Meet Our
(C)hief (E)xecutive (O)ptimist
The Heart of the Home
 

My Story

I believe I was chosen for an unexpected adventure in life when I decided to pioneer home based silent retreat experiences. I am one of the most energetic, effervescent people you'll meet. Often I am asked, "How can we bottle up your optimism and share it with the world?" Founding Optimistic Theory six years ago is the closest I've come to a global, valiant effort. I'm learning, growing, failing, and taking new risks every day. I wouldn't change a thing and I truly look forward to many, many years of growth ahead.

​

My story started when my Dad suffered multiple strokes in the winter of 2019. As an occupational therapist, I am trained to respond, rehabilitate, and facilitate recovery. As a daughter, my exhaustion grew as I became my family's liaison, translator, and decision maker. Family well-being can completely change after a loved one experiences a major health event and I was determined to support my family and come out on other side together. To meet my goal, I made sure my siblings and I took care of ourselves and each other as the rehabilitation process took place. Community care front and center.

One day, when one of my siblings, came to relieve me from my shift with Dad, I decided that I needed a break. "Where can I go?" Nothing came to mind easily as I knew I wanted to be close in case my family needed anything. At that moment, I decided to Google "How to do a silent retreat at home." Reading the article gave me the instructions needed to try to find relief right where I was. After gathering all the materials I could, I positioned myself on the side of my bed and sat there in silence for eight hours. I did absolutely nothing. Talk about a gift. It felt incredibly good to just be.

​

It was the best day I'd had in a long, long time. I believe that was the catalyst for my work today. The mission took off and I began to offer silent sessions in person, virtually, and on social media. Truly, I never thought people would enjoy silence with me yet each time my offerings grew a little bigger. It became clear that this was the path that would bring me the greatest joy, allow me to support others, and engage communities around one of the most overlooked activities together: rest.

​

Rest is an activity. Rest can be a shared value and activity that can be practiced, improved, and enjoyed together in the comfort of places that are local, meaningful, and natural to our everyday rhythms. Silence is a vehicle that expands capacity, sparks curiosity, and unlocks creativity. My optimism has grown exponentially ever since then.

​

Today, I’m the founder of Optimistic Theory and the world’s first Rest Agent™. Through retreats, workshops, and high-impact consultations, I help people bring silence into their homes, teams, and organizations. From families to Fortune 500 executives, my work has shown that practicing rest builds us up: sharper clarity, greater confidence, and expanded capacity.

I’m known as the Chief Executive Optimist, a speaker, facilitator, and pioneer in framing rest as a critical activity and our homes as practice arenas. My mission for us is simple: to make rest an active part of the human experience for every person on the planet, and to prove that optimism and silence can be tools for brighter futures. My vision is for us to be the rest stop of the world. Here is your signal to join us as we enjoy the silence.

​

​

​