Mindful Leadership

We talk about success as if it’s a destination. Cross the line, check the box, move on. But real progress doesn’t happen at the finish line — it happens in the adjustments we make along the way. This piece reframes success as an ongoing practice, not a final achievement, and explores what changes when we pay attention to the work instead of the win.

Success often feels like a race—who crossed the finish line first, whose name is top-billed, who logged the most engagement. We’re taught to measure ourselves by comparison. But what if success isn’t a universal standard? What if it’s personal, evolving, and sometimes means hitching your wagon to someone else’s momentum? Success isn’t “up” or final—it’s a path, and it’s richer when shared.

Last Monday I walked into a women in business event expecting ease and familiarity — the kind of belonging that makes sense on paper. Instead, I felt tense, distracted, and oddly out of place. Nothing was wrong with the room or the people in it, yet my body knew something didn’t align. This post is about sitting with that discomfort, not fixing it — and what it taught me about belonging, transition, and giving myself permission to keep looking.

Sometimes, the most powerful stories are the ones we never hear—hidden beneath daily noise or buried under layers of hesitation. When we slow down, listen deeply, and sit with discomfort, we uncover the lessons that shape empathy, presence, and connection. The quiet moments often hold the stories that change how we see the world—and ourselves.

Leaders are often told to “be strong” and “stay neutral,” even as they’re asked to make decisions that quietly ache against their own values. Moral injury happens in that gap—between what feels right and what leadership demands—and silence doesn’t protect anyone from its impact.

Standing for something in a polarized world is messy, especially for neurodivergent adults who feel every misstep and misunderstanding in their bones. This post explores the tension between being liked vs. respected, disliked vs. feared, and how rejection and justice sensitivity complicate leadership, career choices, and public stances—ultimately defining the kind of work, company, and community you’re willing to build.

Difficult conversations are unavoidable, but they don’t have to be destructive. They can become turning points for growth when approached with awareness, honesty, and self-regulation. Many of us weren’t raised with calm communication; defensiveness or shutdown may have felt normal. Learning to notice our emotional triggers and stay present can reshape how we relate to ourselves and others. In leadership and professional settings, emotional intelligence helps us recognize wha

On Thursday night I attended the 10-year anniversary celebration for an organization in Pittsburgh called Steel Smiling. It reminded me why we should never lose sight of those we impact, those we serve, and those who feel every ripple of every step we take. Change takes courage, but it is necessary and can be as simple as the first stone in the pond that creates a ripple. A quote that inspired the founder of Steel Smiling put it best: “If you always do what you’ve always don

We often may fixate on how to answer a question correctly, but have you ever stopped to think about the power in asking the right question instead?

Remember when I wrote about the impact the book "Good Morning, Monster" had on me? I couldn't stop thinking about it and on that long drive from Pittsburgh to Nashville, I decided I was going to email Dr. Gildiner, take a long shot and ask if she'd join the Motivation N'at podcast. Three weeks later I was shocked to see a response in my inbox. I knew the odds were slim that it would be a resounding yes, after all, Motivation N'at is still a baby, just 20ish episodes in, about