Michele

Michele DeVille is a Life Coach, Speaker and Author that has a passion to inspire others to live an extraordinary life at any age and regardless of the past. She believes that everyone has what they need from within to find their purpose, discover their passions and the courage to make the changes necessary to shift from where they are right now to where they want to be to live life to the fullest. Michele is the author of the book "The Path To Forgiveness" and is busy working on her second book. In addition to her love of coaching, speaking and writing she has over 20 years experience in business. She is a single mom of three amazing daughters and loves to travel, spend time up north, movies, reading, yoga, volunteering and spending times with friends and family.

 

Step on to the wings of faith and believe with everything that you are that you can do anything and remember it is sometimes when you take the biggest risks that you finally learn to fly…. Believe. Michele

 

I am always inspired when I hear of a success story where someone went up against the odds and regardless of the obstacles faced or how difficult the journey, achieved a dream that may have seemed impossible. There are countless stories out there and any time I hear of one I am once again motivated to pursue my dreams and do whatever it takes to make them come true. After all, why not me? Why not you? Why do some people seem to have the drive and the determination to make what seems impossible possible? Why do others stop short of the goal every time allowing their dreams to fall in heaps on the field? Continue reading »

 

“It is when we can step into our lives with COURAGE and a touch of grace living true to our hearts instead of controlled by a past that haunts us that the HEART of a WARRIOR emerges and the victim we had become is no more.” Michele DeVille

How many times have you let the mistakes of your past stand in the way of living true to who you are? How often has the enemy from within filled your head and heart with negativity pulling you off the path to your dreams and into the trenches of destructive behaviors or addictions because you believed you were unworthy? How many times have you made choices you knew were wrong or fell prisoner to the expectations of everyone else instead of living the life you were meant to live?

Every day life throws hundreds of choices at us and while we all have the power of choice and the freedom to choose most of the time, many of the choices that we face can lead us to a place that challenges our integrity, shakes our confidence and leaves us feeling bad about ourselves. The culprit? A past we regret and cannot let go of. The past is a powerful thing for most people and even though it lies behind us it is often a part of most people’s lives that is difficult to move beyond. Those mistakes of yesterday, poor choices and painful regrets literally hold people prisoner keeping them stuck in places they no longer want to be. Continue reading »

 

‎”Maybe someday” is an obstacle that stands between you and your dreams – “Today I will” is believing there are no obstacles and making your dreams come true…. Michele DeVille

One of the things most people will agree upon is that time goes much too fast and before you know it you wake up wondering “where did my life go?” As a kid time seems to drift lazily by and we find ourselves immersed in hot summer days, playing for hours with neighborhood friends and waiting with anticipation for the next customer at the lemonade stand. I remember some of my childhood memories like it was yesterday and it is hard to fathom that it was so many years ago. Like so many others that I know, we hold the memories close but we are also sometimes left with the sting of regrets wishing we would have done things different or pursued those childhood dreams from so many years ago.

How many times have you found yourself saying I would have but, I should have but or I could have but? My guess is that those words have brushed across your lips and stumbled recklessly across the pages of your life more than once. I know they have for me. At times I am overwhelmed with that sinking feeling knowing I wasted far too much time on things that didn’t matter chasing empty promises and filling the holes of my heart with things that actually held me back and stood in the way of my dreams versus propelling me towards them. And so it goes for so many in this journey. Continue reading »

 

“It is when we can learn to accept our imperfections as perfect and know that all is as it should be in what is an imperfect world that we can finally find peace and joy in living true to who we are – that is perfection.” Michele DeVille

 

Perfection. What a powerful word and if you really think about it, is there another word that can stand on its own and cause so much distress and create so much pressure on an individual? Perfection is just a word but the expectations that surround it are something we can all relate to and as much as we do not want to admit it, the word perfection has challenged us, ruined us, controlled us and weakened us at different points in our lives. Continue reading »

 

“Every moment you are blessed with another breath in this journey called life is one more moment that you can wipe your slate clean, start over and once and for all change the things in your life that have stood in the way of you living true to the amazing person you were always meant to be.”  Michele DeVille

One of the most difficult things for people to do is to clear the slate, let go of the past and move on in life with no regrets. Most human beings have something in their pasts that they regret, are ashamed of and struggle with moving beyond. We waste so much time feeling bad about our mistakes, beating ourselves up and focusing on what is behind us that we stay stuck in the past drowning ourselves in toxic emotions and losing sight of who we truly are. It is incredibly difficult to live in the present, find happiness and enjoy life when we can’t forgive ourselves for mistakes made and are constantly haunted by the ghosts that live in the past.

The saddest and most unfortunate thing with the inability to let go and wipe the slate clean is that all of the toxic and negative emotions we feel sometimes trap us in a vicious cycle ultimately leading us down the very paths that got us into trouble in the first place. It is common to plug the holes of our heart’s wounds with behaviors that make us feel worse and the fix is but a temporary one. Sounds depressing right? Continue reading »

 

Last week I had the pleasure of going to Tahiti and the Society Islands including Bora Bora and Moorea and I was amazed at how breathtaking and beautiful this part of the world was. It was a fabulous trip in more ways than one and what an unforgettable experience. Not only did I enjoy beautiful landscapes, experience another culture, taste delicious foods and meet new friends but I was able to face and conquer a fear. What an adventure!

I have always had a fear of sharks and in all honesty I don’t particularly like fish at all. I was the girl (along with girlfriends) that would panic in the lake after waterskiing until the boat came back and pulled me out of the water. It was always good humor for those watching from the boat. Sharks and creatures of the sea are, however, in their own category when it comes to the “fear factor”. During the cruise we were able to sign up for excursions off of the ship and one of the days we signed up for snorkeling along the coral reefs in Bora Bora and the Stingray ballet. The Stingrays were a bit of a stretch for me but had I known there were going to be sharks attending the ballet I can promise you I would never have gone.

When the boat anchored close to the reef dozens of large dark circles swam up to the boat. The Stingrays had arrived knowing they would be fed. Feeling a bit anxious I got into the water and without warning a Stingray slid right up and on top of me. Another one slid along my back and there were several more nearby. I forced myself to touch them and pet them while keeping an eye on their tails. It truly was amazing although it was not without anxiety. The guide kept assuring us that they were friendly. All was going well until the sharks decided to join the party. There were three or four BlackTip sharks circling us at this point and I no longer felt quite as calm. My immediate reaction was to get out of the water and into the boat but somewhere in my head I heard Dory from the movie”Saving Nemo” saying, “just keep swimming”. I loved that line in the movie and it suddenly seemed so appropriate. Continue reading »

 

A recent article in a Twin Cities newspaper reminded me of the tragedy and horrific events that struck Japan when a powerful earthquake and tsunami unleashed its wrath killing thousands of people. Every single day we as humans come in contact with people, stories and events that capture the true essence of survival. These are people, stories and events that move us, inspire us and at times bring us to tears reminding us how fragile life is. Time and time again the true resilience of the human spirit shines through as people not only face hardship, crisis and at times immeasurable tragedy but in the end somehow emerge from it with strength, grace and wisdom.

We all must face difficulties in life and often times we are left to wonder why. We live in a beautiful world filled with so much good but it is also a world that is immersed in poverty, financial crisis, divorce, crime, addictions, loss, hunger, war, health issues and the wrath of mother nature. There are challenges facing us every day and while the question of what and when is important an even bigger question is how do we get through the tough times and survive? How do we weather the storms and go on to live happy lives?

Looking back on my own life I have had my share of challenges, loss and tough stuff over the years and believe me there were times when I felt as if I could not handle one more thing. There were times when I questioned how I would survive and yet there was never a time when I gave up, quit trying or lost hope. While I wish I could turn back time and change many things I also believe that things happen for a reason and I have come to know that I have an inner strength that will carry me through when needed and that regardless of what life brings I will be okay. I know that life goes on and I am always aware that others have had it far worse. Others, including my own children inspire me every day with their inner strength and positive attitudes. Continue reading »