Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Monica Connolly. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Monica, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
Rising Boldly: How I Found My Purpose After Losing Everything
For most of my life, I thought strength meant never falling apart. I was the one who kept it all together — the caretaker, the overachiever, the one who smiled through the pain. But what I didn’t realize was that surviving isn’t the same as living. My wake-up call came the day my doctor told me, “If something doesn’t change, you won’t be here much longer.”
That sentence broke me open. I had already survived the unimaginable — losing my infant son, my husband’s traumatic brain injury, years of chronic pain, and emotional eating that left me 150 pounds heavier and utterly disconnected from myself. But that moment forced me to decide: was I going to keep existing, or finally start living boldly?
My healing journey began with the smallest, bravest steps — healing my gut, regulating my nervous system, and learning to sit with my own reflection. I practiced mirror work, whispering truths that felt foreign at first: I am seen. I am heard. I am worthy. Over time, I stopped chasing perfection and started choosing progress.
That’s when I realized something powerful: purpose isn’t something you find — it’s something you remember. It’s buried under the pain, expectations, and fear that life piles on. My purpose had been there all along: to rise from the ashes and help others do the same.
Today, as a transformation coach and speaker, I help women reconnect to their health, identity, and purpose — not by teaching them to avoid risk, but by showing them how to face it with courage and grace. Living boldly doesn’t mean we never fall; it means we rise again, stronger and truer each time.
“Purpose isn’t discovered in comfort — it’s revealed when you’re brave enough to rebuild.”
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that your story isn’t over just because it got messy. Sometimes the most powerful beginnings are disguised as rock bottom.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
About Monica Connolly: Living Made for More
I’m Monica Connolly — a Transformation Coach, Speaker, and International Bestselling Author who helps women reclaim their health, identity, and purpose. After losing 150 pounds, healing my gut, and rebuilding my life from the inside out, I turned my pain into purpose by teaching others how to do the same. I coach from experience, not theory — because I’ve lived the transformation I now lead others through.
Through my company, Monica Connolly Coaching, I help clients create lasting change through mindset mastery, nervous system healing, and the eight pillars of holistic wellness — physical, mental, emotional, social, environmental, spiritual, financial, and intellectual health. My mission is to help people heal from the inside out so they can live on purpose, in purpose.
What excites me most about this work is watching people come back to life — seeing their eyes light up again as they remember who they are and why they matter. My clients often tell me they finally feel seen, heard, and understood — and that’s the heartbeat of my brand.
I recently launched Season 2 of my podcast, Unshakeable Belief, where I share raw, real conversations about healing, leadership, and purpose with inspiring guests and solo episodes drawn from my own journey. I also lead my signature group coaching program, RESET: Reset Your Body. Rewire Your Mind. Rise in Purpose., and am expanding into live events and women’s retreats that blend faith, wellness, and sisterhood.
As an International Bestselling Author, I was honored to contribute to the anthology Transforming Pain Into Purpose, and my second anthology, UnleashHER Voice: Unlocking Confidence and Power in Every Woman’s Story, releases this November. My first solo book, The Lie Is Loud: Silence the Noise, Step Into Who You Are, debuts March 28, 2026 — a deeply personal project about breaking free from the lies that hold us back and reclaiming the truth of who we are.
My philosophy is simple: You don’t have to have it all together to rise — you just have to decide you’re not staying where you are.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The Three Qualities That Transformed My Journey
Looking back, the three qualities that shaped my transformation most were resilience, self-awareness, and obedience over hustle.
1. Resilience:
Life has handed me more than my share of storms — the loss of my son, my husband’s brain injury, years of chronic pain, and the journey of losing 150 pounds. But resilience isn’t about pretending you’re okay; it’s about choosing to rise, even when you’re not sure how. I’ve learned that resilience grows in the moments you refuse to quit — when you decide that your story will not end in defeat. My advice? Stop waiting to feel ready. Healing and purpose unfold through action, not perfection.
2. Self-Awareness:
For years, I tried to fix everything around me without realizing I was disconnected from myself. Learning to pause, reflect, and regulate my nervous system changed everything. Awareness allows you to respond instead of react, to lead yourself with compassion instead of criticism. If you’re early in your journey, start with small moments of truth — journaling, mirror work, breathwork. Ask, “What am I feeling right now, and what do I need?” It sounds simple, but self-awareness is the bridge between survival and transformation.
3. Obedience Over Hustle:
This one shifted my entire business and life. For so long, I believed success came from pushing harder — until burnout nearly broke me. Today, I build from alignment, not striving. I trust the timing and follow where I’m led, even when it’s uncomfortable. My advice is to slow down and listen. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is get still enough to hear what’s next.
At the heart of it, these three qualities — resilience, self-awareness, and obedience — taught me that becoming who you’re meant to be isn’t about achieving more; it’s about remembering who you already are.
How would you describe your ideal client?
Who I Serve: The Awakening Woman Reclaiming Her Health, Identity, and Purpose
My ideal client is the woman who’s always been the strong one — the one everyone leans on — but inside, she’s exhausted from carrying the weight of it all. She’s accomplished and capable, yet she’s quietly wondering, When did I lose myself? She’s the caregiver, the professional, the overcomer — and she’s starting to realize that survival isn’t the same as living.
She may be facing burnout, hormonal or gut issues, emotional eating, or just that deep, unshakable sense that something needs to change. She’s tired of surface-level fixes. She’s ready for real healing — mind, body, and spirit.
What makes her ideal isn’t perfection; it’s willingness. She’s open to doing the inner work, exploring her mindset, learning to regulate her nervous system, and taking small, consistent steps forward. She might not believe she’s strong yet — but she’s brave enough to begin.
My coaching isn’t about quick results; it’s about sustainable transformation. The women I work with are ready to reset their bodies, rewire their minds, and rise into their purpose. Together, we create lasting change that starts on the inside and ripples through every part of life — health, confidence, relationships, and calling.
I always tell my clients: you don’t have to have it all together to rise — you just have to decide you’re not staying where you are.
Those are the women I’m here for — the ones ready to remember who they are and finally live like they were made for more.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://monicaconnollycoaching.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monicaconnollyandco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monica.a.connolly.7/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mnconnolly/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CoachMonicaConnolly
Image Credits
MegerMedia
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