About

Hi, I'm Amber.  You may know me from other places around the Web, but for now, here's a little about Rock Your Genius.

This site was created several years ago to help its followers build lives and businesses by design rather than default so that they might find greater contentment and success.

When it first began, however, I quickly got caught up in the process -- "the how" and "the what" over "the why," if that makes sense.  I finally realized that it was way more important to be guided by an underlying purpose and to allow that purpose to lead the way for Rock Your Genius, which brings me to imua.

Imua: Move Forward With Purpose

Around the time I went into business for myself ten or twelve years ago, I heard the word imua while watching a television program.  Imua is a Hawaiian word that means “to move forward with strong momentum.”  It immediately struck a chord with me and kind of became a personal motto.

Starting my own business wasn't just about surviving; it was about thriving, about being the best version of myself and doing something that mattered, so when I thought of the word imua, it was an instant reminder to move toward those things that were most important to me and to live my life by design rather than default.

Then, in the summer of 2010, it occurred to me that imua and Rock Your Genius worked hand in hand, and at about that time, I discovered that imua had a second meaning, which was “to go forward with spirit,” which to me meant “to move forward with purpose.”

Finally, after nearly ten years of constant striving, I realized that it wasn't just about moving forward aggressively, but moving forward with purpose.

Where From Here?

I have no idea where this all will go, and I don't have an agenda for Rock Your Genius right now.  Instead, I'm concentrating my attention on moving my own life forward with strong momentum and purpose.  I'm focusing on what Chris Guillebeau calls "legacy work," and if you're interested, you can find out about that project here.

As I'm navigating this crazy path, I occasionally come across nuggets of wisdom and encouragement that help me gain clarity on this journey and that might help you on yours as well.  That's why I keep Rock Your Genius around, as a reminder that we each have something special to offer this world, if we can just find it and then muster up the nerve to pursue it.

On that note, I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes by Marianne Williamson.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.