Category: Living

I am a recovering ruminator. I would reflect on how I did something or performed, but in a judgmental way that was razor sharp and not productive. I would hold on to my slightest infractions, blinding any ability to see what went well. I would find myself thinking about that infraction long after it occurred, making it bigger than it was and more harmful. It was punishment. I had to put an end to that harmful thinking, and the car became the place for a turnaround. It became the place where I could take a breath, taking in the whole experience accurately and not focusing on just one painful element. The intention became to learn, not lament.

The Process – Harvesting:

After the delivery of a workshop, facilitation of a mastermind group, or some other piece of work, I would allow myself to put the key in the ignition but not turn the car on until I went through the following questions:

·       What was fabulous?

·       What was a sh*t show?

·       What was funny – usually the sh*t show?

·       What am I taking with me?

·       What am I leaving behind?

I have been doing this for years, and the harvest takes place in cars, planes, bathrooms, meeting rooms, or any place where I can breathe. The benefits are incredible, building resilience and allowing you to get up off the mat and try again, imperfect and braver. Try it and let me know what you think.

Over the past few months, I’ve been reminded that turbulent times don’t just test us — they reveal us. They challenge our routines, shake our assumptions, and force us to either adapt… or stall.

Recently, I found myself at a crossroads — what seemed like a setback quickly became a setup for something greater. What looked like uncertainty at first became an invitation to grow, pivot, and create value in a new way.

✅ I leaned into discomfort.
✅ I asked better questions.
✅ I stopped waiting for perfect timing and took the next imperfect step.

And in doing so, I uncovered an opportunity that never would have appeared if things had stayed “comfortable.” I changed my perspective so I could see with fresh eyes. Decided to traffic in hope with ACTION!

If you’re in a tough season:
Don’t just endure it. Engage with it. There’s often a door cracked open in the chaos — but you have to be willing to look. Willing to step in.

To those who are navigating change, challenge, or uncertainty: I see you. Keep going. The opportunity might already be within reach. 

We live in a time of constant disruption—economic shifts, AI transformation, evolving business models, changing leadership expectations, stress and…more stress. Amid this pace of change, many leaders and professionals find themselves pushing their own growth aside, focusing instead on the immediate demands of their teams, organizations, or clients. I’ll get to me tomorrow.

But here’s the truth: delaying your own development is no longer an option. The leaders who thrive are the ones who intentionally invest in themselves NOW. There is an opportunity to MINE for opportunities, but you need to be ready with new thinking, strategies, and fresh vision.

Why it matters:

• Change isn’t slowing down. What worked yesterday won’t be enough tomorrow.
• Developing new skills and perspectives today equips you for opportunities you can’t yet see.
• You set the tone. As a leader, your growth signals to your team that learning and adaptability are core values.
• Resilience comes from readiness. Investing in yourself creates the confidence and agility to navigate uncertainty with clarity.
• Opportunities favor the prepared. When the next challenge or role arises, those who have sharpened their skills will be ready to step in with impact.

How to prioritize your development today:

1. Schedule it. Block time in your calendar for learning, reflection, or coaching—just like any other strategic priority.
2. Get feedback. Seek perspectives from trusted peers, mentors, or teams to identify growth areas you might not see.
3. Invest in support. Coaching, training, or peer communities can accelerate progress and keep you accountable.
4. Experiment. Take on projects that stretch you beyond your comfort zone. Growth rarely comes from staying safe.

The bottom line…

Your growth isn’t a luxury—it’s a leadership imperative. Prioritizing your development now ensures you can lead with vision, adaptability, and influence in the world that’s unfolding.

The question isn’t whether you have the time to invest in yourself—it’s whether you can afford not to.

Many times our culture focuses on only two outcomes, winning and losing.  We are taught from the time we were children that these two outcomes define a moment, a day, a year or even a life time.  Many of us are still lamenting over a moment when we lost or failed and it still carries the sting of failure as if it happened yesterday.  That moment does not serve to inspire us. It makes us insecure, shrink and to get caught in a shame storm.  It is time to put that moment in its right place, as a learning experience when we took a chance to be brave. Let’s create opportunities for new moments that offer growth and the strength to weather the ups and downs of daring.  No one who is successful did so without falling. They all experienced the lab of life.

Resilience means to persevere and be diligent in the face of setbacks.  It is a word that carries so much weight because it takes a piece of your heart to do it.    It requires that you push past the stories you made up about the incident and them.  It requires that you continue to see the little beam of light at the end of a very long tunnel.  But the beautiful thing is that resilience is your key to moving forward.  It is another way of seeing and feeling hope.   Hope has no limits and can create opportunities where none existed before.  Resilience leads to hope, hope leads to faith and faith leads to things we thought were impossible.  How do you move to resilient?

• Get clear on what you want to achieve and describe it in such detail that you can smell, hear and see it. You can almost taste it.  Make it real and create the desire to want it so bad that temporary setbacks and hurdles will not stop you.
• Surround yourself with inspirational people who have the spirit you want. They live the ‘resilient’ way you want to live.  Learn what they know, do what they do.
• Music – there is nothing like a great song to inspire you to keep going. Find one that becomes your mantra for ‘rising up’!
• Challenge the thinking that is keeping you stuck. Don’t beat yourself up.  Reflect, understand and do the work to move forward.
• Challenge the stories you have held, sort through for the truth and make a plan to go at it again this time wiser and even more inspired.

It is not easy to move to resilient, but rewarding when you get up after a fall and take even the smallest step.  Marry resilience with courage and it is a winning combination that can take you anywhere!   Pretty soon, you will not fear the fall and you will definitely not tolerate the floor.