When Something No Longer Fits

When Something No Longer Fits

There’s a moment — silent, subtle, and almost always inconvenient — when you realize something in your life isn’t fitting the way it used to. A role.A rhythm.A routine.A responsibility you’ve carried so long it feels stitched into your skin.A version of yourself that...
Maybe Being Selfish Isn’t So Bad After All

Maybe Being Selfish Isn’t So Bad After All

At almost every retreat I’ve led, there’s a moment when someone quietly confides, “I almost didn’t come. It just felt so selfish to be here.” As women, we’ve been conditioned to believe that caring for ourselves means ignoring the needs of others. We’re taught that to...
The Joy of Being a Beginner

The Joy of Being a Beginner

I don’t let myself have fun very often. I’m the responsible one. The rational one. The one who gets things done and can be counted on. Those roles don’t leave much room for frivolity or fun. In fact, when pressed, I’ve often struggled to name something I do just for...
Circling the Tree

Circling the Tree

There is an old fable about a “worry tree.” Each of us has one—a tree, filled with our worries, that we walk around, wishing it weren’t ours. Yet when we look at others’ worry trees, we often realize ours isn’t so bad after all, and we return to it a little wiser....
From Public Service to Personal Power

From Public Service to Personal Power

Five Essential Steps to Navigate What’s Next When your career has been built around a mission bigger than yourself — serving your country, community, or agency — the idea of leaving that behind can feel disorienting. For many federal workers (and anyone in...