Leadership Inside Out™

The feeling of change. I’ve been experiencing this very sensation within. Confidence and motivation are less often sidelined by my overthinking.

From a neuroscience perspective, our brain works on a system of recognizing patterns and predicting useful behaviors. It works with the information it is given and experienced. When faced with something completely new to us there are a variety of responses – fear, bewilderment, confusion, to name a few.

Are you gaining the insights from your emotions or avoiding them at all costs? The more I work to understand, process, and integrate healthy emotional practices the more wisdom and expanded capacity I experience.

When a threat presents itself we have physical reactions and learned behaviors to protect ourselves. Understanding perceived threats, dysregulated nervous systems, and an inability to process emotions helps explain the dominance of fear.

Pursuing justice need not be a laborious fight that leaves you constantly exhausted, sad, or overwhelmed. I have come to believe that pursuing the Beloved Community is a lifelong journey that enriches, expands, and liberates no matter the current circumstances.

The simple question of identifying what is IN and what is OUT of your control unlocks incredible focus and power.​ It is essential.

It is the cruel thought that what you do doesn’t matter or isn’t enough that is limiting your capacity.

The heaviness in your heart is not a problem. I know that being a deeply caring and empathetic human in the world right now can feel overwhelming.

It nearly came to a surprise to me when I was able to sleep last night after what happened in my city.

You have been gifted with a new year and the privilege of being alive. Do you feel the gratitude in your bones?

Have you ever noticed that the thing you’ve been anticipating for weeks can leave you exhausted and ready for it to just be over?

To-do lists can be neutral in nature and a way of prioritizing tasks with our values and desired long term goals.

Joyful & embodied leadership is a practice of remembering your power, feeling energized, and nurturing what fuels you. Music powerfully helps us do that.

Loving the possibility looks like open tabs, a new planner, and thinking about taking the action. The inevitable, the sure things feel less sexy, less exciting. There is definitely an important role for the zone of possibility. Leadership requires an ability to take impossibile ideas and explore the possibility.

The wider our emotional range, the more capacity we have for joy and the ability to navigate any circumstance. Part of the equation of developing more joy and ease in our work and life is actually becoming unafraid of the grief and pain.

It doesn’t matter how smart or tough you are. (And this newsletter attracts the high achievers, the smarty pants, and those who have grit like no other.) But here’s the truth: Your brain and body NEED sleep.

What do you do with the habits, patterns, and ways of thinking and reacting that feel unchangeable and the annoying roadblocks to your success and internal peace? This is the conversation we need to have.

The mood you bring into the room matters. It’s intangible, but most likely the most powerful leadership skill you can cultivate. Affect (v.) : to produce an effect upon (someone or something).

“YOU. You talk to yourself the most.” So what are you saying? How would you describe the track on repeat? IS YOUR INNER DIALOG EMPOWERING? IS IT KIND AND ENCOURAGING?

I have a very important message: If you care deeply about making an impact on the serious issues facing our world… you are allowed to HAVE MORE FUN.

When you think about making decisions, what comes up for you? Improving your decision making skills requires more than rationally thinking through pros and cons and tying it to a bigger purpose.

I’ve heard it more than once and the sentiment is felt by too many amazing leaders, who happen to be struggling to keep their head above the water.

You don’t have to ignore reality in order to foster an abundant mindset. We simply need to expand our perspective beyond the evidence that feeds our sense of scarcity.

As I reflect on the mountain of concern and care my clients bring to our calls, I want to extend a hug, an exhale, and a spark of inspiration that propels you forward.

The more I embrace the complexity of life and social change, the more freedom and focus I generate mentally and emotionally.

The success and impact you dream of doesn’t just happen—they’re built through practice. You’re already on the journey in so many ways, committed to your desires.

What happens when we let our mind slip through the cracks of our worry and simply be?? Breathing, In, Out.

Audacity – (noun) The willingness to take bold risks. I’ve come to believe it’s a critical ingredient for authentic empowered change.

You might not even notice how your chronically high stress levels, exhaustion, and overwhelm are connected to an underlying lack of self-confidence.

Change is constant. But no matter how upsetting the transition may initially feel there are always positive opportunities to be discovered. Here are three beautiful gifts of transition available for you to open.

Disrupting the status quo of controlling, fear-based, hierarchical approaches to leadership is more than a dream. It becomes a reality through conscious, creative, and embodied leadership practices.

Negative emotions can be valuable indicators for survival. Every human adopts ways of dealing with the threats their nervous system notices.

The dream keeps you going… or is it the coffee and adrenaline of not wanting to let other people down?

Overwhelm and helplessness is like a disease… it attacks at a cellular level and from the outside, it works as a strategic disabler of empowerment and personal progress.

I don’t think anyone desiring to make a meaningful impact with their career imagined that it would consist of so many meetings and challenging conversations.

Nonprofit leadership is undoubtedly complex. As a holistic leadership coach, I help passionate individuals elevate their leadership by developing the internal skills necessary to navigate complexity with ease and joy.

The fear of mistakes and the associated self-criticism showed up in the form of procrastination and underlining self doubt. Chronic fear of imperfection suffocates growth, authentic confidence, and joy.

What happens when you choose to release anxiety and stress? Did you know it’s a choice? Sometimes I have to remind myself of this.

Are you ‘good’, ‘busy’, ‘fine’… AND also struggling to know how to show up and/or ignore everything that is going on? I get it. As humans, we can feel multiple emotions without making one wrong or bad.

We’ve all been there – Weighing the pros and cons. Seeking trusted advice. Running the scenarios through our mind. Wondering which decision we’ll regret.

Caring about the rights and wellbeing of the most vulnerable is an essential quality in leadership. However, for those with a deeply empathetic nature, it can be challenging not to be overwhelmed by worry and fear.

What are you facing right now? What is taking your energy? Maybe it’s an internal challenge, like struggling to make a decision or take action, or an external challenge, like knowing how to respond to policy changes, global uncertainty, and cruelty.

How are you? Happy happy May. ​Here in Minnesota the cool air has started to warm as the earth tilts back toward the sun, and I find myself absorbed in the inspiration and energy of spring.

What is helping you feel emotionally regulated these days? Calm, present, and confident?

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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”.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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?

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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?”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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”?

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.

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.

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.

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

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”?

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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