A reflective personal essay exploring what inspires the author through life's challenges, her own home, and newfound passion for writing and openness to life's possibilities.
Her Story
About MarceyG
MarceyG is a professional speaker, storyteller, and empowerment advocate based in the Urbana-Champaign area. Through her platform, Living Life Out Loud with MarceyG, she shares her personal journey of transformation, inspiring others to move from “overcoming” life’s challenges to “becoming” their authentic selves. With a focus on motivational speaking, relationship-building, and personal growth, MarceyG encourages individuals to recognize their inner strength and create meaningful change in their personal and professional lives. Before dedicating herself to public speaking, MarceyG built a diverse career that reflected her ability to take initiative and grow beyond expectations. She served as Director of Operations at UIUC Hillel – Cohen Center for Jewish Life, where she expanded responsibilities from an office management role into a newly developed leadership position. She also spent more than a decade as a top-performing Pure Romance Consultant, where she educated and empowered women to enhance their intimate relationships, earning recognition through awards and company achievements. MarceyG holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her current work centers on speaking, podcasting, and writing, including her developing memoir and storytelling project focused on learning to “live life out loud.” Guided by her faith, intuition, and passion for helping others, MarceyG continues to inspire audiences through authentic storytelling, women’s empowerment, and messages of resilience, self-discovery, and personal transformation.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with MarceyG
01What do you attribute your success to?
I have a deep spiritual faith, which manifests itself in my intuition. Over the last couple of decades, I've learned more and more to rely on it. It pushes me in the right direction, and I strive to be the best version of myself in all situations.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Listen to your inner voice, and don't let anybody tell you anything different. I feel that women have strong intuition and really good gut instincts. Those are going to lead you to some of your best decisions.
Her Content Hub
Articles by MarceyG
What Inspires Me Today
Finding strength and purpose through life's journey and embracing all that comes next.
What Inspires Me
Today, I was thinking about what inspires me. What inspires me to get up each morning? What inspires me to gather with friends? What inspires me to write about myself?
I think it all comes from the fact that I've been through so much in my life. I've experienced pain, endured countless changes, loved many people, suffered through breakups, grieved the deaths of loved ones, lost jobs, chosen to leave others, and moved both across town and across the country. I've been there for friends and family, and I've also felt isolated from some of those same friends and family.
And yet, I wake up each morning happy to be me. Everything I've gone through has strengthened me, set me on the right path, and given me hope. It has led me to the wonderful life I have today.
A Home of My Own
After buying homes with partners, only to separate and leave behind the places I had made my home, I finally bought a house just for me 12 years ago. I painted each room a different color, displayed my treasured keepsakes alongside photos of my family and the friends who have become family, and furnished each room to reflect who I am. I know this is truly my home—and mine alone.
It's the place I return to after spending time working, playing, caring for others, or driving through the countryside—doing all the things I enjoy. Here, I find peace and solace. As much as I thrive on the companionship of others, I also enjoy my own company.
Being Alive, Being Open
I've only recently begun writing, never realizing it was something I wanted to do. So, what inspires me?
Being alive. Being open to what God has in mind for me. Living my best life yet.
I can't wait to see what happens next.
A transformative journey from low self-esteem to confidence through therapy and bold social action. Discover how one person's decision to "act as if" changed everything and learned that the universe supports those ready to change.
Once You Know What You Need, Be Open to Receiving It
How a Single Act of Courage Transformed My Life and Taught Me the Power of "Acting As If"
As someone who grew up with almost no self-esteem, I knew that something had to change, or I would never find true happiness in my life. It wasn't until I attended a weekend retreat for incoming college freshmen, which included both intellectual and psychological assessments, that I realized my life could be different. After two full days of group sessions and individual testing, we each met one-on-one with one of the psychologists.
The first thing I was told was that I needed psychological counseling. It felt as though the sky had opened up and the black cloud hanging over my head had disappeared, allowing the sun to shine down on me. For the first time, I felt hope that my life could be better. What followed were four months of twice-weekly counseling sessions that set the wheels in motion for me to become the strong, confident woman I am today.
Within a week of arriving on campus, I had the opportunity to put what I had learned in therapy to the test. That first weekend, a friend from my hometown took me to a coffeehouse to listen to live music. I enjoyed it so much that I returned during the week, hoping to hear more.
Much to my chagrin, there was no music that evening, and the coffeehouse was nearly empty except for one table where eight or ten people were sitting together, engaged in lively conversation. I immediately realized I had two choices. I could turn around and leave, risking the embarrassment of being seen as awkward by people who didn't even know me, or I could sit down with them and do what my therapist had suggested: "act as if."
Act as if I were a likable person.
I took a deep breath and joined them. Before long, I felt like one of the group. We laughed, joked, and shared stories. It turned out I was a likable person.
That was many decades ago, but it set me on a completely new course in life.
What I learned from that experience is this: once you know what you need, be open to receiving it.
As author Paulo Coelho wrote:
"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it."
Change involves risk.
Take a chance on changing your life.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.