Build Powerful Habits that Create Freedom and a Growth Mindset
Supported by Science
-
Neuroscience
-
Positive Psychology
-
Cognitive Behavioral Psychology
-
Performance Science
About
"You can't pour from an empty cup."
When we are not taking care of ourselves, we find that we are exhausted, short-tempered, and not living out our purpose in life. We end up consumed with the needs of those around us that we forget to take time to nurture our own. Our stress levels increase and create imbalances in our bodies and in our relationships. Dulce Vida Coaching equips individuals with mindfulness tools and healthy habits to navigate the challenges that arise in both work and personal life to live with more balance and ease.
Keep it Simple
When we're ready to make a change, it's easy to convince ourselves that we need to overhaul our entire life. But lasting change rarely happens all at once. It happens through small, intentional choices repeated over time.
Together, we'll slow things down, get curious about what's keeping you stuck, and identify the habits, thoughts, or patterns that may no longer be serving you. From there, we'll focus on simple, realistic shifts that support where you want to go next.
Notice what you need. Choose what supports you. Take the next right step.
Because you don't need to change everything to change your life. Sometimes, one small shift is enough to begin moving you toward greater clarity, balance, purpose, and joy.
Small shifts. Lasting change. A lighter way forward.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
You don't have to know exactly what you need or have it all figured out. That's what the conversation is for.
Schedule a complimentary discovery call and let's talk about where you are, what you'd like to change, and how coaching can support you in moving forward with greater clarity and intention.
About Nikki
With a passion for helping people create lasting mindset and habit change, Nikki has guided men and women to live with greater clarity, balance, and freedom so they can show up in alignment with their values.
Accolades:
B.A. in Communication, emphasis in Public Relations
San Diego University 2001
Certified Health & Life Coach
Health Coach Institute
2021
CIJ Clarity Catalyst Trainer
2022
Professional Certified Coach
PCC International Coaching Federation
In progress
Hairstylist: 20+ years “Behind every great haircut is a therapist with scissors.”
Dulce Vida Salon Owner: 2015-2022
How my Journey Began...
Empathy and a heart for others have been part of who I am since I was a little girl. My first "coaching" role was as a peer counselor in high school. After graduating from San Diego State University and in the wake of 9/11, I pivoted my career to the beauty industry, where I spent more than 20 years behind the chair and six and a half years as a proud salon owner.
We often joke that behind every great haircut is a therapist with scissors, and there was a lot of truth to that. I loved helping people feel seen, heard, and confident. But somewhere along the way, I adopted my dad's motto of "work hard, play hard," believing it was the formula for success. Unfortunately, rest was never part of the equation.
The Tipping Point
At the peak of my career, I was running a successful salon, mentoring stylists, teaching classes, raising two kids, and trying to do it all. From the outside, it looked like I had everything together. Inside, I was exhausted.
My nervous system was overwhelmed. My body was asking me to slow down. My joy had quietly disappeared.
Like so many high achievers, I believed I just needed to push harder. Instead, I turned to comfort food, alcohol, and constant busyness to numb the stress and keep going. The louder my inner critic became, the more disconnected I felt from myself.
A New Path Forward
That season became the catalyst for change. I started examining my habits, thought patterns, and coping strategies, letting go of what no longer served me and building new ones that did. Along the way, I immersed myself in neuroscience, behavior change, mindfulness, emotional resilience, and positive psychology to better understand how lasting transformation happens.
I discovered that true self-care isn't about escaping life; it's about creating the mindset, habits, and resilience that allow you to fully live it. Sometimes we all need someone who can help us see what we can't see on our own. Today, that's the privilege I have as a coach.
The Present
Today I help high-achieving, heart-centered people reduce stress, protect their energy, and create lasting mindset and habit change so they can live with greater clarity, balance, purpose, and joy.
Through one-on-one coaching, workshops, wellness programs, and retreats, I help clients reconnect with themselves, strengthen their resilience, and create meaningful, sustainable change. If you see part of yourself in my story, I'd love to walk alongside you. You don't have to figure it out alone.
Outside of coaching and creating new programs, you'll usually find me spending time with my husband, our two teenagers, Cash and Zoe, and our standard poodle, Fozzie. I love traveling, great food, and live music because I believe joy isn't something we earn after we've worked hard enough; it's something we intentionally make room for along the way.
Partnerships and Community Impact
I'm passionate about partnering with organizations that share a commitment to helping people thrive. Through coaching, workshops, and wellness programs, I collaborate with organizations to create meaningful experiences that foster lasting mindset and habit change.
One partnership I'm especially proud of is with Reframe, where I provide 1:1 coaching and facilitate live community meetings for hundreds of members who are reducing or eliminating the role alcohol plays in their lives. Every conversation is an opportunity to help people build resilience, create healthier habits, and move forward one intentional choice at a time.
"You don't have to control everything ahead of you, just the next right choice in front of you."
I also partnered with Mission Hope's Empowerment Village program, facilitating self-development workshops for single mothers focused on emotional resilience, stress management, mindset, and personal growth.
These workshops provided practical, science-backed tools to help participants regulate stress, strengthen self-awareness, establish healthy boundaries, and reconnect with their inner resilience. More importantly, they created a space where women felt seen, supported, and reminded that lasting change doesn't happen through perfection. It happens with taking a moment to pause, and take one intentional step at a time.
I believe transformation grows through connection. When people feel supported, understood, and equipped with practical tools, they gain the confidence to create meaningful, sustainable change.
If you're interested in partnering to support your team, organization, or community, I'd love to connect. Schedule a complimentary 20 min discovery call, and let's explore how we can work together.