Shelly Moore Bartholomew

Once upon a time (in 1997, to be exact), a small-town girl from Tennessee won the Miss Teen USA competition. Life would never be the same for Shelly—but it wouldn’t turn out the way she expected, either.

Fast-forward a few decades and Shelly found herself in a season of life many of us are familiar with:  Overwhelmed. Stuck. Haunted by the feeling she was failing the people she loved the most.

Over time, with the help of therapy and journaling, Shelly learned to see the beauty in the many messes that life brings. Now she’s written This Beautiful Mess to help others learn how they can also choose to see the beauty behind their messy life journey. 

These days, Shelly Moore Bartholomew is wife to her amazing husband Will, and mama bear to three incredibly unique and gifted kids. In 2001, Shelly and Will founded D1 Sports Training, a state-of-the-art training facility where all are welcome, with over 40 training locations across the country. 

Other quirks worth mentioning: 

• Takes her skills at pop-a-shot very seriously

• Holds the (self-proclaimed) title of “Queen of Gluten Free-Sugar Baking”

• Never met a cheeseburger she didn’t like

• May be obsessed with colored markers and coloring books

• Harbors an illogical fear of storms

• Bought her own professional pickleball net so she can take it on the road

• Is the proud owner of an epic costume closet that could dress a football team

• Can be found ironing clothes as justification to watch TV in the middle of the day

• HATES to be cold—at soccer games you’ll find her cheering her kids from inside her heated igloo

• Possesses animated storytelling skills (and that’s putting it mildly)

Through This Beautiful Mess, Shelly hopes to inspire others to search for the glimmer of light in the darkness … and maybe share a few hilariously embarrassing stories along the way.