Reader, The most recent season of The White Lotus is set in Thailand, a country steeped in Buddhism. It's got me thinking about the Buddhist teachings around our tendency to overcomplicate situations and overthink problems. Papancha is a term in Buddhist philosophy referring to 'mental proliferation, conceptual elaboration', or, the mind's tendency to overcomplicate things. I learned about this concept in The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin. Our minds go to great lengths to...
12 days ago • 2 min read
Reader, FREEDOM relates to the self-determination theory, which identifies autonomy and possibility as a core human need. Unlike the temporary feeling of happiness, the emotion of freedom has a sustaining quality that persists even through challenges. The emotion of freedom can create: A sense of breathing more easily or fully An energetic openness to possibilities Relief from perceived constraints A heightened connection to your authentic self An inner permission YES! This is why so many...
19 days ago • 3 min read
Reader, I tried to outwork everyone around me for most of my corporate career. I hoped I'd be recognized and valued if I worked harder than anyone else. This relentless pace became part of my identity. Then came that moment. Two months before I ended my 19+ year tenure at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, they hired yet another new leader—the fifth in six years who was well-known in media circles. I asked him what he needed from me the night before his company-wide introduction. His response?...
26 days ago • 3 min read
Reader, I've been called resilient, and it makes me cringe. Divorce with three kids 5 and under. 60+ days in the hospital with frightening side effects from 5 rounds of chemo. Losing jobs... While I've weathered storms, so have you and countless others. Why is resilience a thing...why does it matter? On the other side of struggle, what I've felt wasn't some grandness of resilience. I'd never, ever have that thought. Instead, my mind asks why? And other questions... -What's wrong with you?...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Reader, I'm frequently asked on coaching calls: “I want to build my confidence.” This is a thought that most of us have at one point or another and has us staying in wait. Waiting for it to come. Waiting for it to give you permission to do the thing. Waiting for the magic of confidence to go for it or for things to change. This pressure to "feel confident ready" intensifies. It doesn’t matter if you are an accomplished CEO, Entrepreneur or successful sales manager.We all want confidence. [We...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Reader, "You do not belong here." I remember her telling me like it was yesterday. Sixth grade, new town, new school system, new town, and the friend groups had already formed their impenetrable walls. Those words cut deep, carving a memory that would last my entire life. We've all heard them – those words that create deep fissures in our souls and cracks in our confidence. The whispers that keep us from believing we are somebody. The somebody we want to be. "You're too direct." "I don't even...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Reader, If you could design your perfect ordinary Tuesday... What are three feelings you are having? What's your primary focus? Who are you surrounding yourself with? What's your impact? How would you describe the day in great detail? This is a meaningful reflection exercise to ground you and pull you from what might provoke stress this week. Because here’s the reality: 7 out of 10 people are currently living in a chronic state of stress. This was shared by Dr. Aditi Neurukar, a physician at...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Reader, Reading this quote struck me. "Everyone is 100% committed... You can tell what you're committed to by the results you are producing." The words revelaled something I’ve been dancing around for years: I wasn't lacking commitment – I was committed to the wrong things. As a high performer, I wore my exhaustion like a badge of honor some days. Three-hour daily commutes, back-to-back meetings, multitasking through conversations that deserved full attention. These weren't signs of...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Reader, Some of the rules we are taught to follow: Don't be disruptive. Never ask others to do your work. Stay humble, avoid attention. Don't be too sales-y. Follow the traditional path. Wait your turn. Don't ask for too much. Play it safe. I know these rules all too well. 😩 Yet look at the most successful people and brands in the world – they break every one of these rules. The disruptors reshape industries. The delegators build empires. The attention-seekers become influencers. The best...
2 months ago • 2 min read