Happy Healthy Leadership

Wishing you and your family a happy holiday season!

I’m feeling blessed to have another Christmas with my dad. He is feeling good and seems to be getting better. He is feeling better and hopeful for a few more months of fun with family and friends.

Last Sunday, I got a call saying my dad had a serious infection and might not make it through the night.
Earlier this year, he was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. It is the fifth type of cancer he has faced since 2000, but this one is different. It will not go into remission. The last six months have taken a toll on his body, and last Sunday I had to prepare myself to say goodbye.
I have always been close with my dad. Our relationship was built through years of laughter, fun, and hard, honest conversations. He is the person I call when I am struggling. He tells me what he thinks, even when it is different from what I want to hear, and then trusts me to make my own choices. When I needed help around the house, he never just did it for me. He worked alongside me, teaching me how to tile a floor or fix something that was broken.
Doctors told us he had days to weeks to live. And then something shifted. As he started feeling better, he decided to fight again and live his life fully. We are making memories once more. Golfing with his grandkids. Playing cribbage. Dancing in the kitchen. Going out for live music. I have had the gift of helping him around the house and simply being present with him.
This experience has reminded me how much life is built around connection. It is easy to get caught up in responsibilities, productivity, and doing what we think we should do, especially in business and leadership. But when life slows you down, it becomes clear that connection is not extra. It is everything.
Connection is not separate from success. It is the foundation of it.
Weeks like this remind me that tomorrow is not guaranteed. My dad is doing well right now, and I am soaking up every extra moment and memory I can.
I want to gently encourage you to think about the people in your life, personally and professionally. Who matters to you? And how can you reach out today to let them know they truly matter?

🎉 WE DID IT! 🎉

Voices of Impact: Stories from Social Impact Heroes just became an Amazon Bestseller. 🏆

I’m feeling so grateful today. Thank you to my community, friends, and family for your support, encouragement, and belief in the power of sharing our stories.

This book holds so much heart. Every chapter is a reminder that when we speak up and share our truth, we help others do the same. That’s how change starts—one honest story at a time. 💙

If you’ve had a chance to read my chapter (or any part of the book), I’d love for you to leave a quick review on Amazon. Your words help these stories reach the people who need them most.

➡️ You can leave a review through the link in my bio

Thank you for helping make our voices louder. Together, we’re changing the world one story at a time. 🌍

Tomorrow’s the big day!
Voices of Impact: Stories from Social Impact Heroes launches on Tuesday—and I couldn’t be more grateful to be part of it.
My chapter shares how managing stress and leading from emotional awareness changed my approach to life and leadership. I’m joined by 16 other inspiring contributors who share their own powerful stories of growth and resilience.
You can still grab your copy for $2.99 before launch day: [https://a.co/d/9Ze8Bkd]
Thank you for your support and encouragement—it means the world to me. 💙

You’re invited! 💙

This Tuesday, October 28, I’ll be joining an incredible group of changemakers for the Voices of Impact book launch event.
You’ll meet several of the contributing authors and hear short, powerful stories of courage and transformation. It’s going to be an uplifting hour of connection and inspiration.
I’d love for you to celebrate with us!
Register here: [https://www.isparkchange.com/events-1/voices-of-impact-book-launch]

I’m honored to share that I’m a contributing author in the new book Voices of Impact: Stories from Social Impact Heroes.
In my chapter, I share part of my personal journey and the lessons that shaped how I help leaders manage stress and lead with heart.
This book brings together powerful voices from around the world—stories of resilience, courage, and hope. It’s not just about inspiration. It’s about real people using challenge as fuel for change.
If you’d like to support this project, you can pre-order the Kindle version for $2.99 until October 28. (Link in bio through my Linktr.ee)

Thank you for being part of my community and helping these stories reach the people who need them most. 💙

I doubted I could do it.

At the start of this year, I had never run more than seven miles. I had never biked more than 40. And I had definitely never done them back to back.

Training meant sacrifices. Early mornings. Long workouts. Days when I didn’t want to move but got up anyway. I had to act even when I did not feel like it.

This past Saturday, I crossed the finish line of my first Half Ironman in Madison. A 1.2-mile swim. A 56-mile bike. A 13.1-mile run.

I did it.

Sometimes the hardest part is not the race. It is showing up for yourself until you prove that you can!

This weekend, I rode 100 miles on my bike, but almost backed out

To be honest, I didn’t know if I could do it.

A few times in the weeks leading up, I was tempted to switch to the “easier” race. The one I knew I could finish. The safer choice.

But deep down, I knew this wasn’t really about the miles. It was about proving to myself that I can do hard things—even when it feels uncomfortable, even when it’s tempting to back down.

During the ride, I hit that moment. The wall. My body was tired, my mind wanted to quit, and I had to make a decision: Will I give in to the discomfort? Or will I fuel up, take a breath, and keep moving?

I chose to keep moving.

Crossing that finish line wasn’t just a win for the day. It’s a deposit into my confidence for the next challenge—my Half Ironman in just one month.

As a leader, we face these moments too. The tough conversations, the risky decisions, the projects that stretch us past what feels “comfortable.” It’s tempting to play it safe. But growth happens when we push through the resistance.

So here’s my question to you:
Where in your life or leadership are you tempted to back down—but know you’re capable of more?

Drop a comment. I’d love to hear where you’re pushing your own limits.

Happy Father's Day my favorite dance partner and to the best father I could have ever had.

He is someone that has told me not just how to work hard but how to kick my heals up and have fun and to be comfortable just being me.

🏆

Had the best time leading my Burnout Prevention workshop with EO Johannesburg.

Unlike a keynote, workshops let us slow down and practice the work.
People don’t just hear the ideas they start applying them.

We dove in. Got curious.
And walked away with real tools to manage stress and take back control.

One big takeaway?
Most of us are spending emotional energy all day without even realizing it—on thoughts, expectations, and constant micro-decisions.

When you learn to pause and respond with intention instead of reacting on autopilot… everything shifts.

This is what I love most—watching smart, successful leaders connect the dots in real time.

Burnout isn’t just personal.
It impacts your team, your business, and your ability to lead well.

If you’ve got a group who needs this conversation, send me a message, I’d love to support you.

Thank you EO Johannesburg for showing up fully and making this such a powerful experience.

Had an amazing experience speaking at EO Ignite in Durban, South Africa this week 🇿🇦

I shared a 20-minute TED-style talk version of my keynote: Stress Overdraft
A new way to think about burnout and how to stop overspending emotional energy.

The best part?
Connecting with people afterward and hearing what stuck with them.

Stress isn’t the enemy.
But if we don’t learn how to navigate it, it will knock us down.

Thank you for the chance to speak and connect with such an inspiring group of entrepreneurs!

A few years ago, I set a big goal: to become a Forum Trainer for Entrepreneurs' Organization.
This winter, I was honored to be selected as one of the few to go through the official training. I wanted the opportunity to help leaders build real connection and personal growth.

I began the program in March, and today I got to complete it by facilitating a group of thoughtful, growth-minded individuals.

Together, we created a space of growth and vulnerability. The kind where people don’t have to pretend they have it all together but authenticity. Where personal growth comes from courageous sharing—not perfection.

I’m grateful for this journey and excited for what’s ahead and the leaders ahead of me that have helped me refine my skills as a facilitator.

Here’s to more rooms filled with trust, vulnerability, and the kind of conversations that actually matter.