Maybe it’s because I’m on the verge of turning 40, but I’ve found myself reflecting a lot lately. As a speaker and coach, I often tell my clients: the last thing any of us should settle for is simply going through the motions.

Living with intention takes hard work, persistence, belief, and clarity—especially during seasons of grief, transition, or uncertainty.

So how do we stay centered when life throws us off course?

When I sat down to write my first book, I didn’t begin with triumph, success, or hope.

I started with fear.

Why? Because fear has been the single greatest opponent in my life. It’s shown up in countless forms—some obvious, some subtle. Sometimes it’s felt like it won. Other times, I’ve stood up to it, stared it down, and kept going anyway.

“Get the book done.”
Those were the words my dad said to me every time we saw each other in what turned out to be the final six months of his life.

He meant it literally—he wanted me to finish writing the book I had been working on. But over time, I’ve realized he also meant it figuratively:
Finish what you start. Step into your purpose. Don’t let fear hold you back.

"How High Can I Go?"
That was the question I asked myself countless times growing up, especially while watching basketball games with my dad. As I watched athletes soar toward the hoop, I couldn’t help but compare their physical capabilities to my own reality—navigating life with cerebral palsy. I knew my path looked different, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t strive for greatness in my own arena of life. In fact, my dad believed that whatever his ceiling had been, it should become my floor. That belief challenged and inspired me. If he had reached a certain point in life, then where could I begin, standing on his shoulders?

Years passed before I consciously remember stopping to think about my reality. Stopping to think about my life could reveal even less control and say so over it than I previously acknowledged. Easier to keep going and power through without asking a lot of questions, I reasoned.

I now realize that everyone needs healing. None of us escape life unscathed. Like Louis Armstrong sang, yes, “What a Wonderful World,” and yet, as he also recognized, what a scary and cruel place the world can be.

Do you find yourself saying things like, “Nobody understands me”? Or feeling a bit misunderstood, and unsure what to do with it?

" We need to remember why we’re waiting and what we’re waiting for..."

"Be real with where you’re at."

“Do I really have what it takes?”

I once saw a great original play called “Adventures in Storyland.”  The premise is that Red Riding Hood, the main character, gets bored and fed up with the script of her familiar story.  She decides to make a change.

"For maximum satisfaction, allow the process to run its course."

"“Don’t give up on a dream because of the time it will take.

Are you always thinking about the weekend, especially on Mondays?

When we compare, we often get discouraged.  The good news is, there are positives to be gained from comparison.

Where do you need to push?  What do you have that would benefit others, even if it took one more time or a bunch more times to push through?