So I did not post in December.
And I did not post in January either.

Instead, I chose to pause. And honestly, it was one of the most grounding decisions I have made in a long time.

In my coaching training, we spend significant time on a skill called active listening, specifically what is often referred to as Level 2 listening. It is the kind of listening where you are fully present with the person in front of you, not mentally preparing your response or thinking about what is next on your calendar. I teach this skill. I coach others on it. And still, during high pressure seasons, I catch myself slipping into distracted presence. That is why I close Teams during one on one meetings. It is a small boundary, but it matters. If notifications are popping up or my task list is visible, I am not fully there. I may look engaged, but my attention is divided.

December and January reminded me that sometimes we need to close more than just applications on our screens. Sometimes we need to close the expectation that we must always be producing, posting, or proving something in order to be valuable.

What the Pause Taught Me

When I gave myself permission to step back from writing, something unexpected happened. Instead of feeling behind, I felt grounded. Instead of feeling guilty, I felt clear. I rested without feeling like I had to earn that rest through productivity. What surprised me most was this. The pause did not disconnect me from my purpose. It deepened it. By allowing myself space, my reflections became clearer and more honest. I was reminded that sometimes the most courageous thing we can do is trust that our work will still be there when we are ready, and that our commitment is not measured by constant output.

That pause extended into January, intentionally. Instead of rushing into the new year with plans and pressure, I attended the Elevate and Empower Retreat, a guided experience created for clarity, alignment, and intentional momentum. What I needed most was not another strategy. It was space.

Space to slow down enough to see what had been taking shape beneath the surface. Space to listen for how I wanted to show up, how I wanted to share my work, and how to protect my energy while doing it. And in that quiet, I realized something simple but powerful. I do not need to become someone new to move forward. I need to lead from who I already am, with consistency and intention. During the retreat, the focus was not urgency or reinvention. It was integration. I spent time bringing together parts of myself that I had unconsciously kept separate, my professional leadership and my entrepreneurial work. What became clear is that the next season of growth is not about pushing harder. It is about structure, focus and visible action that honors both my values and my capacity.

Ironically, this experience echoed something I created last year, a personal retreat guide meant to help others pause, reflect, and reconnect with themselves without needing perfect conditions. Sitting in a retreat space centered on my own business reminded me that the practices we offer others are often the very ones we are invited to return to ourselves.

I left January not with dramatic answers, but with clarity, alignment, and a renewed commitment to lead and share my work in ways that honor my energy, my values, and the season I am in.

Looking Back at 2025

As the pause created space, I found myself reflecting on the year that had passed. Not through a list of accomplishments or goals met, but through a deeper awareness of who I am becoming. Every year has its own rhythm. Some years are about building. Others are about releasing. Some are defined by visible milestones. Others by quieter internal shifts.

For me, 2025 was a year of finding my voice. Not the voice I use when facilitating or coaching, but my voice as a speaker and leader representing my own brand, and as someone willing to be seen. At the beginning of the year, I would not have used the word speaker to describe myself. Even though I facilitated. Even though I trained. Even though I stood in front of rooms leading conversations. I had not fully claimed it.

Today, I can say it clearly. I am a speaker.

That shift did not happen all at once. It happened through consistent, imperfect action. Month after month of showing up, speaking, and using my voice even when it felt uncomfortable. One way I stretched myself was volunteering to go first. On calls. In conversations. In spaces where it would have been easier to stay quiet. Going first did not always feel brave. Sometimes it felt exposed. But with each moment of practice, my confidence followed.

Courage came first. Confidence followed through repetition.

What deepened in 2025 is carrying forward into this year as I step into new speaking opportunities in February during MEE Month and join the Women Thrive Summit in March.

Leadership Growth and Responsibility

2025 also brought new leadership challenges in my role at LISC. I fully stepped into my position where I manage people leaders. I do not directly own the work, but I am accountable for outcomes. That responsibility carries weight. That weight is real, and some days it’s nerve-wracking. Some days, I wondered if I was guiding my team well enough. Other days, I surprised myself with the strength I didn’t know I had. Leadership has a way of showing you both your doubts and your growth at the same time.

What I learned is this: you don’t always feel ready. You second-guess. You compare. You wonder if you’re really walking in your purpose. But clarity doesn’t come first it comes from taking action.

This became especially clear in September when I participated in the Financial Opportunity Center® (FOC) 20th Anniversary National Convening here in Chicago. As I shared in Honoring Legacy, Living Purpose, that experience was both humbling and affirming. Leading a coaching practicum for twenty four participants, serving on the opening plenary panel, and receiving recognition from partners I deeply respect, including an unexpected standing ovation and a welded plaque from Jane Addams Resource Corporation, reminded me that the seeds we plant quietly year after year do take root.

That moment of being seen and acknowledged by my community taught me something important: we often can’t see our own impact until others reflect it back to us. And sometimes our greatest growth happens not in the spotlight moments, but in the decades of consistent showing up that come before them.

The Entrepreneurial Middle

If I am honest, 2025 was also challenging in my entrepreneurial journey. I have been building Mission ENSPIRE for four years. In 2025 progress felt slower than expected. There were moments when the question shifted from can I do this to can I keep doing this.

This is the part we do not talk about enough. The space between starting and thriving. Between momentum and mastery. Early courage is fueled by excitement. Sustained courage is fueled by discipline and trust. 2025 reminded me that courage is not only about starting. It is about staying. About continuing to show up even when results lag behind effort.

Releasing Recommitting and Redesigning

Now in February of 2026, I am intentional about what I carry forward. I am releasing the pressure to have everything figured out by now. Entrepreneurship does not follow a neat timeline. It follows a process. I am recommitting to using my voice consistently and to this space, Flourishing Fiercely, even when engagement feels quiet. Because I know these words reach the people who need them. I am redesigning my definition of success. In 2026, success includes consistency, courage, relationships and unseen impact. It includes honoring both my leadership role and my entrepreneurial calling as complementary expressions of the same purpose.

My 2026 Intention Sustainable Visibility

My intention for 2026 is sustainable visibility. Not visibility driven by urgency. Not visibility that leads to exhaustion.

Sustainable visibility means showing up in ways that align with my values and capacity. It means trusting that slow, intentional presence is enough. It means believing that I can be seen and whole at the same time. Publishing this post in February feels aligned with that intention. This is not about catching up. It is about beginning again with clarity.

So, here is my question for you. What are you releasing, recommitting to, or redesigning as you move through this year?

Here is to beginning again.
Here is to sustainable visibility.
And here is to continuing to flourish fiercely together.

Recommitment, Not Perfection

Recommitment isn’t about pushing harder or catching up. It’s about doing what matters. It’s not about hustle, guilt or chasing perfection. It’s about realigning with your purpose and giving yourself permission to begin again. Maybe there’s something you started earlier in the year that deserves one more try. Or maybe your priorities have changed, and it’s time to release a goal that no longer fits. I’ve been there more than once, realizing that the thing I was chasing no longer aligned with who I was becoming. Letting go wasn’t failure; it was an act of grace that opened space for what was next.

If you’ve felt behind, remember what we explored in From Perfectionist to Progress-Seeker: Embracing the Imperfect Journey. Growth is not linear. Every step forward is a step toward the life you’re building. Recommitment means meeting yourself where you are, not where you think you should be. It’s choosing progress over pressure, alignment over achievement.

Choosing What Still Matters

Take a moment and ask yourself: What do I most want to experience before this year ends? What would make me proud when I look back on 2025? You don’t need a dozen goals. You only need one or two that truly resonate; the ones that light a quiet spark inside you. The rest can be released with gratitude.

A few years ago, I learned the power of releasing what no longer serves me. I had a business goal that looked great on paper but felt completely off in practice. Once I let it go, I found room for something more authentic and energizing. Sometimes the real breakthrough comes not from doing more, but from letting go and making space to breathe.

Small Steps, Big Shifts

If that spark feels dim, start small. Micro-goals and mini-habits can help you regain momentum when energy feels low. I’ve written before in The Power of Tiny Steps about how ten minutes of focus a day can create lasting change. Whether it’s a quick journaling ritual, a weekly walk or reaching out to a friend, small steps add up. One of my favorite practices is a “three wins a day” reflection which is taking a few minutes each evening to acknowledge progress, no matter how small. Those moments remind me that growth is still happening, even in seasons of transition.

Finding Focus and Support

If you’re feeling distracted or uncertain, you’re not alone. This time of year can stir both reflection and fatigue. That’s why having a structure, even a simple one, helps. For me, recommitment often begins with a reset moment, where I pause, breathe, and ask what I want to feel by year’s end.

That’s what inspired the Reset & Reignite Masterclass. It came out of one of those very moments when I felt stretched thin and needed to recenter before moving forward. In that workshop, I guided participants through exercises to help them identify what’s fueling and what’s draining their energy, realign their goals with their capacity, and use gratitude as a growth tool. You can still experience the impact of that session through the Reset & Reignite Momentum Pack, which includes limited replay access, a 30-day printable planning journal and a coaching-style email series to help you stay focused, inspired, and aligned with what matters most.

A Ritual for Recommitment

If you’re ready to refocus, here’s something simple and grounding. Write a letter to your future self dated December 31, 2025. Describe how you want to feel as this year ends, what you’ll be proud of, what you’ve learned and what you’ve let go of. Then tuck it away and set a reminder to read it at on New Year’s Eve. It’s a gentle, personal way to stay connected to your intentions. Or, if you’re a visual person, create a “last quarter” vision board. Gather images, words, and phrases that capture how you want to close the year. Let it be a reflection of who you’re becoming.

Flowing Into What’s Next

As we move toward the year’s end, remember that every step forward is an act of courage and self-leadership. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You only need to keep showing up for yourself. Give yourself permission to realign, recommit and finish this year with clarity, confidence and grace. Next month, we’ll turn toward gratitude and reflection as we prepare to close out the year together. Until then, keep tending to your growth. You are worthy of a strong and intentional finish.

As you close out this year, what intention are you recommitting to and how will you honor that commitment to yourself in the weeks ahead? I’d love to hear your reflections in the comments below. 

Perhaps this year has been full of bold steps forward or maybe it has been a quieter season of inner work and personal transformation. Maybe you began with clear goals, only to realize that your journey had its own rhythm. Wherever you find yourself, this is your moment to harvest the lessons, growth and grace that have been growing all along.

Why Reflection Matters

Reflection is one of the most powerful tools we have for personal growth. It allows us to make meaning of our experiences, to see patterns in how we show up and to recognize the resilience we often overlook in the rush of daily life. October offers a gentle reminder to slow down before the year’s final stretch. It invites us to pause long enough to see the ways we have stretched, evolved, and stayed the course. This kind of intentional reflection isn’t about perfection or achievement; it is about awareness and appreciation. It reminds us that growth happens in the moments between our big wins, in the choices we make quietly and in the lessons we learn when plans shift.

Throughout this year on my blog I have explored how courage fuels confidence, how hope sustains us through transition and how growth often begins with belief in ourselves. I have talked about course correction, about the power of letting go and about reigniting purpose when burnout tries to dull our spark. Now, in this season of gathering and gratitude, it feels right to pause and honor the ways those lessons have taken root.

Guided Reflection: Harvesting Your Wins

I invite you to take a few moments for yourself this week. Find a quiet space, pour your favorite fall beverage, and bring your journal or simply sit with your thoughts. Consider these prompts as a way to reflect on how this year has unfolded for you:

• What am I most proud of accomplishing since January?
• What unexpected lessons or strengths have emerged?
• Where did I pivot, and what did I learn from it?
• What small wins deserve celebration?
• What am I ready to release as the year winds down?

As you move through these questions, notice what feelings arise. Notice where gratitude appears naturally and where resistance lingers. Reflection is not about judging what has or has not been done. It is about acknowledging what is, the courage it took to keep going, the effort behind each decision and the grace in simply continuing to show up.

If you find yourself craving a deeper space to reflect, my Personal Retreat Guide is a resource created exactly for that. It offers gentle structure, journaling prompts, and practices to help you slow down, reconnect, and listen inward. Whether you take an hour or a weekend, this intentional pause can help you see your growth with fresh perspective.

The Value of Imperfect Progress

It is easy to measure progress by what we can check off a list, but some of the most meaningful growth happens quietly. Maybe you learned to set a boundary that once felt impossible. Maybe you asked for help when you normally would have carried everything alone. Maybe you simply learned to rest without guilt. Those are wins worth celebrating. Progress is not always a straight path. Sometimes we take a step sideways or even back, only to find it gives us a better view of where we are meant to go next. The truth is, imperfect progress is still progress. Every pivot, pause and redirection teaches us something valuable about who we are becoming.

When I reflect on my own year, I think about the moments that stretched me most; times when I had to trust that slowing down would not mean losing momentum. There were projects that unfolded differently than I expected, but in that space, I found clarity and creativity. The lessons were not always easy, but they were necessary. They reminded me that growth often shows up disguised as change.

If this year has felt more like steady planting than a full harvest, trust that the seeds you have sown are doing their quiet work beneath the surface. You may not see all the results yet, but that does not mean progress is not happening.

Gratitude as a Growth Practice

Reflection naturally leads us to gratitude not the surface kind that skips over struggle, but the deep gratitude that comes from seeing meaning in our experiences. Gratitude grounds us. It reminds us that growth is not measured only by outcomes, but by awareness, perspective and grace. Take a moment to name three things you are grateful for this year. Maybe it is a renewed sense of courage, a relationship that grew stronger or simply the resilience to keep showing up through uncertain seasons. Let that gratitude soften you. Let it shift how you see your progress. Gratitude also helps us close chapters with peace. As the year winds down, allow gratitude to help you release what no longer serves you. The act of letting go; whether it is unrealistic expectations, old fears or the need to have everything figured out; makes space for what is next to take root.

Creating Space to Reflect and Reconnect

If you are feeling the pull to go deeper, I encourage you to create a personal retreat moment for yourself. This does not require travel or elaborate planning. It can be as simple as setting aside a morning or afternoon to pause and breathe. The Personal Retreat Guide offers a framework for doing just that. It includes prompts, reflection exercises and gentle encouragement to help you quiet the noise and listen inward. Whether you spend two hours or two days, the time you give yourself to reflect is never wasted. It is how clarity, confidence and renewed purpose take form.

A Season of Acknowledgment

October reminds us that reflection and renewal can happen side by side. It’s a time to celebrate how far you’ve come while staying open to what’s next. It is also about integration, gathering the wisdom from all that has unfolded and preparing to carry it forward. You do not need to have it all figured out. Growth rarely happens in a straight line and success is not measured by how perfectly everything unfolds. What matters is that you keep choosing to grow, to reflect, and to remain open to possibility. This is your season to honor your journey. To acknowledge how far you have come, even if you are still becoming. To see the courage, confidence, and hope that have carried you to this moment.

As you move through this month, I invite you to reflect: What lessons or wins are you harvesting from this year so far? What wisdom do you want to carry with you into the next season of your growth?

Take time to celebrate those answers. You deserve to honor the progress that brought you here.

Let’s kick things off with a little trivia, shall we? Did you know that the first known use of the word “goal” in the context of an objective or aim dates back to the early 1500s? Yep, folks have been chasing after their dreams and ambitions for centuries. And let me tell you, the struggle to set meaningful goals and actually achieve them is a tale as old as time itself. But fear not, my dear readers, for over the past year of writing this blog, we’ve uncovered some hard-won wisdom and practical strategies to help us all become goal-getting gurus. From the importance of setting SMART goals to cultivating accountability through trusted partners or good old fashioned to-do lists, we’ve left no stone unturned.

Become a Habit Hacker

And let’s not forget about habits, those little routines that can either propel us toward success or sabotage our best-laid plans. Remember that time we learned about the inverse relationship between habits and willpower? It’s a doozy, folks. Essentially, the more ingrained a habit becomes, the less willpower we need to sustain it. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, as with most worthwhile pursuits, building new habits takes some serious elbow grease (and maybe a few reminders on our phones).

But fear not, for we’ve got a tried-and-true three-step process to make habit-building a breeze (or at least a gentle stroll):

• Decide what you want that new habit to be and commit to it.
• Set reminders to stay on track.
• Make it part of your routine until it becomes second nature.

Easy peasy, right? Well, maybe not always, but hey, we’re all works in progress.

Become a Mindset Master

Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: mindset. Oh, mindset, that elusive force that can either propel us to greatness or send us spiraling into a pit of self-doubt and procrastination. We’ve delved deep into the importance of cultivating a positive, growth-oriented mindset, and let me tell you, it’s no walk in the park.

Remember that time we talked about interrupting negative thought patterns and stopping those pesky inner critics in their tracks? It’s a skill that takes practice, my friends, but one that’s absolutely essential for nurturing a mindset that serves us, rather than holds us back. We’ve explored strategies like affirmations, self-compassion, and good ol’ fashioned reality checks to keep our minds in tip-top shape.

And let’s not forget about self-esteem, that often neglected cornerstone of personal growth and resilience. We’ve learned how to recognize the telltale signs of low self-esteem, from excessive self-criticism to fear of failure, and explored practical steps to building a healthier, more robust sense of self-worth. Because let’s be real, folks, it’s tough to chase your dreams and slay your goals when you’re constantly doubting your own awesomeness.

Become a Goal Setter

All this talk about habits and mindset is all well and good, but let’s not lose sight of the bigger picture: setting and achieving goals. After all, that’s what this whole shebang is about, right? Leveling up our lives and becoming the best versions of ourselves. Goal-setting is both an art and a science, my friends. It’s about dreaming big while also being realistic, about pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones while still operating within the realms of possibility. We’ve learned that effective goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound – you know, those fancy SMART criteria.

But let’s not get too bogged down in the technicalities, shall we? At the end of the day, goal-setting is about tapping into your deepest desires and aspirations, about figuring out what truly lights you up and then charting a course to make it happen. Remember when we talked about the power of visualization? Imagining your end goal in vivid detail, feeling the emotions that come with achieving it? That’s the stuff that fuels our motivation and keeps us pushing forward, even when the going gets tough.

And speaking of tough times, we’ve also explored the importance of resilience and perseverance. Because let’s be real, the path to achieving our goals is rarely a straight line. There will be obstacles, setbacks, and moments where we feel like throwing in the towel. But that’s when we dig deep, lean on our supportive habits and mindset practices, and keep putting one foot in front of the other. So, dear readers, are you ready to become a master goal setter? To dream big, work hard, and ultimately sculpt the life you truly desire? Buckle up, because this is just the beginning of an incredible journey towards self-actualization and fulfillment. Let’s do this!

But here’s the thing, my dear readers: this journey of goal-setting, habit-building, and mindset cultivation isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon (or, if you’re like me, a leisurely stroll with plenty of snack breaks). It’s a winding path filled with triumphs and setbacks, moments of clarity and moments of utter befuddlement. And that’s okay, because the true victory lies in showing up, day after day, and committing to the process of growth and self-discovery. As someone building my own business, one of my favorite things was to put my thoughts to paper – once I started writing down everything I loved how it helped me commit to it. My 90 Day Business Goal Journal is the labor of that love. Having a dedicated space to set quarterly targets, track habits, and work through limiting beliefs was game-changing. It became my accountability partner, cheerleader, and progress tracker all in one.

If you aren’t an entrepreneur don’t worry, I have something for you as well.  It’s the Monthly Planning Journal which is a digital guide workbook to help you brainstorm top of mind goals and develop a daily task of achievement with prompts and tools – so you can design the life you’ve been dreaming of.

So, as we embark on this next year of blogging together, let’s raise a glass (or a mug of hot chocolate, if that’s more your speed) to the lessons we’ve learned and the ones yet to come. Let’s celebrate the small wins and laugh in the face of setbacks, because at the end of the day, this journey is about so much more than just crossing items off a list; it’s about becoming the best, most authentic versions of ourselves. As you embark on your own quest for self-actualization, what’s the one goal, habit, or mindset shift you’re most excited to tackle?

And speaking of inspiration, our next stop on this journey will be a deep dive into the transformative power of gratitude. Because when we approach life with a heart full of appreciation, even the most daunting challenges become opportunities for growth and the path ahead shines a little brighter. Stay tuned, my friends – the best is yet to come!

Looking back on this past year with the Flourishing Fiercely blog, it’s like witnessing a beautiful transformation. It’s been a journey of shared growth, learning, and community-building that unfolded in ways I couldn’t have predicted. Remember that first post I hit “publish” on, back on National “I am in Control” Day? My mission was crystal clear: to empower you, my readers, to embrace your full potential and live your authentic self. Yet, what I hadn’t anticipated was the profound transformation this experience would start within me too.

The Goal-Setting & Mindset Game changer

Over the past year, we’ve dived deep into all areas of personal and professional growth, drawing on my experience as a coach. But one theme has consistently stood out: the transformative power of intentional goal-setting. I’ve always known the importance of setting clear objectives and creating action plans in my coaching practice. However, this year, I took things a step further. I set specific goals for this blog using tools like the 90 Day Business Goal Journal. This experience truly solidified my belief in the power of intentional goal-setting.

There’s something incredibly motivating about taking your ideas and turning them into concrete, achievable targets. It gives them a sense of weight and purpose, and it pushes you to commit to making them happen. Of course, setting goals is just the first step. The true test lies in taking action and persevering through the inevitable challenges and setbacks that arise on the path to achievement. This is where cultivating a positive mindset becomes crucial. Resources like the Embracing a Positive Mindset Workbook proved invaluable for me. It equipped me with the tools to build mental fortitude, unwavering self-belief, and a solutions-oriented perspective. This shift in mindset allowed me to see obstacles not as roadblocks, but as opportunities to learn, adapt, and ultimately grow.

Learning from You

When it comes to invaluable lessons, I have to give credit where credit is due – to you, my incredible readers. Your impassioned insights, thought-provoking comments, and beautifully vulnerable personal stories have truly enriched our discussions. And I have to say, it’s been an absolute pleasure to learn and grow alongside you. Throughout our dialogue, your reflections have struck a chord with me. I’ve seen glimpses of my own struggles reflected in your candid thoughts – the self-doubt, the fear of failure, and that constant battle between where we are and where we want to be. It’s a reminder that we’re not alone in these challenges.

But it’s not just the struggles that resonate with me. Your stories of triumph over adversity have been truly inspiring. They’ve served as powerful reminders of the strength and resilience that resides within each of us. And let me tell you, they’ve given me all the motivation I need to keep pushing forward.

So, as we continue on this journey together, let’s remember the common threads that bind us. Let’s keep sharing our experiences, our triumphs, and even our setbacks. Because through it all, we’ll find the support, inspiration, and encouragement we need to persevere. Thank you for being a part of this incredible community. I can’t wait to see what we’ll accomplish together.

The Heartbeat of a Community

It’s this extraordinary community of connection and shared humanity that has become one of the greatest gifts of this entire journey. Knowing that my words have resonated with even one person, empowered them to take action, or offered a moment of solace fills me with immense gratitude. It’s a powerful reminder that our experiences, although unique, often echo universal themes.

Your vulnerability in opening your hearts to me has been deeply humbling. It’s a testament to the power of this community and a beautiful expression of our shared need for authentic understanding. Your stories have enriched my perspective and fueled my passion to keep creating content that resonates and uplifts.

As I revisited our past series – from deconstructing the intricacies of goal-setting and recalibrating our lives, to plumbing the nuanced territories of self-awareness and cultivating positive influence, to exploring paradigm-shifting concepts like discipline, gratitude, and a growth mindset – I was struck by just how multifaceted and nonlinear the road to personal growth can be. My own development has been an ever-evolving confluence of hard-won lessons, ingrained habits, and mindsets, and a continual practice of remaining open to expansive new perspectives.

The Beauty of Reinvention

One series that captured this beautifully was our summer exploration of reinvention and self-care. These posts were poignant reminders that we all possess an incredible capacity for rejuvenation and course-correction, simply by intentionally pausing, taking stock of our realities, and realigning our trajectories through bold new beginnings or subtle recalibrations. They also spotlighted the indispensable role that prioritizing holistic self-care plays in sustaining our vitality, spark, and resilience for the longest of journeys.

The natural unfolding into fall brought themes of self-improvement, disciplined habit formation, and the transformative power of lifelong learning. We delved into strategies for thoughtfully reflecting on our strengths, establishing fortifying routines, and adopting both an abundance mindset and a voracious intellectual curiosity. These conversations paved the way to an appreciation for radical self-acceptance, looking inward to identify our authentic motivations, and the exponential potential of incremental daily actions – lessons that will undoubtedly serve us well as we charge forward into 2024.

The Best is Yet to Come…

In the year to come, I’m thrilled to be guiding our exploration towards cultivating the mindsets, strategies, and support structures that will allow us to approach our loftiest goals with confidence, purpose, and sustainability.  We’ll be delving into topics like purposefully garnering uplifting sources of encouragement, rooting ourselves in self-acceptance, and harnessing the remarkable power of incremental “micro-habits” to spark seismic shifts. Because as my own experiences have shown, metamorphosis is a richly nonlinear, cumulative process – an ever-unfolding journey of committed self-work, radical self-compassion, and courageous expansiveness. 

This blog has become a journey we share together. It’s a mix of inspiring stories, personal growth experiences, and hard-earned wisdom. You’ve all contributed to this tapestry by sharing your own struggles, triumphs, and incredible acts of courage. As I move into my second year of blogging, I want to thank you for being so involved, open, and believing in our journey of growth. You’re the heart of this blog! I truly hope the Flourishing Fiercely community remains a source of motivation, support, and personal transformation for all of us.

This month, we’ll be taking a deep dive into the reflections and lessons I’ve gained from my first incredible year of blogging. We’ll explore the transformative power of gratitude and self-care, unpack the key insights I’ve learned about effective goal-setting, and celebrate the vital role that our thriving community has played in fueling my own personal and professional growth. I’m excited to share these stories of transformation with you – the triumphs, the challenges, and everything in between. Because at the end of the day, this journey belongs to all of us. Together, we’re uncovering the path to becoming our fullest, most flourishing selves. So, get ready for an April filled with inspiration, vulnerability, and a healthy dose of celebration. I can’t wait to see how each of you continues to thrive in the year ahead!

I made “gratitude” the theme of my November blog posts, but really, gratitude is something I hold throughout the year, and I’m continuing to feel that grateful spirit as I look back on some of my proudest accomplishments–and biggest challenges–of 2023.  In fact, over two weeks later, I’m still coasting on the overwhelming rush of excitement, relief, and gratitude that I experienced when I learned about my student loan forgiveness.  Honestly, I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve re-read that letter from MOHELA in the days since I received it. Sometimes it doesn’t feel real still, and I have to keep reminding myself it is!

But as much as that life-changing news was a major highlight of my year, when I took a pause to think back on 2023, I realized it was one of only many highlights, many events and moments that took me out of my comfort zone, pushed me to think differently, taught me new things, and encouraged and energized me to continue pursuing my goals, the first highlight being: I launched this blog!  As I was strategizing how to grow my business, share knowledge, and reach my existing audience along with new audiences, starting a blog had been a goal of mine, and in early 2023 I committed to making it happen. I launched Flourishing Fiercely with a goal of posting at least once a week. As it turned out, that didn’t always happen–I missed a few weeks here and there–but that’s OK too! It’s great to set ambitious goals, but also important to give ourselves grace and honor those times when we may need to take a pause.

And what better way to tackle one of my goals than by…writing about goals!  Readers who’ve been with me since the beginning earlier this year may remember that I kicked off by talking about how to get started with goal-setting, keeping up motivation, finding ways to keep yourself accountable, and sticking with the new habits that you might make in service of your goals.  Of course, as a trained coach, you know I also couldn’t help incorporating lots of content throughout those posts about how important SMART goals are! Actually, my blog goal gave me a perfect example of a SMART goal: Launch a blog on my Mission ENSPIRE website in Spring 2023 (Specific and Timebound) and commit to posting weekly (Measurable, and mostly Attainable other than my few missed weeks) as a way of sharing my knowledge and deepening engagement with Mission ENSPIRE clients, prospective clients, and other interested readers (Relevant).

I’d also set a goal for myself of using 2023 as a year to level up my business, connect more intentionally to the entrepreneur community, promote my business and its services, and help inspire others on their own entrepreneurial journeys. I joined my first accelerator for my business (the Launch and Profit Accelerator) and one of the tasks I created was my “I help statement” to guide Mission ENSPIRE’s direction and work: “I help professional women prioritize themselves so they can lead impactful lives without sacrificing their own personal growth.” I launched one of Mission ENSPIRE’s first products: the Momentum Mastermind Set, a personal planning journal, business goal journal, and e-book bundle designed to help you track your notes, appointments, ideas, goals, successes, challenges and more — while teaching you how to make every moment count.

I’ll admit, the “connect and inspire” part of taking my business to the next level came the most naturally to me; the “promote” part perhaps a bit less so.  Throughout my career, I’ve always served in roles that involved building community, creating partnerships, bringing people and organizations together. As I discovered coaching and facilitation, that helped me put myself out there more, but still largely in roles where I’m listening, asking probing questions, helping my audience draw out insights. In those practices, my clients and my training or discussion participants are at the center (intentionally so), not me.  

But 2023 was the year that I realized that part of growing my business meant talking more about myself and my services–and that that’s not a bad thing, especially if I can also be an example to other aspiring entrepreneurs the way that so many have been to me on my path over the past few years.  One of my most exciting accomplishments was becoming a best-selling author, when I contributed a chapter to a book called The Entrepreneurs’ Toolkit for Success (Volume 1). (As I wrote in one of my May blog posts on bucket lists, I definitely got bit by the writing bug through that experience, and authoring an entire book someday is another one of my bucket list items.)

Thanks to some of the connections I made by participating in the book, as well as folks I’ve met throughout my business journey, I was fortunate to be profiled in forums including Canvas Rebel and She ROCKS It magazine. I attended the Dreamer’s Women’s Networking & Celebration event at the beginning of the year, which was the first event where I represented Mission ENSPIRE as a vendor. In November, I participated in my first speaking engagement as a business owner, giving a talk titled “Entrepreneurial Leadership: Scoring Success with a Legendary Mindset” at the Success Junkie Summit hosted by Serita Love. I’m accustomed to public speaking somewhat, since I do so much training and facilitation in my work, but something about giving a “real” speech as founder and CEO of my own company felt different–definitely a growth moment for me! I was nervous but had so much fun once I got started, and even decided to keep the momentum going by applying to be a speaker at a retreat in New Orleans next March. (I’ll keep you posted on how that goes!)

Having said all that, I strongly believe that my learning comes not just from things I accomplished but from things I didn’t accomplish as well. For example, one of my goals and plans was to be a guest on a podcast at least monthly.  Though I did have the privilege to be a guest on the Embrace Your Power podcast with Host and Career Success Coach Denise Taylor, that monthly goal didn’t happen. I researched interesting and relevant podcasts and worked on some applications to appear, but never ended up submitting them. More to the point, I didn’t set aside dedicated time to work on this goal, and that can make all the difference.

Still, I’m proud of what I accomplished, while also working full-time in my nonprofit job. Reflecting on what kept me motivated and on track throughout 2023, one factor in being able to accomplish so much was the time I spent in early December 2022 planning for 2023 at Candace Junee’s Go-Getter Retreat where we prepared our mind, spirit and business to prosper in 2023. Since I know the value of having intentional time for reflection and planning, I’m excited to share about my “Chart Your Course” Workshop that I’m hosting next month.  If you’re feeling uninspired, unmotivated, or in a rut–or even if you’re feeling good as 2023 winds down and looking to keep that momentum going for another year–this goal-setting workshop is for you. We’ll celebrate your wins and growth from 2023 with thoughtful reflection exercises and clarify your big audacious goals for the coming year so that you can “Fiercely Soar in 2024”.  Go HERE for session dates, times, and further details.

Thank you all so much, again, for being part of this blog journey–and our collective learning and growth journey–with me in 2023. I’m excited to stay connected and also find new ways to engage in 2024, and I wish you all a Happy Holiday Season and New Year!

In keeping with Thanksgiving and with November being National Gratitude Month, I wrote earlier this month about the healing power of gratitude and expressing gratitude.  To close out November, though, I decided to do something a little different: share my personal testimony of gratitude.  I’ll be honest, writing this takes me a little bit out of my comfort zone! If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you’ll know that while I sometimes share a few brief examples of how each week’s blog theme resonates with me, I haven’t written extensively about my life for two main reasons:  I tend to be a private person; but more so, I also never wanted this blog to center around me but rather to be a resource for you, my readers, and share advice and tips that you find helpful and can take into your own lives.  For that reason, I debated whether or not to share my story, but finally decided it was worth writing about here because my goal is to provide inspiration and hope to others by sharing. Also, I realized that I often encourage my clients and readers to celebrate the “wins” in their lives—so maybe I should take my own advice too, every now and then!

So, here’s my win: only a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving (talk about good timing for gratitude!), I received a letter with news that I was not expecting, at least not for a number of years. The letter was from MOHELA, my student loan servicer, informing me that all of my student loans had been completely forgiven! I could hardly believe my eyes, so much so that I called my sister on video and asked her to read it to make sure I was reading it correctly.  And then I had to thank God as this is something that I have been praying about for YEARS!!!

But let me pause for a minute and share some more background with you.  For decades, I’d been one of the 43.6 million borrowers in the U.S. with student loan debt.  I probably don’t have to convince any of my readers that we’re in a student debt crisis in America, but to put another staggering figure to the problem, according to recent data, this student loan debt totals $1.766 trillion (yes, that’s trillion).  The average federal student loan balance is $37,718; and the average borrower takes 20 years to repay their debt and accrues an average of an additional $27,000 in interest over the life of their student loan. 

Of course, I didn’t know any of this when I was taking out my first student loans to pay for college all those years ago, and I didn’t know that these averages—troubling as they are—don’t even fully capture the magnitude of the debt crisis, and the disproportionate impact of student debt on students and borrowers of color.  Research has documented that “racial disparities throughout the student loan lifecycle begin long before a promissory note is signed or even before the financial aid award letter arrives”: longstanding and persistent racial wealth gaps mean that Black and Latinx families on average have less wealth than white households and therefore tend to have fewer resources available for a parent contribution to higher education and are more likely to need to take on student debt. After graduation, racial income gaps and persistent inequity and discrimination disproportionately hamper borrowers of color’s ability to repay their student loans.

Even if I didn’t know all of the statistics and the broader context of inequity underpinning the student debt crisis when I was pursuing my degree, I felt the burden acutely as I took out student loans first for my bachelor’s degree—which I saw as a necessary pathway to a stable, family-supporting career—and later for graduate education that many employers in my field at that time deemed essential for growing into higher-level positions.  (I should note here: I love education and I’m proud of the degrees I earned, but I’m also encouraged to see greater awareness these days of living-wage career opportunities that don’t necessarily require a four-year degree. And I’m happy to see more employers embracing a “skills-based hiring” approach that focuses on practical skills and experience gained and doesn’t unilaterally or arbitrarily exclude workers who don’t have a college degree.)   

I wouldn’t trade my college and graduate school experiences for anything, but that doesn’t mean the student loans weren’t a heavy burden on me as I continued to build my career. Two bright spots emerged, though, the first in 2007 when the federal government created the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, which allowed borrowers with certain types of federal loans who were working in nonprofit or government to potentially qualify for student loan forgiveness after making 120 student loan payments (or a total of 10 years’ worth of payments).  This was exciting to me, since my growing career was in the nonprofit sector—but still, 10 years seemed very far away, and to be completely transparent, there were times when I couldn’t make my monthly student loan payments and I was in deferment or forbearance.  PSLF was a light at the end of the tunnel to me, for sure, but the tunnel still seemed endless!

Fast-forward to 2022, when thanks to interest accruing and some of my past periods of deferment or forbearance, my student loans were still very much weighing on me. In fact, it felt like I had barely made a dent in the balance!  By this time, PSLF had been around for over 10 years and more eligible borrowers were reaching the threshold where they qualified for forgiveness. I started seeing more and more jubilant posts on social media from Individuals getting their loan forgiveness notifications and I celebrated them—but I can’t lie, I was a little envious too (then I remind myself that what God has for me is for me)! Even though I’d been employed at nonprofit organizations all that time and I knew I’d made some payments on my loans, I still thought I was years away from my own loan forgiveness date.  

Then, the second bright spot emerged: I heard about the special PSLF waiver opportunity that the federal government had announced in 2021, with a deadline to apply for the waiver by October 31, 2022. I’d heard bits and pieces about the PSLF waiver here and there, but I hadn’t paid much attention until shortly before the deadline. Honestly, the information was confusing, and I was discouraged enough by the weight of my loans at that point that I didn’t really understand what the waiver applied to and I’d convinced myself I probably wouldn’t benefit anyway. (The limited PSLF waiver allowed borrowers to potentially receive credit toward the 120 payments for past periods of repayment that otherwise wouldn’t qualify.)

Then a phone call from a former colleague changed everything. I hadn’t talked to this former colleague in a long time, but she was applying for the PSLF waiver herself and had actually called to ask if I had any advice about how to get records to certify her employment at the nonprofit organization where we’d both formerly worked that had since shut down.  “Jen,” she told me, “you have to submit your PSLF waiver form, it’s so important! Even if you think your loans won’t be eligible, you need to at least try—you never know!” 

Her encouragement got me in gear, though the process wasn’t easy. I had to fill out the form, get my nonprofit employment certified by my current employer (who thankfully, was very responsive!), and then fax it to MOHELA, which was the student loan servicer in charge of processing PSLF waiver applications.  I can’t even remember the last time I’d sent a fax and because I was traveling for work I was frantically searching for free online fax options pretty much right up until the October 31 deadline, but I got my form in. And then I waited…and waited…and waited…only to get a response back in February stating that my form was incomplete because it had my digital signature instead of a “wet” (signed in ink) signature. I was so discouraged! The correspondence wasn’t clear on whether I could resubmit my form or whether this meant I’d missed the deadline entirely—but I resolved not to give up.  I re-signed the PSLF waiver form in ink and then re-sent it to MOHELA, again figuring that I at least needed to try.

So many little barriers popped up along the way to applying for student loan forgiveness (including an initial letter in the spring from MOHELA stating that my loans didn’t qualify for the PSLF waiver), but I didn’t let them derail me.  Finally, a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, I got that life-changing message that my student loans had in fact been forgiven under PSLF! Honestly, I’m still on cloud nine about this news, and thinking about the impact it will have on my budget and on opportunities for wealth-building (not just for myself, but to leave a legacy for my daughters and goddaughter). That almost $800 per month that would have continued to go to student loan payments might just be the difference that allows me to invest in homeownership, increase my retirement savings and/or start investing, and that’s incredibly powerful and transformative.

I’m also reflecting back on Candace Junee’s Go Getter Retreat that I attended early December last year. She asked us to write down 23 “Dream Big Statements” and I remember that exercise so clearly; getting free of my student loans was one of those statements that I wrote down. I specifically wrote “I believe that my student loans will be paid in full in the next 10 years”. It’s an incredible feeling to reach that goal so much sooner than I even dreamed! It’s a reminder to myself—and all of us—to dream big and not let those bumps in the road derail us! I’m grateful for my colleague who encouraged me to send in the PSLF waiver form and for the student loan policies that made PSLF possible.  And I’m grateful to you, my readers, for letting me share my story in this space. What are you grateful for this November and what big dreams are you determined to pursue?

As I close today’s blog post I want to share this worship song that has been a blessing for me and hopefully it will be something that will carry you through the end of this year and into 2024 – God Problems by Maverick City Music.

I’ll be back on Thursday, December 14^th for my final post of 2023.