I’m a consultant, executive coach, and speaker, and starting tonight, I’m also back to being a yoga teacher. Each of these vocations is an honor, and all are connected.
If you follow me here or have heard me speak, you know I believe that our backgrounds, experiences, and stories impact how we show up every day as leaders.
When we do the work on our leadership journeys to unpack the bags we carry around, our leadership is transformed.
If we don’t, we will likely derail, and we hurt others along the way.
My leadership journey really took off in 2015, when I had what I perceived at the time to be a career setback. It completely took the wind out of my sails. My ego and self-confidence were destroyed. Every false narrative I’d told myself about myself was on repeat in my head.
I’d tied nearly all of my identity to my career. When that identity was called into question, I went firmly into an existential crisis.
After giving it far too much energy for far too long, I realized I needed to find fulfillment outside of work.
So I signed up for yoga teacher training.
I’ve had a strong yoga practice since 2009, but it was solely a physical practice, focused on the postures (asana). Honestly, that’s what I intended to get out of YTT: more knowledge about anatomy and alignment.
What I received was so much more. As I opened myself up to the philosophy of yoga–which I was learning about at the same time that I was diving deep into the concepts of authentic leadership–I was given the opportunity to dig around in those bags I was carrying and do some unpacking.
- I threw away those old tapes I had on repeat.
- I worked on letting go of attachments.
- I invited in new perspectives.
- I embraced the totality and complexity of who I am.
- I turned a blank page to invite the story yet to be told.
In doing so, I changed. How I engage with the world changed. How I lead changed.
As I changed, my energy changed, and incredible opportunities opened up to me. Each of those opportunities led me to where I am today. Opening myself to the opportunities and trusting the process led to my mantra:
The outcome you want may not be the outcome you need.
My “career setback” wasn’t a setback at all–it was a propulsion into what I didn’t know I needed. If it hadn’t been for that “setback,” I wouldn’t be where I am today, which is exactly where I need to be.
And now for the first time since we moved in 2019, I’m back on a regular studio schedule as a teacher. It’s appropriate that I’ve named the class Align & Flow: it reflects how I practice yoga, life, and leadership.
Get yourself into alignment, and then let it flow.
PS–If you find yourself in Evergreen, CO on a Thursday afternoon, swing by Studio B Yoga for class with me!
PPS–If you’re ready to propel yourself forward on your own leadership journey and looking for a coach to support you, reach out and let’s chat about how we can work together.
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