Geneva life coach wants to help clients overcome their fears

A life of peace, confidence and fulfillment.

Sounds wonderful, right? But so many people find such a life to be elusive because their fears hold them back, says Debbie Leoni.

Leoni, a resident of Geneva, had those fears in her own life and decided to do something about it - overcoming them to the point she can encourage and teach others how to do so.

After attending several personal life improvement sessions through New York Times best-selling author Debbie Ford's institute, Leoni was inspired to create her own Fearless Living Coach brand to help others.

"Teaching folks to live fearlessly came out of my desire and passion that was a result of the internal work I did due to all the adversity I had experienced in my life," said Leoni, who conducts two-day events called Fearless Living that allow her to work with small groups of people. She also has written a book titled "I Am Fearless: 12 Elements of Fearless Living." Information about her self-improvement concepts is available at debbieleoni.com.

Sounds like mystic guru stuff at first glance, but it would be difficult for anyone to say taking a positive approach to life's tough challenges is not better than being afraid to do so.

"By reaping the rewards of shifting fear into courage in my own life, it fueled my passion to create a ripple effect and touch as many lives as possible with the work - because it works," she added.

Leoni said it is rewarding to see how those she has worked with can transform their attitudes toward life in a short period of time, mostly after grasping what it means to have confidence and a sense of worthiness.

"Once they realize what they are capable of, miracles happen," Leoni said. "Feeling they don't deserve to make themselves 'happen' and have their needs met is a huge obstacle to living fearlessly."

Another for John

Those who knew former Geneva coach and teacher John Barton are getting together again July 23 at Bliss Creek Golf Course in Sugar Grove to raise money for the V Foundation for cancer research.

That foundation was created in memory of former North Carolina State coach Jimmy Valvano, whose courageous fight against cancer was well- documented when he died not long after his team won the NCAA Tournament in the early 1980s.

Barton, a successful basketball coach at Geneva High School, died from colon cancer in August of 2012.

Anyone interested in playing in the outing can register at bartonmemorialgolf.org.

The tree plaque

In case some supporters of the Value our Trees group in Batavia were confused by a photo caption in my column last week, let me clarify.

The group is raising money for a plaque at the Batavia Arboretum on the grounds of Batavia High School in memory of those for whom trees were planted at the site.

My last mention of this was related to an anonymous donor looking to match donations in the effort so that a sister, who died her freshman year at Batavia High and for whom two trees were planted, could have her name memorialized on the plaque.

Keeping her memory

The Mebane family of Geneva will mark the fifth anniversary of their teenage daughter Emma's passing with a balloon release Friday, July 8, at the Peck Farm Park picnic shelter.

The "Angel Day" gathering is from 5 to 9 p.m., with the balloon release at 8 p.m. It's an event the family did at Emma's funeral.

She died in her sleep on July 8, 2011, and family and friends have kept her spirit alive with various events and remembrances since.

Those wanting to send messages to Emma via a balloon are encouraged to send those messages via email to her sister Sarah at sarahmebane@gmail.com before noon on July 8.

Poison ivy bumper crop?

Let's hope I'm not an expert on this one. This would fall into a category for Forest Preserve District of Kane County naturalist and Daily Herald columnist Valerie Blaine.

Unless I don't have any idea of what poison ivy looks like, it appears it is growing rampant right along the Fox River bike trails in Fabyan Forest Preserve. Leaves of three, let them be. Right?

Maybe this isn't entirely unusual, but it sure seems like a bumper crop to me. Either way, let's hope kids don't go running through it, or bike riders taking a break step off to the side of the trail in a swath of this annoying plant.

Enjoy holiday

Hopefully, like everyone else, we have a busy Fourth of July holiday weekend coming up. You won't see my smiling face next Sunday or Wednesday, but my column returns on Sunday, July 10.

Enjoy a fun and safe Fourth of July!

dheun@sbcglobal.net