Defining moments aren’t just exciting – they are thought-provoking and fertile ground for learning. These inflection points often are the result of an illuminating moment where some truth of the universe presents itself in an easier to recognize form. Below, you’ll find talented and successful entrepreneurs and artists sharing the stories of defining moments in their lives.

Justine Nord

I had done many things in my life. Different careers that taught me different things and all of which gave me tremendous growth. But there was always an underlying “pull” towards horses. Somewhere deep inside I always knew that’s where my real career lied. One day while massaging my own horse I realized that that is some thing I could pursue. That was my defining moment that led me on a trajectory of Equine Bodywork education and the countless Equine teachers I encounter on a daily basis. Today I have a successful book of business that I am in awe of the magic it brings me each day. Read more>>

Kip Rodgers

I will never forget the news when my colleague told me one of our teenage clients killed himself. It is not uncommon in the world of addiction, but it was my first time losing a client to suicide. It is the kind of news that produces ‘pause’ and reflection. It naturally leads to questioning ‘what else could be done to assist, prevent, and predict such a permanent outcome’? Read more>>

Sarah Zeren

A defining moment for me in my career occurred when I finally came to terms with the idea that I didn’t have to fit into any one box in order help people heal, and better understands their blind spots so they can grow and thrive. With a background in clinical therapy and coaching, I struggled to define how I could loop my spiritual knowledge and practices into my work without making it all sound too convoluted. Was I a coach? A therapist? A Spiritual guide who has a wide breadth of knowledge and practices that can help assist those at a deeper level?  Read more>>

Dr. Julio Reis

The defining moment in my chiropractic carer was when I went on a chiropractic mission trip to El Salvador. During chiropractic school we are constantly being challenged academically. Day in and day out we are tested and held to the highest standard of medical knowledge and chiropractic skill. Performing academically and delivering a chiropractic adjustment are two completely different things. Our ability to deliver an adjustment that changes the entire function of someone’s nervous system defines who you are as a chiropractor. It’s the main reason why we go through the sacrifice of getting through four years of a doctorate degree and four years of undergrad school. Read more>>

Jeannine Hinds

While sitting in my office taking care of patient after patient, I became saddened as I realized that I was NOT doing the most good. I began to think about all of the people who would never come to my office because they lack the ability to pay. As a pastor, I also thought about the souls that will never make it into the church for fear of shame, etc. I then realized that I needed to go mobile with medicine and ministry… and so I did! Read more>>

Jaya Kader

Creative endeavors, are a fertile ground for experiences and opportunities that trigger awakening through defining moments that shift our perception and/or intended path. I have been blessed with a creative path that lead me to sustainability. Guided by intuition, and ratified by scientific findings, my passion for sustainable practices has accompanied me along my professional journey. In the process of becoming a LEED accredited professional, in the early 2000’s, I realized I had to un-learn many building practices acquired along the way. Read more>>

Arlene Stein

My professional background is education of the deaf and hard of hearing. Since the average deaf student has historically graduated with lower reading comprehension than his/her hearing peers, I wanted to write high interest, low reading level books and develop curriculum to meet the educational issues pervasive in this population. To meet this need, I wrote State and Federal grants to secure funds for curriculum development. I quickly learned that I loved the writing of books to motivate young children to read. When I retired, the art of writing filled me with great enjoyment and fulfillment. Read more>>

Jacqueline Elizabeth

I Live for Defining Moments… Majestic Manifestation of Intuition. Adrenaline and Clarity. A knowing The Universe is always orchestrating on my behalf. When I reflect upon my defining moments, taking a Decision inclusive of saying YES to ME & My Desires is always the ultimate decision. Align then Act! A Defining Moment for Me happened in a heartbeat: My Intuition whispered to me Permission Granted Jacqueline! Permission Granted emerged from A Defining Moment when I Took the Decision to Live My Calling & Emit Stardust Everywhere aka High Vibes! I believe once we do take a decision providence moves to support us and Life Force Flows. “Follow Your Heart”! Read more>>

Hilary & Kim Stokes & Ward

Early in our careers we had an opportunity to be part of a small team of health professionals hired to research, design and implement what has become a world-renowned healing facility. Sanoviv Medical Institute is the first fully licensed functional medicine hospital founded by Dr. Myron Wentz, an internationally recognized health visionary. Sanoviv offers a comprehensive approach to healing mind, body, and spirit with a team of physicians, dentists, psychologists, chiropractors, nutritionists, energy healers and more. Read more>>

Lahana Vigliano

I always knew I wanted to be in healthcare. Even at the age of 5, I said I wanted to be a doctor. I kept with this dream until I was 2nd year of my undergraduate in pre-med. I started noticing that what was being taught was a pill for every ill. If a patient had something wrong, the solution was figuring out the right medication for them. Before this defining moment, I also became a mom at 17 years old. My heart started to shift being a mom and wanting to raise my family healthier to avoid becoming a chronic disease statistic. With those two things combined, I knew there was more to health. Read more>>

Giovanina Valero

Definitely 9/11 2001 was a defining moment in my life, I still lived in Venezuela. That day I woke up at my friend Rosa’s house with the news of the attack on the tv, not knowing that hours later I would experience my own collapse. I was a rebel at all costs, I was 15 years old and I felt that I was invincible, besides, I was not showing myself vulnerable, on the contrary, always badly faced as a super strong pose. Read more>>

Ayat Aborahma

I have always wanted to work in medicine. I was just not sure which graduate program I wanted to pursue. I discovered PA school after I graduated college. It actually took me three tries to get in. I almost gave up, but I could not imagine myself doing something else. I really wanted this field because you do not have to specialize afterwards, and you can work in multiple specialties at the same time if desired. This is such a great and growing field! Read more>>

LuAnn Daniel

There have been many defining moments throughout career but the one that completely changed my path as I saw it was the moment I acted on the inspiration of my friend that died from breast cancer before having lived a full life. Where I am today is nowhere I ever saw myself. My career in Diagnostic Imaging was long and rewarding. It wasn’t like I didn’t like my job and was looking for a change. After Susan passed away, I was sitting in my office one day and had an a-ha moment or devine intervention, or a combination of the two. What I needed to do was so clear to me, that I took the first step forward and never looked back. I knew in my heart I had to do something that would save and change lives. Read more>>

Wendy Snyder

As a parenting educator & family life coach … my work is entrenched with personal stories. My children are now 14 & 11 … and our family is thriving. But that wasn’t always our story. A decade ago, I was knee deep in power struggles with my very strong willed toddler daughter. At the same time, I was overwhelmed & exhausted with a colicky baby boy, while adjusting to my new career of “stay at home mom”. Read more>>

Sharon Cleere

Seemingly out of the blue I started to experience strange spells of vision loss, numbness in one side of my body, difficulty speaking, dizziness followed by debilitating head aches. The frequency of these strange spells would pop up at inconvenient and dangerous times, when I was driving, at work, in the shower. Read more>>

Sandra Scheinbaum

I was a clinical psychologist for over 35 years. When I turned 65, I experienced an “ah-ha” moment: I could start an online school to train health coaches.. My speciality had been health psychology, I had a background in education, and the world needed health coaches. So rather than retire like so many of my peers, I found a partner and we launched the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy. Neither of us had business experience. What we did have was a clear mission and purpose: to train thousands of health coaches, who could make a huge impact by guiding people around the globe to lead healthier lives. We’ve now trained close to 4000 health coaches! Lesson learned: you’re never too old to pursue your dreams. Read more>>

Lisa Gomez

I was only 14 years old and about to start my freshman year of High School. This is the age when everything life has to offer is in front of you and possibilities are endless. However, just before school started, I experienced a traumatic event that caused me to lose two fingers to amputation. I was devastated and scared. Physical therapy (PT) was necessary. Through the long, hard work that I went through in PT I was able to keep the function of my left hand. Something sparked inside of me as I worked with my physical therapy team and I decided that I found my future career path. I wanted to become a physical therapist so I could help others the way they had helped me. Read more>>

Michelle Oravitz

My defining moment was when I worked in my previous career as an architect. I had many gynecological imbalances and wasn’t getting any options from conventional medicine apart from going on the birth control pill. When I first started going to an acupuncturist, my gynecological symptoms began resolving almost instantly. I not only felt better physically but I also felt more flow in my life and my emotions. This lit a flame within me to change my career to that of natural medicine. I went on to study Ayurvedic medicine as well as Chinese medicine with a special interest in women’s health and fertility! Read more>>

Dr. Erin Ellis

My defining moment in my career was hearing “you have cancer” at such a young age. At 31 years old I was faced with a daemon inside of me trying to take my life, but on the outside all I knew was to fight and survive. I never thought in a million years I would have been diagnosed with cancer at such a young age, but it was the turning point in my life. To say I was scared was an understatement, but it honestly was the defining moment in my life. I always wanted to be a doctor, but gave up on those dreams because I was sick of being in school, and instead worked in the bar and restaurants, but always knew I could do and be more. After 6 rounds of chemotherapy, a positive attitude with a side of determination and sass I became a survivor Read more>>

Arlan Preblud

It is a challenge to identify “a defining moment in my professional career” as there were several; however, looking back I would select one in particular—organizing and serving as the Executive Director of the American Basketball Association’s Players Association. Achieving recognition of the Association by the owners and commissioner allowed me as a young practicing attorney to learn that I enjoyed taking a concept and fully developing it into reality. It taught me that achieving such a goal required tenacity and the ability to work with dissimilar personalities. It was about unifying many different people under one goal. Read more>>

Morgan Nicole

Flash back to early 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic reached Houston and I had a decision to make. I had a responsibility to my clients, and to myself, to evaluate the risk of continuing on as normal and what the consequences of that could be. Two weeks prior to the required lockdown on salons, spas, gyms, and other businesses and activities in my county, I sent out an email to my clients informing them that I would be closing my doors until we had more information on how I could properly accommodate clients in my space for everyone’s health and safety. Once health and safety guidance became more clear and a framework was able to be put in place, Read more>>

Dr. Jamie Bovay

My defining moment in my career was when I quit my job and stopped wanting to do physical therapy anymore. Previous to this moment I had taken great pride in my career and how I was able to help people. I had been able to help people who were suffering and who had failed rehab with other providers and it was a wonderful feeling. Over time the clinic I was at focused more and more on numbers and seeing multiple patients at once instead of the high quality of care I was used to giving and had built a reputation on. All of the sudden less people were getting better and it wasn’t because I couldn’t help them, it was because I didn’t have the time to help them with trying to help so many people at once. Read more>>

Alan J. Bauman, MD

Changing lives through hair restoration for more than 25 years has been an incredible journey and a blessing each and every day. I’m often asked how I became interested in the field of hair transplant surgery–it was definitely a winding path, but there are a few key experiences that were critical in my path. Read more>>

Cristen Reat

Most of my interests from a young age were comprised of a passion for learning foreign languages and engaging in cross cultural communication. I followed that passion through college and into graduate school, majoring in French and obtaining a Master’s degree in Russian. After serving as a cryptologic linguist for Russian and Serbo-Croatian in the US Army, I found my calling working for a non-profit that focused on organizing foreign policy discussions in the Houston area. Read more>>

Kay Matthews

The defining moment in my career as a Catering Chef was in 2013 when I delivered my daughter stillborn. That entire experience is what lead me to work in the community and with helping women of color to understand their birthing rights and how to manage or seek treatment for maternal mental health complications. I truly now how it feels to believe that you are the only person in the world going through such a traumatic experience alone. Read more>>