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.

Katie Wrigley

When I was disabled in 2018, it forced me to take a hard look at my life and my choices that led me to where I was. Without being forced into stillness, I’m not sure how much longer it would have taken me to finally deal with everything I was running from…and knowing me, I doubt I would have ever dealt with it! Starting to do the deeper work of healing, and facing what was causing my body pain and anxiety was the best step I took for myself, and it eventually led me to Cognomovement and what I do today. Read more>>

Kristen Gilliland

On March 5, 2019, the Franklin, TN police delivered the most heart shattering news a mother could ever hear – my 22-year-old son, Anders Meisenheimer, had died from an overdose. From that moment, I suddenly had two completely different lives: the “everything will work out” mom before March 5, 2019 and now the grieving mom who had to remember to breathe and get out of bed each day. Anders suffered from an opioid and stimulant addiction. Prior to that addiction, he suffered from schizophrenia that was most likely drug induced. Read more>>

 Jordan Roberts

In December 2021, I had a health crisis from a tick bite which completely changed the course of my professional career. At the time, I was working as a Geological Project Coordinator for a sustainable cement company. Although it was an interesting job & in my field of study from my 8 year education at university, the job left me unfulfilled most days. With the addition of a tick bite causing strange health symptoms on top of an unfulfilling corporate job, I felt overwhelmed, unhappy, worried, & anxious. Read more>>

Sarah Lucento

My professional career transformed into my passion the moment I realized that my story could serve as another woman’s survival guide. As a young teen, I suffered with extremely painful periods; to the point where I would have to call out of work or school at least once per month like clock work. My gynecologist put me on the birth control pill at age 15 to manage my pain. Before the pill, the first day of my cycle was insane—excruciating cramps, nausea, and dizziness completely interrupted my life. I was told that this pain was a “normal part of being a woman.” I continued to take oral contraceptives for almost a decade, and finally quit at the age of 23. Read more>>

Cristy Berry

I have been in Health and Wellness over 20 years and in 2007 I began encountering health issues. I began to seek medical advice and referred to numerous physicians with no direction. They all attempted to treat me with no resolution and I was not getting any better. After years of bouncing from doctor to doctor, test after test and being told that they could not find anything, I was frustrated and felt defeated. I was getting sicker and just kept being prescribed medication that was not treating me at all, just making me worse. Read more>>

Melodie Hernandez

Of course. After 25 years of career as a Case Manager working with Senior/Adolescents population, the time has come to impact the lives of others. I felt that my mission as a care coordinator for the elderly had come to an end and I decided to take a boat towards the world of understanding addiction and impacting their lives by helping them regenerate and integrate into their social life in a peaceful way. Read more>>

Allison Graff

After my father died of ALS, I decided to change jobs and return to my career in the arts after a hiatus.. The job I chose was completely wrong for me and I was let go after 6 months! It was the best thing that could of happened to me! My prayers of being able to teach full-time yoga were answered. I started Ginger Tea Yoga Company in 2019. Read more>>

Jennifer Verbanc

I have always been intuitive even as a child. I experienced my first premonition dream at just 9 years old and had convinced myself for decades that I made the whole thing up. I didn’t quite understand my gifts then and at times I still don’t. My adolescence was fairly normal with only the occasional glimpses of psychic abilities. At the time I believed it was just mere coincidence that I would just know certain things without explanation. It wasn’t until the year 2020 that I realized how uniquely gifted I really was. That year was difficult for so many and for me one of the worst years of my life. Read more>>

Sara Negri-Whitmer

I started practicing yoga because of a back injury and surgery that occurred back in my 20s. As I skeptically approached the practice, my only objective was to relieve my back pain. That was it. But little did I know that this practice would become the best thing I could have ever done in my life. As I continued on my yoga journey I noticed that things started happening to my body… I was getting stronger, leaner, and much more flexible! Read more>>

Dr. Liz Blanding

“Hello, I’m DL Blanding, but many know me as Dr. Liz. At 57, my life’s journey has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. As a divorced mother of three and grandmother to nine, I’ve always juggled multiple roles. My career in the real estate industry took an unexpected turn when I was involved in a devastating car accident. The impact was so severe that my car was thrown into a tree, leaving me with multiple, life-changing injuries. This traumatic experience, however, became a pivotal point in my life. Read more>>