-care and help. I started going to workshops, taking classes, reading, doing as much research as I could. I have found two very profound realities. One, I can only control myself. As much as I want to control others around me and situations that happen, I can only control myself and how I respond. I can control how I allow myself to feel and how I react. The second reality is that I need to take care of myself. I am the only one who can. Is it nice to have others nurture me – absolutely – but I am the only one that can truly make sure it happens. I need to take actions and make habits that take care of me. I learned that taking care of me I am able to better take care of those around me. That is why nurturing ourselves and our souls is so close to my heart.

This defining moment also led me to reiki and to becoming a certified life and wellness coach. I now get to help people with their chakras and being aligned through reiki. I also am able to empower others to learn the tools and strategies to nurture themselves and take back control of their lives.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

As a Self- Care and Empowerment Coach and Reiki Healer, I bring over 10 years of experience in teaching, presenting, and mentoring and a Master’s in Education and Curriculum Creation to my mission of helping women implement systems and strategies to achieve their desired lifestyle. I am passionate about reiki and infuse it throughout business.

I aim to establish a community of empowered women who share strategies and systems that promote personal growth and well-being. Respect and trust for ourselves and others are essential values in this community. We strive to maintain a positive environment and heart-centered intentions while avoiding judgment. The community provides a secure environment where everyone can learn, practice self-care, and nurture themselves. I am continually developing ways to benefit the community. We offer coaching, events, and memberships that cover various aspects of self-care to help us embody the life we desire. I recognize that every community member has the power to teach, help, and support one another while motivating and lifting each other. This community genuinely focuses on each other’s needs, interests, and leadership abilities.

The community revolves around my 4G signature method: Grace, Grit, Glee, and Gal Gangs. We often forget about the most important person in our lives while nurturing and supporting others: ourselves.

“Grace” means accepting and not judging ourselves. We recognize that we cannot control everything, and that is okay. We approach ourselves with kindness and compassion, whether about our nutrition, fitness routines, or past mistakes. We make conscious choices that honor our well-being by observing how our choices affect us.

“Grit” helps us face challenges head-on and become more resilient. We can overcome adversity, grow, and learn from our experiences with the tools and systems we have implemented. Grit empowers us to rise above our circumstances and reminds us that we can achieve greatness.

“Glee” is about finding happiness in everyday moments and cultivating joy. By developing grace and grit, we create space for glee to take root. We discover what makes us happy and allow ourselves to savor those experiences. We celebrate life’s wonders enthusiastically and appreciate, from small victories to simple pleasures.

“Gal Gangs” are the people who lift, inspire, and walk beside us on our nurturing journey. Our gangs can be our closest family members, friends, or supportive communities. We motivate each other, offer compassion, and grow side by side. We can naturally nurture ourselves when we surround ourselves with people who genuinely care about our well-being.

We tend to these four corners of self-nurture – grace, grit, glee, and gangs – to ensure our journey aligns with our deepest desires. We intimately connect with our mind, body, and soul, unleashing our true potential to bring joy into each day. Only by nurturing ourselves first can we extend a helping hand to others and elevate them to new heights. Through self-nurture, we become the best versions of ourselves, unraveling a path of happiness and fulfillment.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

My journey is stems from stress and thinking I have to do everything alone. I let stress take over my life when I was 24, and I developed Crohn’s disease. My stress, and lack of knowledge on how to regulate myself stress and nervous system, made my gut break down. Then I also got cancer. Through battling both of these, I tried to be too independent and refused to lean on others. Needless to say, this path did not help me mentally or physically. Eventually, I hit a roadblock that would not let me move forward without asking for help. Asking for help changed my life. I learned how to deal with stress in positive methods. I learned the ways to regulate my nervous system. I learned I only had to control me. These lessons let me find more joy in my life which then led me to be more present and happier with those around me. I now can share my story and teach others what I have learned. I know that life is hard, and I know that life is precious. I want to encourage others to grab each others hand and together the journey is so very worthwhile.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The most effective strategies for growing clientele, for me, is telling my stories, being honest, and creating a community. I know that if others are going to believe in me, I have to believe in myself. I feel a part of believing in myself is sharing my stories. This helps my confidence, others can resonate with and see part of their stories in mine, and together we can start a community of trust. I would like my clientele – my community – to know they are not in this life alone. We can learn together the ways to start nurturing ourselves that fit in out live, our season, and our schedules.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nurture-herself.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandamaecoaching/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandamaefortincoaching/
• Other: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2239348/share
  My podcast: Nurture Herself