Pushing to Peace
I used to live in fear.
A fear so deep it had me pushing like a freight train up a mountain—all effort, all grit, no pause.
Sparks and smoke flew off of me, burning out my energy and scorching the people I loved.
I moved like a wild woman, driven by one core belief: I was alone.
My father had died.
My mother was surviving on the goodwill of my brothers.
The man I married was sick.
And somewhere in the quiet, I made a decision:
It’s up to me. I must do it all. I must hold it all.
“ Not this Door”
Recently, I applied to attend the TED Women’s Conference in San Diego.
I was excited.
I pictured myself among a vibrant, inspiring community of women—learning, connecting, being lit up.
And then the email arrived.
“Thank you for applying. Due to an overwhelming number of applicants…”
You know how that goes.
I wasn’t chosen.
In that moment, I felt the familiar sting of rejection.
My Love of Life Energy
In a faded ballroom near the San Francisco Airport, I stood on paisley carpet, the chandeliers trembling as planes roared overhead. Richard Strozzi, a sixth-degree black belt in Aikido, had just said:
“Stop and feel your feet.”
I couldn’t.
I knew my feet were there, but I couldn’t feel them. That moment opened a doorway I didn’t know I was seeking—a longing to experience myself from the inside out.
Harmonic Match
Returning to the Quiet
A Career Coach's Reflection from Limantour Beach
Over the past two years, my partner and I have visited Limantour Beach about three times a month. People often tease me—
“Oh, what a surprise,” or “Again, really?”
But this place is more than a favorite spot.
It’s my sanctuary—and one of my greatest teachers.
Each time I visit, the light, the weather, and the birdlife change. Some days pelicans dive through the sky with wild grace. Other days, the beach feels stripped back and still. I never know what I’ll find.
That’s what makes it so alive.
And that’s exactly how transformation works—in nature and in our careers.