Author Archives

Melissa Venable

Rockin' a FabYOUlous life as an author, speaker, blogger, coach and consumer of way too much caffeine. Let me help you to ditch the drab and find your FAB--it's possible and it's FUN!

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Where are You Going? I Don’t Know but I Think I’m Almost There

Do Vision Boards Really Work?

Where Are You Going? I Don’t Know But I Think I’m Almost There

That was an actual exchange that I recently had with my husband. I was driving to a meeting that was to be held at a beautiful country club in the mountains just west of Denver, Colorado. I knew that I had to be getting close to my destination but the more I drove around on the winding, mountain roads, the more confused I got. Even Siri was confused—she kept telling me that I had arrived at my destination but the only thing that I had arrived at was a house on the side of a mountain. The house was nice and all but it clearly was not a country club.

After making a call to the meeting’s organizer, I discovered the reason for my (and Siri’s) confusion. I had mistakenly entered the final destination as River Ranch Rd. instead of RiverValley Ranch Rd. into my GPS. I left out one small detail but it was enough to send me (and Siri) on a wild goose chase. Fortunately, the meeting’s organizer was able to give me better directions and I didn’t end up being too late for the meeting.

Now, as I look back on that experience it occurs to me that (just like I spent too much time driving around lost in the mountains) so many of us spend our days, weeks and years driving around on our own figurative mountains looking for something but not knowing exactly what it is or how to get to it.

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Creating a Sacred Space of Your Own

Back in October, I posted what has now become one of the most popular posts on FabYOUlous Life. That post was called The Joys of Masturdating and was all about the benefits found in spending time alone (you can read that post here). When I wrote that post, I immediately wrote another one that I meant to use as a follow up. However; other things surfaced and different posts took precedence. Now however; as I look back through my old drafts, I realize that the information from that original follow-up post is good and worth sharing.

The funny thing is–my living situation has completely changed since October. Back when this post was originally written, I had two young adult sons living in my house which meant that space in our home was at a premium. That all changed in February when my boys found a townhouse across town that they now share with a few of their friends. I’ve decided to leave my post the way that it was originally written however; because the entire premise of the post is about the importance of finding a sacred space of one’s own–even when space is limited. Yes–I now have two extra bedrooms which means that my office and guest bedroom no longer have to share the same room, but even if extra space is not currently a possibility for you, you can still create a special place that is all your own and doing so can make such an incredible difference in your life.

Here’s my original post…

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Contentment vs. Ambition: Do they HAVE to be Mutually Exclusive?

5 Simple Strategies for Finding Joy Where You're At While Hustlin' for Something More

This morning I sat across the table from my husband at IHOP as we worked on our crossword puzzle and gobbled down our pancakes while chatting about our kids, work and the upcoming MLB season (go Yankees!). There was nothing particularly extraordinary about this morning because this pancake gobbling, crossword puzzling routine is one that we engage in nearly every weekend; and yet, today, in the midst of the normalcy of our Saturday morning, I was suddenly hit with a wave of emotion that, were I not in the middle of a busy IHOP and worried about looking like a lunatic, would have brought me to tears. I was suddenly overcome with feelings of such peace, joy, love, gratitude and overall well being that I almost couldn’t breathe for fear of losing the moment. This, I thought to myself, is what contentment feels like.

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The Racecar Effect

Keep Your Eye on the Prize so You Don't Crash & Burn

The Racecar Effect is something that I came up with a few summers ago while chatting with a good friend of mine who also happens to be a professional racecar driver. After one of his races, I mentioned how frightening I thought it must be to go around a track at such a high rate of speed because the slightest mistake could spell disaster. I could just imagine myself careening into the wall or another car if one of my tires accidentally slipped or I hit a slick spot on the track. That’s when my friend told me something that I will never forget.

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Why Going to the Doctor isn’t Always Your Best Option

Deciphering Which Medical Professionals Provide What Services

Cough, cough, sniffle, cough. UGH!!! Being sick is the WORST!! It seems like my husband and I spent the entire month of January passing the same cold back and forth to each other and it was awful!! Fortunately, I think that we are both starting to get back to our normal, healthy selves and neither of us ended up needing to see a doctor for this particular round of ick. Still…being sick sucks and it sucks even more when you know that you should go see a doctor but dread the thought of appointment scheduling hassles, crowded, germ infested waiting rooms, sitting (nearly naked) in a cold examining room, having to make a separate trip to go pick up a prescription…etc. etc. etc..

The last time I was sick enough to drag myself to a doctor, I thought to myself, “there has got to be something better than waiting an hour and a half to see a doctor for seven minutes before getting shuffled out the door and on my way to a pharmacy”–and guess what…there is!