We’ve Noticed with Amy & Hayley

During an especially chilly February, it’s nice to sit and chat with Amy about all things Valentine’s Day. Snow and ice outside, but her positivity is contagious. With Chiefs attire, cozy drinks, and heater on full blast—I got to sit on the blue couch for our #WeveNoticed chat.

Hayley:

You ready? Rapid fire questions! Let’s go: What are your favorite TV shows right now?

Amy:

I have been watching Bridgerton! I love it, it’s super fun. I've also been watching Cobra Kai. It’s amazing. Karate Kid was great, and there’s a complexity to it that these writers have really tapped into. I've loved seeing the backstory of who the characters really are and how their background makes them! Everybody's got a story and when we lean in and honor that, things make more sense.

Hayley:

Any mantras or affirmations that have helped you focus recently?

Amy:

Every year, I pick a word to focus on. This year I couldn't decide on just one word—I guess that means 2021 is going to be amazing! So my mantra for this year is Align, Allow, & Appreciate. That's been really helping me to stay true to me. Hayley: Any habits that have helped your schedules flow recently? What’s been working for you?

Amy:

I've been intentional about how I'm using my time so far this year. As much as I love to block time for getting things done and marking items off my list, I also really appreciate when I'm free to just be. I took a couple of days off this week, and blocked that time off with nothing that needed to get done. It was a couple of days, but mentally I feel like I had a two week vacation.

Hayley:

This is a very special #WeveNoticed because it's coming out on Valentine's Day! What do you appreciate about Valentine's Day?

Amy:

Well, I love love. As I know I've told you before, when I was six my teacher asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I said that I wanted to love the whole world. And I legitimately feel that way. So I love the fact that there's a day for that.

It's a lot of things for a lot of different people, but I don’t think you can go wrong when it's about love. Hayley: What have you learned about surrounding yourself with people who love you?

Amy:

Surrounding ourselves with people who want to know how we best receive love is such a gift. Like for me, I love to be known. So people that are closest to me know me and they know my heart and are interested in my ideas.

Hayley: There are those five love languages, right? Amy:

Words of affirmation, physical touch, quality time— Hayley: Acts of service! And—hm. Amy: Gifts! Yes.

Hayley:

There we go! Honestly, if you know your own love languages, those can be good practices to start giving to yourself. Amy:

That's so good. I think when we think about love, a lot of times it's about giving it away. But just like Noticing: if we can get in a good place ourselves, we can give it away authentically. And then we’re in a place to receive it when it comes back to us.

Hayley:

And when you're able to receive it from yourself, it can get rid of those blocks and barriers you have in receiving it from other people.

Amy: Because it's believable.

Hayley: Exactly.

Amy: It also helps in other ways. If I know I'm worthy of love and someone loves me, I'm going to appreciate that. I'm going to recognize and be able to receive that. And if someone doesn't, that's not going to feel like it matches. So if someone treats me in a way that's not loving, it doesn't feel like that's right. It doesn’t match. So I'm going to know how to set a healthy boundary there. Hayley: I like that a lot. And since it is February, and it is Valentine’s Day, I say there should be more than one #NoticedShoutOut today! So share the love!

Amy:

Well, I'm not going to have a Valentine's Day Shout Out go out and not Notice Carl, because he's the coolest human on the planet. Hayley: Absolutely.

Amy: I am grateful every day that he is in my life. There's just something about getting to do life with him. It can be hard at times, and it can be so much fun at times. It can be serious, and it can be light. But I think about how we've gone from Noticing each other to knowing each other. And I'm so grateful for that. Hayley: That’s so special. Amy: I am so prepared for the Shout Out this time! I want to turn it back around and Shout Out you, Hayley. I love, love, love your willingness to step into this space. To listen and pay attention and honor it, but also bring what you know and what you love to our mission.

Sometimes I just open Instagram on my phone and look through all of it. Your heart and head are lined up with the fact that it’s not about me, it’s not about you, it’s really about the people you want to make sure are Noticed. Your intention is so pure with that, so thank you. And I just love the way you’ve entered into the conversation with me, listened so carefully, and then brought it to life in ways I couldn't even imagine. It's been such a gift. Shout out to Hayley!

Hayley:

That's really sweet. Thank you so much. Can I get one more? Who is in the community that has inspired you?

Amy:

Last weekend we got breakfast from a new kind of pop-up business called Aubrey’s Kitchen, and it's owner is a very amazing lady here in Lee’s Summit named Aubrey Newell.

She started making homemade meals for people and having it available for them to get for their families during the pandemic. She made an order for us of this wonderful vegan breakfast. We got to go pick it up last weekend, then take it back to our house for breakfast as a family. It was delicious!

Hayley:

I love that! Good family time together. What did you order?

Amy: We had waffles, patties and links of plant based sausage, and also these really delicious potatoes. The whole thing was great, but the potatoes were my favorite! They had mushrooms, onion, and chopped peppers mixed in. So good.

And as for Aubrey—I will say that she's one of the most open people I know. She just genuinely cares about people and is loving. So when you think about Valentine's Day, she's genuinely one of the most open hearted people I know. And that's who you want making your food—someone putting special ingredients like love into it.