Leadership Inside Out™

This weekly newsletter is all about helping you create the internal changes that support your desires for positive growth- be that in your career or how you show up for your hopes and dreams.

How are you feeling? Exhausted? I’m gonna guess you have the work ethic and commitment to just push through. Drink another coffee. Clock another late night.

Personally, January and February felt like the longest months ever. And not in the “wow, I packed so much in” way, more like “Ugh that was emotionally exhausting”.

Happy Valentine’s Day. Whether you celebrate or not, EVERYONE loves to be seen and known. It’s the human experience. We love love.

“May you be happy” the guided meditation prompted me this morning. …?… 😮 Have they seen my newsfeed?!

Sometimes we wake up on the “wrong side of the bed”. Sometimes the news headlines or an upsetting social post gets under our skin and we can’t shake it.

Tomorrow is winter solstice. As we acknowledge the long nights and the certain hope of the light returning , I think of the personal areas that feel dark and cold and seek the warmth that I know is possible.

May this week be filled with gratitude, reflection, and rest as we move into the final month of the calendar year.

How are you feeling, in your body? This question is sometimes met with a little confusion. We are used to staying in our head when asked, “How are you?”

Today, let’s chat about responsibility. It goes hand in hand with leadership; whether you are leading an organization, your family, or your own career, taking responsibility is required.

Our identities, family history, and ethnic heritage do impact how we feel and show up in the world as leaders and individuals.

If you’ve never considered this, it’s likely you operate in an environment that’s homogeneous to your upbringing and cultural norms.

As one of my clients cleverly coined for his staff and students, we need to remember to B.A.R.K. about it. Believe that we are Brave, Amazing, Responsible, and Kind. Their school mascot is a Bulldog, which makes sense, but the acronym resonated with me. I think we all could use some more BARK. Let me explain.

Can we boost our focus and mental power simply by putting our phone in another room, out of sight? The research says, YES.

Have you ever found yourself completely baffled by someone’s response to something that you thought was completely neutral?

Last week I was “out of office” – traveling in Alaska with my family, being wowed by wildlife and looooong days, full of sunlight.

Do you know how to harness the power of your emotions? The energy, mood, or vibe we emit is the most powerful thing we control.

The more we understand where our thoughts come from, the more compassion and understanding we can give to others. We become better leaders.

Shame is a suffocating emotion; but through my personal coaching and development I had built the emotional capacity to see it and feel beyond it.

Most likely you are the kind of leader that listens to your people. You know the basics of caring and effective leadership. In fact, you listen A LOT. Or at least you always try to.

Just three words, “Tell me more”, can create a powerful and meaningful connection. It’s a go-to coaching questions and an immediate bridge builder for any person trying to expand their understanding and create connection.

What is keeping you from taking action towards creating the change you know you want? (Nothing? Awesome. Read on for tips for when you find yourself stuck.)

It’s been a minute since you’ve heard from me. But the learning and growth has not stopped… In fact, it’s been so much, let’s grab a drink & hangout. Join me TODAY for my first every impromptu Hat Happy Hour.

Vacations are for rest- not worrying about the state of the world, right?!? Well, I had a moment, I should tell you about it.

Today we’re talking about BIAS. And it’s not all bad. It’s just kind of how our brain works.

This week, I’m inviting you to reflect on the story that you are currently living in and what role you are playing. Every single day there is a soundtrack playing in the background of our mind.

Think of these five things as the FUEL to get you moving through your day with more effectiveness, joy, and ease.

It’s been a week. You especially know what I mean if you have these red cards in your pocket to share with the communities you care about.

Happy New Year! Whether you prefer to celebrate a new school year, month, season, or moon there is something energizing about a fresh start.

It is always an honor to walk along side you, sharing my journey. Today, I’m celebrating a YEAR of writing this weekly newsletter.

Yesterday I sent an email with the subject Happiness & Peace is Possible. I know it kind of sounds like something embroidered on a decorative pillow, a cheesy wish; a phrase that could easily be dismissed in the face of whatever challenges you are feeling.

We’re swimming in candy post Halloween 🎃 trick or treating. I don’t think the extra steps outweighed the onslaught of sugar, but fun was had either way.

Do you feel like you have a lot on your plate? I actually don’t know any motivated leader that is kicking their feet up saying, it’s ALL DONE.

If you’re the type of person who feels things deeply, the world needs you. AND… the world needs you to NOT beat yourself up or let the emotions around you drain you beyond empty.

I often say, leadership is EMOTIONAL—especially if you care.

A lot of people are struggling right now, some with the transition to autumn, others dreading the US election and associated division and hatred elevated on media, and others are swamped by life demands. It feels like a lot. But it doesn’t have to.

Is your brain offering you the sense that, “I’ve got this”; or do you feel like you’re in the spin of “I don’t even know where to start”?

The practice of simply noticing the emotion and the physical sensations associated with it is a linchpin for accessing more autonomy over how your day goes.

Today’s personal reflection invites you to consider how a few reframes could lead to breakthroughs for yourself.

If you have things you want to do, even NEED to do, but you can’t seem to make happen, you are not alone.

You do NOT need to sacrifice your wellbeing in order for you to be a good leader.
Your mental, emotional, and physical wellness is, in fact, what fuels your ability to lead differently.

Becoming aware of what drains your energy and investing in ways to reframe and refuel is critical to regaining the sustainable energy you need to enjoy your work and life.

At the start of every coaching session I invite my clients to take a moment to return to their body, to let themself feel supported by their breath and let their thoughts float by without judgement.

It’s International Women’s Day. How shall we celebrate? Let’s stop ignoring ALL the unpaid work women do. Just cause it’s unpaid, doesn’t make it less valuable. There’s a reason we’re exhausted and it’s not our fault.

I used to eyeroll when I heard anyone talk about “self-love”. 😒 I thought it was covertly selfish and vain. “We don’t need an excuse to stoke the ego.” I thought. ​But I was misunderstanding the concept.

Do you ever feel like, “I know what I should do, but I can’t seem to make it happen”?

Do you know how to harness the power of your emotions?​ The energy, mood, or vibe we emit is the most powerful thing within our control.

Any chance you’ve got a 2025 goals of “Don’t burnout” like one of my client? Maybe you have reframed it toward the positive… Maintain motivation, stay connected to joy and meaning, and care for my wellbeing in 2025.

Another fifty-two weeks of learning, doing, and being completes. As you reflect on the year, how are you feeling? What stories are you telling yourself?

Whether you are at a 1 or a 10 getting outside support to clarify your thinking and feeling puts you back in the driver seat of your life.

You can expect me, as a leadership coach, to talk about mental wellness and “focusing on the things we can control”. AND I believe it is also important to recognize and name the environment and moment in which we find ourselves, much of which we can’t control.

What can I say, I’m a passionate person. People working in social impact tend to be. Our care and empathy runs deep and propels us forward. It’s a good thing. And it makes sense that there are things in this world that really get my blood boiling.

This week I have been deep in preparation for the Emotional Wellness for Leaders Masterclass. It was fun crystallizing the insights I have gained and the practices I use with my clients over the past several years.

At what age did we lose the Right to Play in our mind?

When did we decide to turn play mode off and work mode on?

What voice are we listening to that says, “you can return to play when you retire”?

Who says, “play is for the weekend, IF you get your work done”?

I’m excited—not because the days are getting shorter, but because I have a lot of great things in store this fall to support you and all the beautiful humans in my community.

Very often see weigh my clients down, more so than any specific challenge is the loneliness and isolation of feeling like they have to figure it all out on their own.

One obvious way to get more energy is to rest… a simple solution is sometimes the best, but as I wrote about last week, it is not always easy.

Today is a reminder that positive change can happen. Through the commitment and fortitude of the abolitionist movement and the inspired imagination of all those who fought for the end of slavery, Emancipation became a reality on June 19, 1865.

Delegating work feels easy because you have developed the communication and expectation setting skills to get what you need, when you need it. You appreciate your team and they feel appreciated by you.

The notions of “Balance”, “Perfection”, “Having Enough Time”, “Doing it Right” is an illusion that has us spinning in exhaustion, comparing ourselves to people in other “boxes” and it is simply hurting us all.

Knowledge is power. And the process of learning and knowing continues to evolve collectively and at an individual level.

I start my newsletter with this question because how you are feeling matters. I recently saw a post that asked, “Are you sick of your job or is your job making you sick?”

Avoidance. (We’ve all been there). You know you should have that feedback conversation, but you aren’t sure how it will go. So you busy yourself with all the other ‘important’ things.

“Psychological safety” is an academic term I first learned of while studying for my masters degree in Learning & Organizational Change. It is a necessary ingredient for learning and organizational health.