Inspirational Leather Cuff Bracelet – The Perfect Jewelry for Leading Ladies

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Have you ever wanted a beautiful way to inspire yourself throughout the day? We will see a wonderful, life changing quote, but then when we walk away, we get distracted by life and other things and forget the inspiration that was so life changing and that we wanted to remember the rest of the day or even longer.

This is a project that I have been thinking about for years. It has evolved over time, but the basic thought was to wear beautiful art that inspires and helps me keep my focus where I want. Old habits are hard to break, and I need a reminder throughout my day. But I’m a woman and wanted something beautiful that I could feel proud to wear.


I knew I was onto something when I could not wait to make my own. I wanted it so badly. I could hardly wait to work out the design details and start wearing it. I LOVE it! It makes me ridiculously happy. I am not even the person that wears jewelry around the house, but I want it on all the time. It makes me happy. It encourages me. It inspires me. So that settles it. I’m probably never taking it off.

It gets better. I know that if we look at something every day over a long period of time that we get used to seeing it and don’t really “see” it anymore. This is the realist side of me. I know myself too well. I have to set myself up to succeed and grow. So….I made the inspirational pendants INTERCHANGEABLE! That is right. Additional pendants are available and can easily be changed out in just a few seconds with no tools. The art can be changed just like you would change the art in your home simply by removing the framed art and replacing it with a new piece.So for a small amount, you can have a whole new look! How cool is that! Sometimes we need inspiration in a new area of our life, or we want something fresh and new that wows us all over again, so the art was designed to be interchangeable to stay fresh and new!

How cool is that? I’ve barely been sleeping at night while working on these.

If you are on the “Be a Leading Lady” facebook page or read the blog, you know how much I love inspiration. I want to be inspired. I want others to be inspired. I want us all to live out loud in a way that changes the lives of everyone around us. I want us all to be the person we dream of being. And the thought of having a way to do that for us every day, all day long made me so happy, and I could not wait to share it with my wonderful leading lady friends! Oh, what leading ladies we will be now!

The inspirational, leather cuff bracelet is unique art framed in beautiful, original handmade jewelry designs to complement your style and fashion. We have taken a combination of our photographs and digital art and combined it with inspirational quotes to encourage you through out your day on life’s journey.

What better way to carry your inspirational art with you wherever you go! Now you can feel inspired throughout your day, wherever you go, and stay focused on what is important to you in your life at the time.

These will make a perfect gift for practically everyone! Your loved ones and friends will never forget you as they are inspired to greatness and cherish their wonderful gift.

As a special thank you and encouragement to all of the wonderful leading ladies out there…

For a very limited time you can purchase an inspirational art cuff for only $39.99

Shop Early for Christmas! Get the unique gift that will be treasured forever!
Regular price: $55   Sale Price: 39.99

Etsy Store: https://bealeadinglady.com/store

Be sure to tell all your friends! We don’t want anyone to miss out on this limited time offer!

How Then Shall We Live: Grace Under Fire

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Jen Burgess Thompson - Photographer Fights Ovarian Cancer
What if I didn’t discount this moment, but counted it for what it is? What if I accept this day as an opportunity, as a door to reason…to LOVE my way out,,,  – Jen Burgess Thompson

How then shall I live?

In life we are sometimes given the rare opportunity to see the purest of souls, the ones who show us a way of being that takes us to the next level. They inspire us. They make us want to be better. They show us how to let our light shine. They show us that we have a light. They show us how to love our way out.

Jen Burgess Thompson was one of those souls. We lost a bright light this week, but if we take a small part of her goodness and let it live on in our lives, think what a wonderful difference we can make in the world.

A friend of hers said this about Jen the day we lost her.

Be proud that this woman, this human being touched your life. Bill Gellerman

It’s true, and I want to share her with you so that you can know her too.

I know of few people who have epitomized what it means to be a leading lady more than Jen Thompson. She showed us what it means to be a leading lady even on your worst day while going through the most difficult battle of your life. Most of what I know of Jen has been Jen with cancer, going through the worst battle of her life. We snap at people on a bad day, nothing even close to what she walked through.

It is easy to see why she was surrounded by friends, both old and new.

As I watched Jen gracefully fight such a courageous battle this past year, surrounded by true warrior friends, They went skateboarding, they took trips, they made every moment together a photobooth moment, whether in the hospital or on an adventure, or just in bed at home. Yes, she and all her warrior friends spent many moments cuddled together in bed, laughing and playing just like we did when we were little girls.

I found myself asking the question: If this were me, would I have the same support system that she has had? I don’t know. And maybe that answer is more of a reflection of me than my friends. She went through this battle like this because that is how she lived life before cancer. I saw a friend she knew from high school post on her wall today and shared a story of how Jen had reached out to help her when she was a troubled youth in high school, even offering her a place to stay in her home.

And then I read another story of a 5th grade Jen who helped a young first grader whose glasses had been broken. She helped her pick up all the pieces and took her hand and walked her home, even if this meant that she could potentially miss the bus. To Jen, at that moment, that little girl was more important.

Jen lived her days how she wanted to live her life.

How then shall we live?

Is what I want and who I want to be how I live my life every day? Have I led the life that sees the best in others, a life that is grateful and not bitter or hurt? A life that remembered how to laugh and play? Has my light shone so brightly that it made others want to shine their light, too?

Her light has shone so brightly that it revealed the darkness in my own life. It made me wonder if this is what we would be like if we were not riddled with demons, but then who’s to say that she did not have her own, and she just chose not to let them dim her light.

Pleading. Begging. God, use me, show me, make me an implementer, an instrument. Bring good here. Show light here where it’s dark. Use this tiny little story of mine and make it seriously significant………………

……….USE ME!

(and He is.)

-Jen Thompson

The wonderful thing about this quote by Jen is that I read it AFTER I wrote this article, after I wrote the above paragraph. I find it amazing that we both used the same words. I struggled so much with writing this article. It was hard to pull all of the pieces together. I felt like this was confirmation that I had done this, that I had said what I needed to say. Her light continues to shine.

When we see someone like her, it’s easy for us to think that she is probably like that because she has had a charmed life.

On top of the cancer that she fought so bravely, she was going through a bitter divorce.

It is not because bad things did not happen to Jen that she was this way, because they did. They happen to all of us.  It’s that she chose not to let her mind rest on the bad things in her life sacrificing every other good thing in her life for the sake of it. Jen lived life on purpose.

 (Another quote from Jen that I found after I wrote this article. Wow. It’s like she is right here with me.)

So here are some of the things that I’ve learned or have been reminded of through all of this:

  • Be grateful. It’s not all about you. You’re not owed anything. Be grateful for everything.
  • Be a giver. It teaches us to appreciate what others do.
  • See the best in others. Find their hidden treasure. Make them feel like a rock star.
  • Accept gracefully and gratefully from those who are there for you…both in good times and the bad.
  • Be there for others.
  • Show up and walk through your battles with grace. Grace under fire. Others have done it, and so can you.
  • Small acts of kindness can make a big difference to the person receiving it. Even if you cannot do and be everything, do something. It takes a village, and together we can do much.
  • And then when you are on the receiving end of this act of kindness, celebrate it. Celebrate the person. Make them feel like a rock star. You never know what they may have sacrificed to do that small act of kindness. Even someone who writes you an encouraging note took time out of a day that already probably felt all too full. Life really isn’t all about you, so celebrate those people who made some of it about you.
  • Be a friend. Make friends. Rekindle friendships. Open your heart. It takes a village. Build your village. See 1-8 above.
  • Smile, smile, smile. Even though your heart is breaking. Even though you might be scared. Nat King Cole said it best:

Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it’s breaking
When there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You’ll see the sun come shining through for you

  •  Celebrate life. Celebrate moments. Celebrate people. Celebrate.

The truth is that we do not know if we have tomorrow. But we do have today. Celebrate today.

May she live on in each of us. May we never take a moment for granted. May we always hug our children a little tighter, and may we hold our friends close. May we always be kind and love one another. May her light shine on.

Note: Jen Thompson fought a courageous fight in the battle against ovarian cancer. She was diagnosed a little over a year ago and passed away October 12, 2012. She not only fought for herself, but she fought for us spreading the word with others on what some of the symptoms are. I’ve included a list below and encourage everyone to pass it along.
We must be our own advocate in matters of our health. Know the symptoms of ovarian cancer.

In loving memory of Jen Burgess Thompson.

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. Exodus 14:14

How then shall we live?

Showing Up and Daring Greatly

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It’s a wonderful thing that we are continually learning and able to experience growth. And you begin to pull all the little signs and messages together that been leading you there.

This has been my aha moment this week:

  • Be real. Be present.
  • Be in the moment.
  • Be comfortable in your own skin by embracing who you are with no shame and with a sense of humor.

I have a friend who embraces being real. We have been friends since we were 12 years old, and I absolutely adore this about her. No matter how embarrassing the story is, and believe me we have accumulated plenty of them, she laughs hysterically about it. She came into town last weekend and we met for dinner and drinks and had a great discussion about embracing all of ourselves. She inspires me. It’s not my strong point. I tend to get embarrassed or ashamed. Yeah, I’m fun like that. She is my safe place. I can let my guard down and be real with her.

This is what this opens up in your life when you embrace it…real connections and real relationships. Sure some people may use this to feel superior to you and those relationships will not move forward but those are their issues and not ours. We showed up. It reminds me of this quote: “An enlightened woman will not seek to be understood, she just enjoys the company of likeminded people. –Casey Leasure

It makes no sense, but we do it all the time. We seek to explain ourselves and seek validation from others.

I love when you have one of those moments like I did with my friend where your eyes are open to something you know you need in your life, and then you begin to see it everywhere. I was watching the Katie Couric Show this week, and one of her guests was Brene Brown, author of Daring Greatly.

I love the daring greatly philosophy because it’s about showing up. It’s about going big or going home. If we are not showing up for our life, we have truly already lost. I love what Brene said daring greatly.

Brene says to dare greatly that we need to be willing to be vulnerable and defines vulnerability as: unceertainty, risk, emotional exposure. Vulnerability is being all in. It’s showing up.


“To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.” -Aristotle

If we want to avoid criticism in our life, we are not even going to be showing up. We also must learn to ignore the critic sitting on the sideline. We are the one in the arena of our own life.

“Make no mistake it feels uncomfortable to put ourselves out there, and it feels dangerous, but I don’t think there is anything more uncomfortable or dangerous, I get teary-eyed when I talk about this, than standing on the outside of our lives wondering what it would be like had we shown up.” -Brene Brown

She gave the example of a character in a movie who shows up outside of a girl’s window with his boombox playing a love song to woo her. As movie-watchers, we are rooting for him. It feels quite differently when we think of being the ones to put ourselves out there, but in the end that is usually where great things happen. He was daring greatly, and at least he showed up.

For some strange reason, we think we are the only ones who get nervous or have social anxiety issues, or who are dealing with depression or post traumatic stress disorder. It is simply not true. We all experience these at one time or the other, even your favorite celebrities.

We are all just human. Ad it is human to feel these things, but what is truly heroic is to be real and be able to laugh at yourself.

Lauren Graham was on The Ellen Show today discussing her social anxiety at a recent party of Ellen’s. She was intimidated by Ellen and the others around her and blurted out ridiculous comments in an effort to make conversation. It was hysterical listening to her tell the story. But I love that she did. That makes it okay for me to be human and embrace it too. Even Ellen admitted to having social anxiety issues.

[Watch Lauren Graham on the Ellen Show]

No one is as together as you think they are. We are all just human.

It’s all about showing up. Whether we have an anxiety disorder, depression, or other overwhelming life situations, we have the power to stop where we are and say that I am going to show up and lead my own life. To say that we are going to be real and embrace ourselves.

It is about showing up and being true to yourself, taking chances, and going outside of your comfort zone to risk nothing for something great. We’re really not risking anything if we don’t already have what we we want. We have nothing to lose.

I love this part of the story. Famous blogger, and one of my favorites, Jenny Lawson, also know as The Bloggess, was also with Brene on the Katie Couric show. Jenny had struggled with depression and anxiety disorder and while already a very popular blogger, struggled some days to get out of bed. She felt the dissonant cord struck in her life knowing that her husband knew, so she was very brave and shared this with her readers. It gave them permission to be real too. Which is the first step to begin any healing process. She told the story of the “sisterhood of the traveling red dress”. In an effort to reclaim her life and say that she was in charge again, going totally out of her comfort zone, she had a friend make her a large red ball gown and did a photo shoot to capture her embracing and reclaiming her life. Then she blogged about the importance of going after the things we want, even if we think they are ridiculous, because we are worth it. That very dress has now made it’s way all over the world so that other women could embrace the same moment.

I’ve always said how important it is to have these images of ourselves. I wrote in an article, A Mirror Has Two Faces, that you need to have at least one picture of yourself where you shine, not just shine on the outside, but shine on the inside, too – you at the top of your game, confident and happy. Put these pictures where you can see them every day. And, remember, you do not have to find yourself. You just have to remember who you are.

So lighten up on yourself today. Be kind to yourself. Show yourself the same grace that you would your best friend. Be brave today. Be grateful for this moment, and dare greatly.

Blooming Is Possible Even When Your World Is Turned Upside Down

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This is going to be on a more personal note today. I rarely share anything very personal. Many people know of RM’s Huntington’s diagnosis, but I went very quiet after that. What many people did not know is that we had decided to divorce before he had even thought about getting tested for HD. So for me, it added a whole new challenge. Not only was I dealing with a failing marriage, now I was also dealing with his Huntington’s diagnosis. Any one of those things would have been difficult. There was no book out there to tell me how to do both and how to do them well.

I have not felt ready to share any of my journey…until today. As I was journaling for myself, I realized I was now ready to share a little of my story. It wasn’t that I wanted to hide it.  I never wanted to drag anyone through the dark times. And honestly, it was not what I needed to process.

Sometimes, God puts into our hearts the intuition to know what we need. It whispers quietly and gently, and if we are still, we can hear it guiding the way. Follow that.


If I have learned anything from this, it’s that. Learn to trust yourself. Learn to trust that God is guiding you.

I have become a very private person during this time. In many ways it’s because I have gone inward and closer to God to find my strength and peace. I also did not want other people telling me what to do. I knew that only I would know what is right for me. I’ve gone the route of listening to others too many times, and it never turned well for me. I had to find my own strength and peace. It could not be drawn from my circumstances or from someone else for it to be lasting because those things are continually changing, although many people have inspired me in different ways, and for that I am grateful. And I am also grateful for friends who have commented on my blog, checked on me over the last couple of years, listened and not judged the times I have needed to talk, distracted me with fun trips, made me laugh, great conversation, and wonderful dinners. You are all angels.

Nothing could have prepared me for the last two years of my life. I remember someone making the comment in a Bible study years ago about how grace to go through a trial is given when we need it. Many times people will say they could never go through what someone else has gone through. God gives us what we need when we need it.

Because of this experience, I am not the person I once was…in good ways…and in bad ways. I’ve lost some of what I once loved about myself. I see glimpse here and there of some of the parts of me that I loved and lost, so I  readjust my sails, knowing that she is still in there and will find her way. The ultimate challenge is to be who you are no matter what is happening around you, not letting your circumstances dictate who you are. Again, it’s a journey. But I have also gained a patience, understanding, and a grace that I never had. And for that, I am grateful. I like those qualities. They make me feel more grounded.

After 20 years of a bad marriage, a separation, trying again, a decision to end the marriage, followed by a diagnosis of Huntington’s disease and the two years of hell that followed that, we became what we should have been all along instead of a married couple…really good friends. This friendship did not happen overnight. It was birthed from not a few hours of labor but years of hard labor.

Being there for him while not destroying myself is a balancing act. We are still legally married and still need many questions answered to do this the best way with his Huntington’s. He’s actually still very protective of me. We are both protective of each other. Friends are like that. But we will get all of that figured out. I’ve often wondered how some people divorced and could be such good friends. I often wondered why they couldn’t make the marriage work if they could be such good friends. Now I know. And while I was tempted to try to make it work after he was diagnosed, that would be like the couples who think a baby will save a marriage, only worse. If it wasn’t already broken, this sure was not going to fix it.

No one wants to be the person that leaves someone under these circumstances. But then again who wants to be the person that stays with them just because of it when you both already knew it was over and had already had that talk? After two years of struggling and living as roommates, I concluded that there had to be something in the middle, something I could live with and do right by both of us. There was. We are family because of a shared life, and we became friends. It never had to be an all or nothing choice. There was another solution that had been staring us in the face the whole time.

Most decisions do not need to be made right then and there. Many times, we need to be still and wait.

Remember…

God puts into our hearts the intuition to know what we need. It whispers quietly and gently, and if we are still, we can hear it guiding the way. Follow that.

It’s been a journey for him too. It’s been a struggle adjusting medications, but today he is doing well. In many ways, he is doing better than he has for years, but in others it is painfully obvious he has this disease. The chorea is worse. That is the next area that we will begin focusing. His mind is still sharp. In many ways, more so than mine. I guess I won’t worry about that until he catches up with me. He worries about it a lot though, as do I with mine. I reassure him that we are just getting a little older. We can’t possibly both have Huntington’s. It’s not contagious. His mood has improved greatly through medication, all natural except for his blood pressure medicine I might add, and much better than the Zoloft he had been taking. He has also learned better coping skills. In all honesty, this was a big issue for him long before he was diagnosed. I do not even think this began because of the disease as much as it may have been because he was raised with someone with the disease, who was raised by someone with the disease. That’s the thing about this disease, not only do you have it, but you are raised by someone who has it.

In the beginning, I had a yellow sticky on my desk with the words “just breathe” and “one day at a time” and if I remembered those two things, I considered the day a success. We have to start where we are. That was two years ago. I no longer need the yellow sticky. Yes, there are still bad days, but mostly good days. Most days, there is laughter, joy, and growth, and there is always gratitude.

I took this picture and wrote this quote in the darkest time of this journey. Even then, I knew I wanted to bloom. I love how God met me there and spoke these words into my soul. This gives me hope…hope to be the best person I can be, hope for now, and hope for the future. My story is not a tragic story or a sad story. My story is that of a woman who learned to show up for life even in the middle of a storm.  This is just the middle of my story. We do not know what amazing things might be just around the corner. I love that we can continually edit our lives for the best story possible. Isn’t that such a wonderful thing?

Keep blooming, my wonderful leading lady friends.

Whether we have an anxiety disorder, depression, or other overwhelming life situations, we have the power to stop where we are and say that I am going to show up and lead my own life.

Are you continually editing your life for the best story possible?

Note: The background in the shown art was designed and painted by Simply Topaz for Wonderfully Made Fine Art. Flower and text were added for the digital print.

Everyone Has a Story

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When we see someone being positive and full of joy, it’s easy to think they are this way because their life is full ll sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows Sometimes this may be true, but more times than not, it is because they choose it. In spite of whatever their trials or situation, they choose joy and choose to embrace and celebrate life. Every day we can choose  to edit our life for the best possible story. Life may be easier if we are given the tools growing up to handle it better, but even if we aren’t, it doesn’t mean that we can’t acquire the attitude and skills we need to change our course.

To some, my life might seem perfect, but it’s not. Honestly, whose life is? The truth is that we never truly know what someone has dealt with in their life or what they are dealing with. I am going to share something I wrote for my personal blog. This is being extremely vulnerable, but I am doing this to show you that true joy is an internal work. I have true joy. Do I have bad days sometimes? Sure. Everyone does. But for the most part, I have joy, true joy. There are people in far better situations than I might be in with far less joy. Our life is how we choose to live it, and I am a happy person loving life, because I make the choice to be that and do that every day. Some days are definitely harder than others. But there is so much to celebrate and so much positivity to embrace. It seems such waste to not focus on that.

I am not a leading lady that lives a charmed life. Most of us aren’t. I am not a perfect person. I make mistakes. We all do. I experience struggles. What I am doing differently in my life today is that I am showing up for it. I am learning to trust myself to lead my own life and not let others lead it for me.  I am a leading lady that lives a real life. Some of the best movies are about a leading lady whose story was hard at some point, but she lived it well and had a happy ending, even if the happy ending was just about the person that she became and how she found joy no matter what her circumstances. All great stories have a conflict. That and living it well, is what makes a great story. Do not let your circumstances determine the altitude of your life.

Maybe we are not 100% where we should be to make great decisions for ourselves. Start where you are. Educate yourself, and learn to trust your still small voice.

My purpose in sharing my current story on the link below and telling you all of this is to show you that no matter where you are in life right now, you can start there. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just start.

Click here is part of my story…
Blooming Is Possible Even When Your World Is Turned Upside Down

What is your story?