Have you ever heard somebody say that going through a divorce was a gift? Well, come to think of it you probably have, but let’s talk about that process of transformation a little bit more. Meet Mandi Dana, our Woman of the Week and Tony Robbins Results Coach who says, “Getting divorced and becoming a single mom changed everything for me.” She had to really look at herself in the mirror and be completely honest—she couldn’t hide and she couldn’t blame anyone else. It was just her, there with herself, being real. “I broke my own rules all the time… During that process I found out who my friends really were and what was important to me. Each layer brought me closer to my authentic self.”

Born and raised in California, Mandi came to Santa Cruz about 21 years ago. She’d grown up visiting her cousin here and planned on attending UCSC. Although it worked out a little differently (she finished her degree at San Jose State), she chose to stay in the area to raise her family. An adventurer at heart, she says normally she would have moved about 10 times during that period, but her kids (now 12, 14 and 16) kept her grounded. She met discoverHER founder Monica Karst when she had an infant shoe line and Monica owned a children’s shop in Capitola.

Mandi discovered Tony Robbins when she was going through her divorce. She was in a dark place that she didn’t think she’d ever come out of. He helped her to see life differently and gradually discover her true self. “When I was married and going through the motions, I wasn’t even aware that I wasn’t being my authentic self. The whole thing was really a gift.”

In the beginning, it probably didn’t feel like a gift. But the beauty of what Mandi learned through her journey was to see the gifts present in challenges while going through them, not just afterwards. Talk about a game-changer! She says, “Now when I’m going through something, I look for the gift.”

Inspired by this gift, Mandi decided she wanted to help other people with personal transformations. She started out with life coaching, then was invited to join the Tony Robbins Coaches Academy. It turned out they were hiring as well (which happens about once a year), and she decided to go for it. “The whole process was intense.” Out of 1,000 applicants in December, she was one of 15 hired in May. Not to mention the months of intensive training. Now she works from home, coaching one-on-one over the phone and doing six-month business results trainings via webinar and in person.

What really gets Mandi going is how much she learns from her clients. “Every day, I learn more from them than they do from me… I don’t get to sit back and be a passive participant in the process—I can’t ask someone to raise their standards and be their authentic self if I’m not doing it myself.” She’s inspired daily by their personal growth and says she’s also constantly learning from her incredible coworkers. What is she excited about? “Every day” and “continuing to grow.” Her community holds ongoing trainings, and she’s looking forward to an August “Leadership Academy” in San Diego.

Visit her website: sweetlyfecoaching.com

Find her on Instagram: @the.sweet.lyfe

Written by our discoverHER blogger: Liz Hodges