Energy Never Lies
The Truth Always Leaks Out
It was 7:00 a.m. I stood in line with a box of tampons and some Advil.
When it was my turn, I handed them to the clerk. She smiled and asked how I was doing.
With my best smile, I said, "I’m fine."
She looked me straight in the eye and said, “You’re a liar.”
I burst out laughing—because she was right.
When I asked how she knew, she said the Advil and tampons were one clue.
But mostly, it was my voice. “You sounded miserable.”
She didn’t just hear me. She felt me.
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.
Challenging Times
We Can Do Hard Things (And We Don’t Have to Do Them Alone)
I haven’t written in two months—and it’s been a season.
My daughter had double jaw surgery, followed by an emergency procedure for a rare infection. My partner had heart surgery. In between: a sick dog, a broken tooth, failing appliances, major car repairs, and the discovery of mold and termites in our downstairs room.
And still—here I am, back at my desk, showing up to my work.
What I’ve learned is still unfolding, but I want to share what’s clear—especially for anyone navigating their own version of overwhelm, uncertainty, or burnout in work or life.
Because these lessons—about capacity, intuition, and receiving support—aren’t just personal.
They are deeply professional.
The Quicksand of Our Thinking
This morning, I set out for an early hike with a friend. We planned to meet at 7:30, but by 7:15, I realized I was running behind. I texted her that I’d meet her at the trailhead.
When I arrived, she wasn’t there. By 7:45, there was still no reply to my texts and no sign of her.
I assumed she had forgotten and sent one last message: “Sending love—let me know you’re okay.” Then I started my walk alone.
As I walked, I noticed a familiar swirl of thoughts.
I tried to be on time. Why didn’t she respond?
Then came the self-judgment:
Why am I annoyed? I should be more patient… more understanding.
There I was—in the quicksand of thinking.
My Training Partner
When Love Grows You
My daughter Mattie and I recently went hiking in Point Reyes. Before we hit the trail, we picked up lunch and sat on the ground outside a bakery, laughing and talking. Something about the moment caught a stranger’s attention—they asked to take our photo.
I laughed out loud. If you’ve read my earlier blogs, you know why: our relationship hasn’t always looked like that.
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.
Genius
The Genius We Can’t Always See
For the last thirty minutes, I got caught in a vortex of beauty and magic—
watching Kennedy Center Honors performances on YouTube.
One of my favorites?
Heart performing “Stairway to Heaven.”
The music, the power, the reverence—it moved me.
You can see the genius of the performers shining on stage.
Like many of my clients, I’m drawn to excellence—not just in what’s visible, but in what’s supported behind the scenes.
This is true in careers too.
Your genius may not be center stage,
but it quietly shapes the world around you.
Bring Yourself
Bringing Your Whole Self to Corporate America
Twenty years ago, I felt like I had to leave my soul at the door to be part of corporate america. Looking back now, I realize that was only an illusion that I believed.
So, I left corporate america. Yes, I’ve been successful and I’ve created my own coaching business, but there have been costs. I’ve been on my own, without the partnerships that are available in companies.
When I worked in corporate america, I was just trying to survive. Now that I have a new perspective and I’ve worked with people in all sorts of roles in corporations, I’ve seen the benefits of bringing in one’s higher self and thereby inviting intelligence, innovation, and connection. Bringing in one’s gifts and intelligence will open up all sorts of possibilities.