ABOUT

Hello! I’m Leisa Watkins.

Blogger | Speaker | Author | Life Coach | Change Maker

I get it…

Life can be full of surprises.
Life can be challenging.
At times life can be hard.

Here’s my story!

My family has faced challenges, including diseases (over 25), injuries (including traumatic brain injury), sexual assault, and other traumas, nine miscarriages, car accidents, and financial hardships, among others. Many of these challenges came in waves, hitting us all at once. For instance, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis,adding to a long list of chronic illnesses. This was the same week my husband was diagnosed with cancer, while our daughters were also facing health issues.

There was a particularly tough week when we lost our car, had our power and water turned off, and I had to reach out to total strangers for help. Another time, my husband was a passenger in a car that was hit by a drunk driver, leaving him out of work for months, while our daughter spent 30 days in a children’s hospital and I faced my own health challenges.

One year, I underwent three surgeries in one month, experienced the loss of a child due to ectopic pregnancy, and was involved in another automobile accident when an elderly gentleman crashed into my tiny car – my second of three automobile accidents.

Throughout each challenge we faced, I conducted extensive research and joined online groups with others facing similar situations. In those groups, I encountered many individuals filled with despair, some even feeling suicidal, believing that life was not worth living with their conditions.

But I firmly believe that life is worth living and living well!

This belief led me to embark on a mission to provide inspiration and resources to help others cultivate more health, happiness, and joy in their lives, despite life’s challenges. That’s why I created Cultivate An Exceptional Life™ – a platform where I document the research we’ve done on various medical conditions we have faced, share tips and tricks for improving health, provide information on dealing with different medical conditions, and highlight things we do to create more happiness, such as hobbies, favorite restaurants, and travel experiences.

My hope is that some of the information and insights I share will make a positive impact in your life and in the world. Life may throw challenges our way, but with the right mindset and resources, we can cultivate an exceptional life full of health, happiness, and joy.

Also on this page:

I am a conflicted vagabond.
Ballerina or federal agent?
Some of my favorite things.
Some of the medical #issues we have been dealing with.

I Am a Conflicted Vagabond

I often dream of selling every earthly possession so I can travel the world making friends while eating croissants, curry, and other regional fare.

But, I love the appeal of a Brownstone in the city so I can regularly partake of the city’s pulse – the ballets, dining, museums, dining, culture, dining, football games, dining and shopping.

And yet, still, I absolutely adore the thought of settling down on a homestead in the country, raising chickens, reading on a front porch, and doing everything else that goes with “a country life.”

Yep, I am totally conflicted.

Live in a Big City Brownstone 90% 90%

Travel the World 100% 100%

Live in the Country and Drink Lemonade 90% 90%

Careers I’ve Had

My first career choice, for most of my childhood was to be a prima ballerina. That didn’t happen, but I taught ballet lessons to a group of neighborhood girls and to a college football team. (It helps them learn to change direction quickly and to jump).

Most of my life I wanted to be a FBI agent, or a criminal profiler. The closest I got to that was being offered a job as a secretary for the FBI. Being a secretary simply didn’t sound nearly as interesting so I headed off to college.

One thing remained constant. I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I’ve had owned a business in some shape or form since the age of 14. Well except for the times I put things on hold due to illnesses. I am most passionate about helping people overcome stumbling blocks in life.

I’ve been a banker, a traveling art teacher, a craft and hobby designer, a Chief Executive Officer, head of marketing, Digital Assets Director, web developer, and more.

I Love to Travel

I LOVE to travel. I was serious about that vagabond part of me that could travel the world for years.

It blows me away that some people don’t like to travel.

I heard they exist.

If that’s you – I respect you.

But I have questions…

Really?

You really don’t like to travel?

Are you sure?

Why?

I don’t even know where this is. Do you? I want to walk down that street. I want to photograph it.

I want to see a scene like this.

And this. Isn’t it incredible?

I Love to Create and View Art

Art is one of those things that really helps enrich life. I used to teach mixed media art at art retreats and stores throughout the county. Art contributes to my happiness level. So I have an entire blog section dedicated to artful living. There is not much there yet. But this site is still new.

I Love Photography

I also love photography.

So, I have a gratitude project where I share photos of things I am grateful for. Things that make life more enriching. You can follow it here or on Instagram.

Most of my photos are taken with my cell phone. So the number one thing I care about when it comes to a cell phone is camera quality.