It’s been 365 days since I trained with Brené Brown to become a Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator and what a year it has been.  Little did I know when I stepped into that Arena how much my life would change and be transformed. 

Anyone who knows me, knows I pour my heart and soul into my work.  So, when I was recently told that my work (Dare to Lead™ specifically) was the equivalent to “junk food” in the world of Leadership Development, it stung.  It stung big time. And it stung even more because it was said by colleagues I have long admired and respected. 

So yes, I cried.  Yes, I took it personally.  But more importantly, it created the opportunity for me to embody (even more) the Principles of Dare to Lead.   Because as Leaders, we can’t expect others to do the things we won’t do ourselves. 

It’s been a long ass year of learning, teaching, coaching, facilitating and bringing these concepts to life for individuals and organizations around the world. 
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• If You’re Going to be Brave with your Life, you Better Expect to Get Your Ass Kicked:  Because trust me, it’ll happen.  And it’ll happen multiple times (sometimes even in the same day). But here’s the thing, yes, it’ll hurt, yes it’ll be painful and yes you’ll question yourself.  But when we remember we have the power to re-write the endings of our stories we become the Victors not the Victims. 

• Call to Courage:  Where are you wanting to be braver with your life?  My Call to Courage is to allow myself to be fully seen and share my work with the world in a bigger way.  And whenever we step into our Call, we will be tested, we will be questioned, we will be shamed, and we will wonder if it’s worth it.  It’s way easier and safer to stay small and never risk being hurt but then we wouldn’t be brave, and our lives would never change.  Our organizations would never change.  Our world would never change.  And, we need change. 

• Brave Leaders Don’t Just Profess Their Values, They Practice Them:  My top value of authenticity has always been my “Guiding Light”.  Will I allow myself to be fully seen for who I am vs who people want me to be or think I should be.  You can never truly belong if you are always trying to fit it.  True belonging requires you to be more of who you are vs less.   Will you allow yourself to live and lead from your core values? It takes courage, every single time.  And yet, our world needs more of the true you, not less. 

• Embrace the Suck:  This work is hard.  It sucks.  It’s incredibly hard to be brave with your life and speak your truth and yet there is no other way to get to the other side.  We must do the scary shit, have the hard conversations, and feel the feels.  Even when it sucks.  Especially when it sucks.    

• Square Squad:  Who are the people who are going to love you, believe in you, support you and have your back? When you fail, when you fall, when you question your worth, and can’t see your own value?  You better know who they are, because you are going to need them.  You are going to need to surround yourself with them.  Your square squad is always there for you.  No matter what. 

• Vulnerability is Always the Path to Courage:  It’s impossible be brave without experiencing uncertainty, risk, or emotional exposure.  You can’t be seen… fully seen without risking being judged, shamed, bullied or pissing people off.  Your light will be too bright for some, but it’ll never be too bright for the people who truly matter.

• Only Take Feedback From People Who are in the Arena With You:  Never give away your power to those who aren’t being brave with their own lives, doing the hard things, or being vulnerable.  If it feels like someone is trying to “dim your light”, they probably are.  Shine Brighter. And know that the “dimmers” are probably struggling with shining their own light or they wouldn’t be trying to “snuff out” yours.    

• Brave Leaders Are Never Silent About Hard Things:  Use your voice.  Speak your truth.  Never allow others to silence you or keep you small.  Use your voice for others.  Stand up and Speak out.  We need braver leaders now more than ever. 

 
And lastly, remember that every-single-thing that happens, happens FOR us not TO us.  Use your heartbreak, your pain and your sadness as fuel.  Fuel to inspire you to live more courageously, more open-hearted, and more authentically you.   

Because as my “Square Squad” reminded me… “Junk Food is Soul Food” and “Cassi, you LOVE junk food”.  So sometimes an insult is exactly the inspiration you need.  And, sometimes “Junk Food” is the most Soul-Filling, Heart-Fulfilling & Inspiration-Giving food there is. 

Courage is Contagious:  So, let’s Be Brave, Dare to Lead and Live Soulfully all while devouring “ooey gooey junk food”.  Because together we can and will transform our lives, our organizations, and our world and for that I’m happy to eat as many bags of Cheeto’s, Frito’s and Chocolate Kisses as humanly possible. Because as humans, anything is possible when we are strong, brave and open-hearted.    

​Be Brave & Cheeto On!      

I’m a Mountain Girl.  Always have been, always will be.  I’ve never lived in a place where I couldn’t walk outside and see the magnificence of a mountain.  I stand in reverence and metaphorically bow to their beauty, power and strength. 

I recently led a Dare to Lead™ Retreat with a group of leaders in the Olympic Mountain Range. During our 2 days together, we used the Dare to Lead principles as well as the power of nature and movement to support our learning, growth and embodiment of becoming Braver Leaders.
 
During an afternoon break, we walked down to the water so we could replenish our mind, body and souls with the beauty that surrounded us. As we stood on the docks discussing our day, I jokingly proclaimed, “We are not leaving, until I can manifest us seeing the mountains.”  Considering the sky was nothing but clouds for as far as our eyes could see, we all laughed and got back to business. 

And yet… a few minutes later, I glanced up and could see what looked like the tip of a snow-covered mountain.  We stood in awe and wonder as the clouds gently floated away revealing more and more of the majestic, mystical and miraculous mountain that stood before us. 

It was as if she not only wanted to be seen but needed us to see her.  It was a visual invitation to reveal more and to truly be seen. As the clouds continued to magically move before us, one of the women whispered, “The clouds are like our armor.  They are coming down so we can truly see the beauty of the mountain”. 

Dare to Lead teaches that it is not fear that gets in our way of us being brave, it’s armor.  We tend to armor up when we begin to feel shame or vulnerable.  Shame drives two messages: “I’m not enough” or “Who do I think I am?”.  We use armor to protect ourselves.
 
We want protection from being hurt, from being misunderstood or from being seen in a way that would make us feel unworthy of love, belonging or connection.   And let’s be real, who wouldn’t want to protect themselves from those painful things? 

But here’s the deal; when we choose to “armor up” it may feel like we are protecting ourselves, but it also prevents us from being seen.  And being seen for who we truly are… the real us.  The authentic us. 

And as leaders, we need to be seen.  We need to create the space for others to be seen.  We need people to bring their full and brilliant selves to work.
 
Armor protects but it also prevents.  Armor prevents connection.  Armor prevents innovation.  Armor prevents creativity.  Armor prevents growth.  And as a leader, I’m guessing you need and want all of these things for yourself and for the people you lead. 

It takes courage to drop our armor and to allow ourselves to be seen.  But the good news is… courage lives and exists within each of us. 

And just like the mountain, it’s always there. 

Even if we can’t see it or access it on some days… we can trust that it’s there. 

​And when we have the courage to push away our own “clouds,” we can bravely stand in reverence and humbly bow to the magnificence of what is revealed by allowing ourselves to be seen.

Have you ever had one of those moments when everything stops and you know your soul is not only speaking to you, but it's screaming at you?  That’s what it felt like in October 2018 when I first opened the pages of Dare to Lead.  I was on a plane to London and had 10 hours to settle in with Brené, my book and my Bubbly.  I was only a few pages in when the tears began to flow.  Tears of truth, tears of knowing, tears of open-heartedness and tears of my inner voice screaming at me with the words, “You are meant to do this work, you are meant to do this work”.  And in that rare moment when I had a direct link to my Higher Purpose I also began to quiet and question that voice.  

What do you mean, “I’m meant to do this work”?  I haven’t even gotten half-way thru the damn book yet.  And yet, the voice continued, “You are meant to do this work, you are meant to do this work”.  As I tried to hide my tears, they continued to flow with every turn of the page.  Over my 50+ years, I’ve learned to trust my tears and tears for me always mean one thing… The Truth has been spoken.  

I was traveling to London for a client and as I was teaching the workshop a participant from Russia said, “Have you ever heard of Brené Brown because what you’re saying reminds me of her Ted Talk on the Power of Vulnerability. I laughed… and said, “I HAVE heard of her and was just reading her newest book, Dare to Lead on the flight over”.  I was smiling on the inside thinking, “Ok, Universe…  I saw what you did there… Nudge #2 and all the way from Russia none the less.   

After a successful few days in London, I boarded my flight headed home and was incredibly grateful to have one of those seats where you feel like no one can see you, no one can disturb you, or no one even knows you are there.  Because I had a book to finish and if those tears showed up again, I didn’t want to have to hide them or figure out where to stash my Kleenex while reading a book on leadership.  So, once again… I settled in for 10 hours with Brené, my Book and my Bubbly.  And once again the tears started to flow with the same inner voice repeating, “You are meant to do this work, you are meant to do this work”. 

After arriving home jet-legged, exhausted and unable to sleep, my inner voice yet again yelled at me.  But this time, it said, “Go to Brené’s website”.  And guess what was front and center?  An announcement: “Now taking applications to become a Dare to Lead Facilitator.  Now mind you, I had never once gone to https://brenebrown.com/ and before you knew it, I was applying to become a Dare to Lead Facilitator.  The application took hours and I didn’t submit it right away as I wanted to wait for the perfect day since this whole process was feeling very magical and divinely led.  I waited until November 7th which was my 18th Wedding Anniversary.  I figured that date had been a good one since we’d been married almost 20 years.  On 11/7/18, I hit submit.  

Fast Forward:  In December I found out I was selected.  In June I went to San Antonio to be trained by Brené Brown herself (and yes, she is even better in person) and now I’m officially a Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator.  

There are no words to describe the magical journey that has brought me to this point.  And without a doubt, I know I am meant to do this work.  Our world is in desperate need of brave, courageous and open-hearted leaders and I am honored to be a vessel of the work.  Whether I’m sharing Dare to Lead with Individuals or Organizations, it is transforming our world.  It may have taken a trip to London, a participant from Russia but this girl from small town Bend received the message loud and clear.  It’s time for all of us to Shine Bright, Be Brave & Dare to Lead.

Imagine you are sitting in a room that is completely dark.  You are gathered with others and yet you have no idea of what is coming.  Within the darkness, there is the feeling of confusion, uncertainty and most definitely fear.  You are holding a candle and you can sense that every other person is as well and yet there is still only darkness. 
 
After what feels like an eternity of not knowing, there is a sudden flicker of light as someone has chosen to light their candle.  With this flicker comes hope, optimism and a lessening of the fear.  This “Source of Light” then intentionally ignites the light of another’s candle creating another flicker of light.  Now with 2 candles burning bright, both can begin to light the candles of others which begins to quickly amplify the darkness into light.   This continues until what was once a dark room of uncertainty is now illuminated with the lights of many.  

This is the core of luminary leadership; The Light of a leader ignites the Light in others which ultimately creates the space for every person to shine.  

I don’t think there is anyone who would disagree that our world is in desperate need of a new kind of leadership.  The old model of power, patriarchy and pain is no longer serving us as people or as a planet. 

The dictionary defines a luminary as a person who enlightens, inspires or influences others.  It is also a body that gives light.  So, when you combine Luminary with Leadership, it really is about creating the space for others to Shine thru the sharing of Light. 

Leadership isn’t about where you show up on the org chart, but rather how you show up.  Leadership isn’t a position, role or specific job, it is a way of being. 

A way of being that allows you to live and lead from a place of internal power vs. power over others.
 
A way of being that allows you to live and lead from an open heart and to trust your inner guidance over the voice of others. 

A way of being that allows you to live and lead from a place of greatness and inviting others to do the same. 

A way of being that allows you to live and lead from a place of expansion and what’s possible vs a place of limiting fear and smallness. 

A way of being that ultimately is about getting to choose who you want to be and what matters most to you in our world and then lending your Light in a way that no one else but you can.

We have come to a point in our world that we can no longer afford to be silent.  No  longer afford to play small.  No longer allow others to lead from a model that creates more harm than good.  We must be the leaders we were born to be.  We must trust that we are the leaders we’ve been hoping to find.  And we must shine our Light brighter than we ever thought imaginable so that others who are still fearful in the dark, can ignite their Light from the spark of ours.  It only takes one candle to illuminate a room and it only takes your Light to lead the way. 

• In what way will you lend your light to our world?
• In what way will you create the space for others to shine?
• In what way will you say no to your smallness and yes to your greatness?
• In what way will you allow your heart to lead the way?

 
Our world desperately needs you, your leadership and your Light.   I'm counting on you to shine as brightly and as beautifully as you were born to be. 
 
Shine On!
Cassi
 
PS.  Be on the lookout for The 12 Principles of Luminated Leadership coming soon… 

Ok, I admit it, I hate to write and I’ve been dragging my feet on this blog post for several weeks…

But then today in a session with a client we were talking about the distinction between Force & Flow… 

And then I realized, I don’t hate to write, I hate to be forced to write – feel the distinction? 
So, it got be wondering, how does this whole Force vs. Flow thing show up in our lives? 
I always tell clients, we usually only change our behavior for 2 reasons:

• We are pulled forward by something that truly inspires us or
• We are pushed by pain and the pain becomes so strong that it leaves us no other choice

Both will work but one feels much better and since one of my top values is Ease I will always intentionally choose flow if given the choice. 

• How much of your life is currently in Flow vs. Force?
• How does Flow and/or Force show up while you Lead?Is there a place for both?
• How do you know when you are out of the flow and what do you need to get back into it?
• What mindset best contributes to your sense of flow?

Why does this even matter?

Because we only have so many hours in the day and we have no control over creating more, but what we do have control over is creating more energy to do the things we need to do.  When we can find the sense of flow in our lives, it automatically gives us energy vs. depletes us. 

We can’t force creativity - our next big idea or a solution to something we’ve been struggling with, but we can create the space for flow to re-enter our beings.  You need to figure out what that looks like for you, but for me it’s getting up and going for a walk, getting out in nature, reading something inspirational, calling a friend, being grateful or listening to music. 

The mindset of force is usually the mindset that keeps us stuck.  It’s the mindset of should’s, comparison, perfection, and pain.  Rather the mindset of flow is one of abundance, freedom, choice, connection, love and joy.  And which mindset would you rather lead and live from? 

And because flow feels so much better.  And when we feel better, we do better.  When we are in flow, we can connect to the energy that is bigger than us, we can co-create, we can dream, we can imagine and we know our next right steps. 

So, in this moment, what will YOU choose?  My hope is that even if force works well for you, you give yourself permission to fly in the freedom of flow. 

Talk about an honor to be included in a Huffington Post article with some of my favorite Spiritual Shero’s, Oprah & Gabby Bernstein.  The article entitled  7 Things Mindful People Do Before 9:00 am showcases simple ways to be more mindful and spiritual before you even leave the house in the morning. 

Life is a bit like a cocktail – you never know if it’s going to be shaken or stirred, but if you choose what you will infuse your day with, you really can be at choice around how you experience it.
We are all super busy and who needs or wants to add anything new to our list, but what if you could just shake up what you are already doing to get a different result?

October is all about Halloween and having a 7 year-old, that means it’s all about the costume!  But when it comes to finding your inner Super Hero, it’s not about what’s on the outside, but rather, it’s what’s on the inside.  We’ve all been born with an inner Super Hero, the part of us that is strong, powerful, and unique. Some may call it, your Essence, your Purpose, or your Divine Spark.  But it really doesn’t matter what you call it, but it does matter that you identify it for yourself.  You can’t be a powerful leader without knowing what makes you powerful.  Do you think Superman could be faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound if he wasn’t aware of his powers? 
 
What are YOUR Super Powers?
 
Super Powers are sometimes bestowed upon you. 

• What do people always tell you, you are good at?
• What do people always rely on you for?
• What would be missing from a team if you were absent?

Maybe you are “The Problem Solver” or “The Deal Closer” or the “Laugh-inator”
My Super Hero is “The Uluminator” – The one who brings light everywhere she goes.  When I was leaving my corporate role, one of the employees said, “Who will bring the light once you are gone?”  This was before I was even aware of my Super Hero Name, but my powers were already felt by others.  This is the thing…people around you know your Super Powers even if you have yet to claim them. 
 
Super Powers are who you LOVE Being
The good thing about Super Powers is they are already within you, there is nothing you have to do to create them.  But you do have to activate them, own them and share them.  

• Think about who you are being when you are being your best self.
• Think about who you are being when you are most jazzed/excited passionate.
• Think about what lights you up.

Now take these traits and turn them into a Super Hero Name. 
 
Super Powers are based on your Strengths
Chances are if you can remember what you were naturally good at as a child, you will be reminded of your Super Powers. 

• Were you the kid who loved Adventure:The Adventurer
• Were you the kid who always loved to play Doctor/Nurse:The Healer or Nurturer
• Were you the kid who always brought peace:The Peace-inator

You want to love your Super Power, so it should be something you are naturally good at, a strength, something that sets you apart and makes you unique. 
 
From Fantasy to Real Life
From a leadership perspective, how powerful would it be to lead from your Super Power each and every day?   And even more important, how powerful would it be if each of your team members led from their Super Powers?  . 

• What is your Leadership Mission:Every Super Hero has a mission.Wonder Woman fights for truth, justice, love and gender equality.When you know your mission, you fight for it.Does your team have a mission worth fighting for?
  
  
• A Super Hero knows who they need on their team:You can’t fight every battle alone and you can’t be good at everything.So, what Super Powers do you need on your team and who has them?
  
  
• Super Hero’s need space to be powerful:As a leader have you created the space for your people to use their Super Powers?If not, you are breaking the rules of Super Hero’s.Know yourself, know others and always use your powers for the good of all.
  
  

Our world and our organizations need more Super Heroes - May you always jump over obstacles, fight the important battles & be true to yourself!

I’m terrible at saying no.  I hate to disappoint people.  I hate to miss out on a potential opportunity and I never want to feel left out.  Plain and simple, I don’t like saying no.
 
I do however like saying YES.  I love it actually.  I want my life to be filled with Yeses.  Yeses on how I feel, what I do, who I hang out with and how I make my choices. 

You may be thinking, well, how is that much different?  But for me, it is…  It is much easier say, “I can’t say yes to that right now” rather than flat out saying no.  Ok, it may just be semantics, but it’s more than that…  Our mind, body and spirit love to say Yes. The energy of a Yes fuels us and pulls us forward with ease, joy and a magic.   

So how then do we listen for the YES? 

• Mind:  Our minds are very powerful and are giving us information at all times.  Logical, practical and linear information.  Our minds are also full of ego, should’s and fear. I recently was offered an opportunity and I knew it wasn’t a good fit, but I so didn’t want to let the other person down.  I also said to myself, “how can I turn this down, others would die for this opportunity and what if I never get asked again.  Hear the ego, should’s and fear speaking?!  Never a place you want to make a choice from.  Instead ask, is this in alignment with my values, vision and purpose and allow your mind to answer from the place of positive rather than negative. 
  

 

• Body:  Our bodies are always speaking to us, but are we listening?  When dealing with a choice, what are you feeling in your body?  Is there a pit in your stomach? A racing heart?  A dry mouth?  A surge of energy? These are all signs and it’s up to us to interpret them.  I recently was asked to do a gig that on the surface looked amazing.  Great pay, great people, great opportunity.  But when I read the email, my body instantly tightened and I felt a huge pain in my stomach.  My head was saying YES, but my body was telling me otherwise.   Our bodies never lie, they just move us closer to our truth.  Learn to use your body as a well-tuned instrument that is, always moving you closer your truth. 
  

 

• Spirit:  Our Spirits are the core of our energy. It is what connects us to others, to the larger universe and to the Divine.  Our spirits are always sending us signs.  They show up in coincidences, synchronicities and the signs that show up to light our path.  How often do you integrate your Spirit into your decision making?  If not, you need to be as it’s the wisdom that is surrounding you at all times.  My favorite question is, “Ok, Spirit, what should I do, show me the way” and guess what, a sign always appears.  To begin to integrate your Spirit, ask questions such as:   Does this light me up?  Does this drain me?  Does it give me energy?  Does it feel like it’s moving me forward?  Does it feel in alignment with who I want to be?  Our Spirits speak to us in feelings, intuition and inner-knowings.   Our brains may be telling us one thing, but what are we feeling/sensing/knowing to be our own truth – this is your Spirit talking. 
  

 
There are lots of decision making tree’s out there but this is the one that I always come back to.  I’ve been blessed with a strong mind, a healthy body and an intuitive Spirit so I plan on honoring all 3 by using them on a daily basis.  Just like any muscle, the more we use them, the stronger they get.  Here is to you discovering and owning the trinity of power that lives within you. 

There are as many definitions of leadership as there are leaders and one of the first steps to becoming a leader is to define what it means for you.  How can you step into something if you have no idea what you are stepping into?  For me, Leadership is all about “Creating the Space for Others to Shine”.  That sounds simple enough, but what does that really mean?  Simple doesn’t necessarily mean easy, but I’m going to give you 3 simple steps to make it easy!   Because if you know me, you know that one of my values is EASE. 
 
Step 1 is all about your Inner Space:   What is your definition of Leadership?

• Do you see yourself as Leader?
• Do you know what makes you powerful and unique as a Leader?

• What are your fears about being a Leader?
• What values do you choose to integrate into your leadership?

There are 100’s of these types of questions to ask yourself but the specific questions aren’t as important as your answers.  To be a powerful leader you must first know WHO you are as a leader and secondly, trust that who you are is enough to lead.  Without either of these you’ll always feel like an imposter or never have the confidence to lead in a way that works and that you truly love.    

When considering your Inner Space, also remember to think about what kind of space you need that gives you energy and refuels you.  If you are an extrovert that might mean giving yourself plenty of space that involves other people, activity and stimulation.  If you are like me and more of an introvert, that might mean creating lots of quiet and alone space and time to just be rather than more doing.  No right or wrong but you do need to know what kind of space you need! 
 
Step 2 is all about Outer Space: 

So when I think of being in outer space the first thing that comes to mind is about being weightless and floating around aimlessly.  Not exactly how we want to be seen as Leaders!  So, how do YOU want to be seen as, as a Leader?  Do me a favor… stand up and extend your arms out and then twirl around.  Ok, did you do it?  Well, if you did, I hope you aren’t dizzy, but if you didn’t just think of the several feet around your body as your energy field – or if that is too woo-woo of a term, let’s call it the your physical leadership space.  It’s the physical space you take up as a leader – a few feet in front of you – a few feet behind and all around you.  That is the space that people can literally feel you.  And what are they feeling?  Are they feeling a confident, supportive, loving, visionary leader or are they feeling a negative, controlling, unhappy, fearful leader?  Even if your words are saying one thing, the energy you are giving off says another.  

Think about when you are walking around the office, and there are some people you see and you would go out of your way to be closer to them and then there are others, you literally want to run away from.   You can feel them several feet away… so what do people feel from you as they approach?  And what do you WANT them to feel?  Be intentional and create the kind of space that is inviting for others – figure out what that means for you. 

Step 3 is all about Creating Space for Others:

If Leadership is about creating the space for others to thrive and you’ve done your inner and outer work as a Leader, then, then comes the fun part – intentionally creating the space for others to shine.  Do you know what kind of space your people thrive in?  If so, are you doing everything possible to create this for them?  If you don’t know what kind of space they thrive in, then the easiest thing to do is ask them!  You can do this individually or as a group.  Ask what is it that they need to be their best, to do their best work or to meet their goals.  Do they need freedom, support, structure, appreciation, fun, or more passion? 

Every person and every group will be different but this is the fun part of leading – it’s always different and never routine.  As a leader, once you know what they need and want, you can intentionally create this space.  It’s not about giving in or becoming soft but rather being smart, strategic and getting the job done in the most efficient and effective way possible. 

Before I start working with a new group of people, I always sit quietly for a few minutes and ask myself what I think this group needs.  I always start with the basics; love, compassion, fun, joy, authenticity, and the feeling of being seen, heard and gotten.  I’ve never worked with a group that hasn’t wanted these things!  I then sit in the room for a few minutes and energetically breathe these things into the room and set the intention that every person who walks in, will feel these things.  Then once we gather as a group, I also ask what they need, and from there we’ve created “Our Space” – the space that we each need to be our best.  It works every time. 

So it really is simple.   Discover Your Inner Space.  Define Your External Space and Create a Powerful Space for others to thrive.   Leadership begins within and extends thru the space you create and the hearts you touch. 

Has there ever been a time in your career where you were asked to compromise an important part of yourself? A time where you were asked to be someone that wasn't authentically you? A time you have been asked to "tone down" a certain part of your essential self? My guess is yes but my question is how did you handle it?

I recently signed a contract to do some training for an organization that I was really excited about. We were getting ready to go live and they asked if they could edit my bio. One of the phrases that has always been in my bio was actually given to me by a client. It says, “Cassi’s success in the business world coupled with her deep spiritual connection and intuition is a rare combination of intellect and heart". I have actually always loved that statement as I believe it captures the essence of my work. When I asked why they wanted to take this out, the CEO said she was afraid I might offend some of their clients with the word "Spiritual".

At first I said, "sure, take it out". But then the more I thought about it, the more uncomfortable I became. My head said, it’s just a word, no big deal, take it out. But my soul said otherwise. My soul said, the reason you are good at what you do is because you know what makes you strong. You know what makes you stand-out. You know what allows you to connect to others in a deep way. And that is captured in that statement.

One of the first things I do when I work with clients is to help them discover their unique leadership style; the brand of their Spirit. You can’t lead powerfully if you don’t know who you are and more importantly, you won’t enjoy it. I believe leadership is a calling – a yearning of the soul to step up and serve. And serve in a way that only you can.

So as hard as it was, I voided the contract and walked away. I left a lot of money on the table, but I got to leave with my soul.

• What do you feel so strongly about that would cause you to walk away from doing the work you love?

• What part of your leadership brand makes you so powerful and unique that you wouldn’t alter it for anyone?

• As a leader, what part of yourself are you willing to amplify so that you may become more of who you are – ultimately allowing you to serve others in a bigger way?

And lastly, does your soul have a price and if so, what is it? Every time I’ve walked away from a job that no longer aligned with my soul, I’ve been rewarded. It’s scary as hell and yet it’s never felt so good.

May you be inspired to live and lead authentically, powerfully & soulfully...