Standing backstage moments before giving a talk, I felt the sharp sting of dissonance ripple through me. The audience, gathered in respectful unison, began reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. A simple act for most—routine even. But for me? It was anything but. The...
It was one week after the 2024 presidential election, and I was in Springfield, Illinois, preparing to deliver a keynote address to 500 elected officials. Self-doubt wasn’t new to me as a gay woman—but this moment felt sharper, heavier. It wasn’t just my own inner...
Have you ever felt like your team operates as separate islands, disconnected and overwhelmed? Many workplaces face this challenge, but here’s the truth—silos don’t just create inefficiency; they breed stress, disengagement, and blame. One experience that...
Nearly three years ago, my wife, Yvette, and I decided to let ourselves dream a little. Dreaming was uncomfortable, especially when it involved driving around our favorite town, Lewes, DE, with a real estate agent. We looked at properties that, at the time, were...
In our go-go-go society, it’s easy to rush through conversations without stopping to consider what we’re truly trying to achieve. We often react instead of reflect, losing sight of our intentions in the process. Recently, I had an experience that underscored the...
With nerve pain shooting from my low back into my hip, and also down into both hands, it is difficult to relax, much less trust that I’m really okay, just in pain. My treasured temporal lobe fully engaged in striving to save my body, it’s difficult to detach and trust...
