Meet Rebecca Thomas | More Than A Life Coach, Entrepreneur, Empower of Strong Babes

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rebecca Thomas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rebecca, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
You know what? Balance is just not a word I use. I know – a lot of spaces talk about it, and it’s definitely become a buzzword for how to live your life. But the word balance just isn’t it for me.

When discussions about balance come up (especially work/life balance), it’s like the conversation itself is already laced with pressure and anxiety. Why? When we talk about how our lives evolve – whether a day, or a chapter, or a year, even multiple years – balance doesn’t really seem fitting. I don’t know about you, but when I think about work/life balance, I get this image or idea in my head that resembles equally stacked lanes. Or even a teeter totter with equal weights on either side so that the outcome stays in exactly one place without moving. That just doesn’t feel good to me. It feels riddled with pressure and anxiety, completely unsustainable, and laced with control and perfection.

So what’s the re-frame? A word I prefer over balance (for myself AND my clients) is H-A-R-M-O-N-Y. And here’s why; When I think of harmony I think of an orchestra or a band. It’s dynamic and layered and complicated and has so many different aspects to it, constantly evolving as it unfolds. And the instruments and musicians aren’t the only things that involves. It also describes the actual written music. There are times when beats are more staccato, or the rhythm calls for a slower beat. Some instruments play most of the time. Others will come to the forefront and shine (either alone or with the other instruments playing in the background). The written music calls for certain elements to fade in, or fade out. It notes the change of pace and the length of the played note. So when I think of an overall description that accurately translates from harmony in music to work/life it’s this…… It works well together to create something beautiful and complimentary, playing on its strengths, and recognizing when certain elements deserve a time to shine (or need to take a backseat).

There are so many moving parts to our lives – work AND personal. From the emotions of a season to the mental capacity to what’s physically possible (or impossible),. To achieve the “sweet spot” takes recognizing what’s needed, awareness around what you can (or can’t) accommodate, and calling forth the necessary strengths and coping practices that will serve us in that season.

As for how my work/life *HARMONY* has changed over time – there’s so much to share about that. But I think the biggest key for me is tapping into my ever-expanding understanding of myself along with my growing awareness in order to better navigate the specific chapters of my life. And doing so in a way that allows me to operate from my integrity, align with my purpose, and honors my capacity.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Isn’t it interesting how you can navigate life in seemingly disconnected chapters, only to look back and see how the dots connected in between each of them? There were sooooo many challenges on the way to becoming who I am now, and in shaping the services and support that I provide. Each of those things brought their own pain points AND contributed in shaping the strengths, depth of feeling, and awareness that I have now. All of which contribute to me being able to show up better for myself AND for my communities and clients.

One of the things I take a ton of pride in is my ability to accept both sides of myself, the shadow and the light if you will. So often we wish we could have pieces of ourselves minus the lessons that molded them, but without those lessons we wouldn’t truly embody those strengths. Being able to radically accept who I am, how I feel, and the things I’ve been through, without judging them is not only a beautiful gift for myself, it’s also a permission and way of being that extends to others. A huge piece of this is not just the radical acceptance, but the ability to see and consider things, get curious about them, without judging them. Without making them “right” or “wrong”.

How all of this translates into me, my brand, and my story is an open ended invitation to approach yourself, your life, with the same principles. Not by judging, but in noticing, getting curious, and choosing how you want to move forward. Not in reacting, but in identifying the why behind the discomfort, honoring that, and moving through it. Not in denying or numbing or avoiding those pain points, but in moving through them, allowing yourself to be supported (we’re not meant to do this alone), and trusting that (as uncomfortable as things may sometimes be) life is working FOR US, not against us.

Who I am, what my brand represents, is a contagious grounded confidence that gives you the space to come as you are, no expectations, have the space to say what you REALLY feel without needing to fix it or make it more comfortable for someone else, and having THAT blossoming into the validation of yourself, while also creating the shift you’re looking for in your life.

As a life coach that works mainly with women the self-value, the grounded-confidence, the casting away of judgment and embracing of understanding, those are key in creating amazing and beautiful shifts around how you talk to yourself, what you (do or don’t) allow, and learning to unapologetically take up space (because you already DESERVE all the best things, simply because you exist).

I’m Rebecca Thomas – More Than A Life Coach, and Empowerer of Strong Babes. I’m here to guide you through this journey, back to yourself, and to help you unlock a more authentic, fulfilling, and joy-filled life.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Ha! It’s like you KNOW me. This exact scenario is my JAM! So, I have two BESTEST BEST friends, but the answer is still easy because they are SO much alike (Angelique and Tiffany, I love you to the moon and back!).

So, the first thing you’d have to understand is that my besties and I LOVE quality time. For us it’s all about existential conversation, being present, and catching up on where we’ve grown and what our current lesson-on-demand is. BUT on top of that we love great QUALITY food AND we love all things moving and outdoors.

So the first thing we would do is NOT over-pack our schedule. That being said you can bet I would still comb through the local events and see what might pique their curiosity during their visit.

Top attractions we’d explore are:
1) The Frederik Meijer Gardens Sculpture Park – acres and acres of beautifully groomed grounds with gardens, waterfalls, wildflowers, walking paths, an asian garden, a boardwalk next to a large marsh/pond, and sculptures galore.
2) Art Prize – A creative competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan featuring artists that are local, national, and international. For 2 weeks in October you can find store fronts, sidewalks, parks, walls, and many other areas flooded with thousands of pieces of different types of art (anything from video to photo to 3D to an incredible range of mediums).
3) All the water – Like I said, we LOVE being outdoors. If it’s summertime we’re likely to head to Holland, Saugatuck, or Grand Haven and either lounge on the beach, paddle-board, or take a tour on the kayaks.
4) Cardio Drumming – This is my newest obsession, and I love it because it’s so much FUN. I’d make sure and reserve a drumming set for my bestie with Healthy Holland Cardio Drumming so we could join dozens of others with some fun choreography, dancing, physical exertion, and being alongside others (cause, community!).

Where we would eat and/or drink:
1) If we decided to partake in adult beverages, it would most likely be on the back deck overlooking the backyard. It’s a sanctuary, and doesn’t require us to go anywhere. BUT, to grab the adult beverages I would either head over to Horrock’s Farmer’s Market OR Rishi’s International Beverage. At Horrock’s you can drink while you shop (and they have an amazing produce section, deli, salad bar, and so many other things, including a BEER Garden). Rishi’s is stock full of soooooo many kinds of liquor, mixers, wines, ciders, all the things. And the staff is always incredibly knowledgeable, happy to help, and genuinely cares about taking care of their customers.

2) Coffee is a pretty big deal. For that we’d probably head to PaLatte (a woman owned coffee shop that has the most comfortable wing-back chairs, and tons of art to peruse while you visit, plus they’ll throw some cayenne pepper in your mocha if you ask nice – that’s my fave). Another great coffee spot is Outside Coffee. They run their coffee shop out of the CUTEST camper, and they’re “storefront” is an outdoor space equipped with hammocks, fire pits, intimate seating AND a large high top with access to outlets (in case you’re working while sipping). PLUS they have heated “igloos” in the winter so you can stay dry and warm). BONUS – this place is dog friendly!

3) For food…….. Oh man, this could be a long list. We are BIG foodies!
Forty Acres Soul Kitchen is a must if you love amazing fried chicken, crave “like home” greens, and all the other comfort foods that come from the South.
Horrock’s, again, because they have sushi, a HUGE soup bar, a wonderful salad bar, fresh pizza, paninis, and so much more AND you can drink while you’re there.
Palace of India – Because Indian food is one of our FAVES, and this place is amazing.
Bangkok Taste Cuisine (downtown Grand Rapids) – For those who crave excellent Thai food.
Real Food Cafe – For like home breakfasts with more choices than you know what to do with (all made from scratch)
Pho Soc Trang (near Division and 44th) – has the BEST Pho
Monsoon – Out of this world Vietnamese food. EVERYthing we’ve had here has been amazing!
Jaku (either location) – Because all things sushi AND they have sushi Burritos (I said what I said)
Amore – For all you Italian food lovers. You MUST get the arancini. And the gnocchi with vodka cream sauce is second to none!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Oh my gosh, there are sooooooo many people, places, and spaces that have contributed to who I am and *where* I am. That being said, I can definitely tie so much of it back to a handful of people and spaces.

For the podcast that shared the ups, downs, complications and real expectations of stepping into your best self while chasing your dreams – my first shout out goes to Lori Harder and her “Earn Your Happy” podcast. She and the podcast were the original spark for igniting my entrepreneurial endeavors, creating my coaching practice, helping me find incredibly diverse people and ideas to feed my knowledge, and doing so in a way that I could relate, be okay with making mistakes, and have plenty of A-ha’s, smiles, and laughs along the way.

For my client turned social media manager turned close friend turned business bestie, Alicia Shumaker gets the next shout out. It’s crazy how our paths intertwined. Everything we’ve experienced has molded us into the dynamic that can get things done together, challenges and supports, and isn’t afraid to say when the other is thinking or playing too small. I appreciate you SO MUCH!

And I wouldn’t be who I was without the loving example, the unwavering support, the calm understanding, and the patient heart of my Grandma. For as far back as I can remember she’s been there with a calm presence, unconditional love, grounded strength, and the true patience of a saint. There’s so much of who I am at my core that stems from either her example or her guidance and molding. Thank you, Grandma, for everything that you and everything that you’ve ever done and continue to do.

Website: marieofvenus.com

Instagram: @marieofvenus

Linkedin: @marieofvenus

Facebook: @marieofvenus

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/rebecca-thomas-more-than-a-life-coach-grandville?osq=rebecca+thomas

AirBnB: https://www.airbnb.com/users/show/137763164

Kaleidoscope Affect (Women’s Events company, co-owned by myself and Alicia Shumaker): https://kaleidoscope-affect.com/

Image Credits
Phrené Hoeksema, Elise Kutt, Brianna Eslinger