Challenge: After over 23 years serving in the education and nonprofit sectors, I faced a pivotal moment in my life. In 2018 my daughter approached her senior year of high school, and I felt the pull to be more present for her as she experienced ongoing health challenges. At the same time, I wrestled with a growing sense of misalignment in my career. While I had achieved many milestones, I realized I had been operating on autopilot, following societal expectations rather than designing a life and career that reflected my true self.

Deciding to take a one-year sabbatical to focus on my daughter and myself was both liberating and daunting. I grappled with deeply ingrained beliefs that taking a break was "wasting time" or "falling behind." Beneath it all, I realized I had neglected my own mental and physical well-being for far too long. I needed clarity, purpose, and a new way forward.

Solution: During my sabbatical, I participated in the Designing Your Life for Women Workshop, which introduced me to new tools and frameworks for reimagining my future using proven design thinking methodologies developed at Stanford University and made popular by the bestselling book Designing Your Life. I embraced the concept of self-coaching, using structured exercises, reflection, and prototyping to uncover what truly mattered to me. This approach allowed me to take ownership of my journey and create a vision for my life and career that aligned with my values.

My Self-Coaching Process:

• Uncovering Potential: I began by exploring my life and career journeys, identifying key moments that had shaped my beliefs and aspirations. Through guided exercises, I reflected on what energized and drained me in my professional and personal life. This helped me uncover patterns and realize that coaching, mentoring, and leadership development were not just strengths but sources of deep fulfillment.

• Designing Three Futures: Using the Odyssey Planning framework, I envisioned three potential paths:

1. Returning to a leadership role with a renewed focus on mentoring and career development in others.

2. Launching a coaching practice, leveraging my expertise in strategy, change leadership, and learning to support women leaders during times of change.

3. Teaching at a university, combining academic growth with personal connection.

Each plan offered a way to align my work with my values, but sharing these ideas with trusted peers revealed a recurring theme: coaching.

• Prototyping: To test my coaching potential, I began prototyping small, actionable steps. I attended a world-renowned training program in San Rafael, CA, interviewed experienced coaches, designed a new website, and started blogging. I also offered one-on-one coaching sessions, which validated my ability to create impact and connection. Prototyping allowed me to explore without pressure, giving me the freedom to experiment and learn.

• Achieving Coherence: The workshop emphasized the importance of coherence: aligning my values, authentic self, and life view with my work. This resonated deeply with me. For the first time, I prioritized finding harmony between who I am and what I do. I shifted my definition of success to focus on alignment and authenticity rather than external expectations.

Key Results:

• Clarity and Confidence: Through reflection and prototyping, I gained clarity on my strengths and aspirations, recognizing that coaching was the path that felt most aligned with my purpose.

• Validated Strengths: Offering coaching sessions and receiving positive feedback reinforced my ability to create meaningful impact.

• Actionable Framework: The tools and strategies I learned helped me navigate fear and uncertainty, replacing hesitation with intentional action.

• Specific Achievements: Gained a steady stream of coaching clients focused on women in leadership, expanded my professional network by becoming a Certified Designing Your Life Coach, and leveraged my skills as a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach.

Impact: These tangible outcomes laid the foundation for a broader transformation in how I view and approach my work and life. I no longer feel bound by societal expectations or the need to follow a predetermined path. Instead, I’ve embraced a journey of intentional growth, designing a future that reflects my values and priorities.

This experience taught me to value alignment, take bold steps toward my dreams, and trust my ability to create a fulfilling and authentic life. By prioritizing coherence, I’ve redefined success—not as a destination but as a continuous process of living in alignment with who I truly am. It also shaped my decision to focus my efforts on working with women, supporting life design, fostering career well-being, and building resilience through strengths.

This journey ultimately inspired the mission of Strategy & Grace: to empower women to design intentional lives and careers, align with their strengths, and thrive authentically.