December is not a launchpad. It is a reckoning. In the Western hemisphere, the land tells the truth the culture avoids. Fields go fallow. Growth pauses. Mornings stay dark long after the clock says it is time to move. The earth does not perform optimism. It withdraws. It
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Dear reader, I have not been entirely open with you. This year split me open in ways I did not choose. My mother died of dementia nine months ago, and it was not the soft landing some people describe. It was a five-year unraveling. A vibrant woman
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Every year, when the world goes full sparkle with holiday chaos and end-of-year urgency, something quieter calls to us. It’s subtle, but insistent.A tug at the sleeve. Slow down.A whisper in the soul. Pay attention.This season is sacred. Winter is the great equalizer. It doesn’t care about
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There’s a quiet ache among those who lead with heart. You feel it in your bones.Not because you’re weak, but because you care so much, and have for so long, often without pause or rest. You’re the one they count on. The one who steps in when others
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Part 5 in the Sovereign Leadership Series There comes a moment in every leader’s journey when they stop asking, “Do I belong here?” and start declaring: “This is the room I choose.“ That shift changes everything. Earlier this year, I was invited to join a group of some of
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Part 4 in the Sovereign Leadership Series Approval is a hell of a drug. But sovereign leadership isn’t fueled by applause; it’s grounded in alignment. When your compass points to your core values, not other people’s opinions, you lead from power, not permission. Many leaders are conditioned to
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Part 3 in the Sovereign Leadership Series Let’s stop pretending that abandoning ourselves is leadership. That over-functioning is noble. That saying yes to everything makes us stronger and a better leader. It doesn’t. It makes us disappear. I once worked in an organization that looked good on
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Part 2 in the Sovereign Leadership Series There was a season in my life where I was doing it all – and I mean all. I was responsible for raising not only my own salary, but also that of 100 employees. I had to ensure annual funds
Read more →This is the first of a 5-part series exploring the shift from caretaking leadership to self-led or sovereign leadership. I was recently talking to an extraordinary leader who is at a crossroads. It was a powerful, tender moment when this leader shared the life she built no
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Let’s be honest: Philanthropy alone is not going to save us. The federal government is pulling back. From USAID shutdowns and the looming threat to Medicaid, the safety net is unraveling. Nonprofit leaders are being handed the thread and told to weave miracles. They’re expected to do more
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