I started playing little league fast-pitch softball in third grade. It was more than a game to me—it was movement, momentum, and magic. That love stayed with me, even after my competitive days ended.

 

Each year, I find myself captivated by the Women’s College World Series (WCWS). The energy. The precision. The stories behind the stats. This year, it was the Texas vs. Texas Tech final that pulled me in—but not for the reasons I expected.

 

During Game Two, Tech’s Alana Johnson stepped up to the plate. The camera flashed to a photo of her 11-year-old self at the very same WCWS, holding a handmade sign that read:

 

 

She wrote it. She believed it. Her mother saved that sign. And now, she was in the stands watching her daughter’s dream come to life. In real time. On a national stage.

 

I felt it in my body. That was a full circle moment.

 

A full circle moment is when life loops you back to something once dreamed, declared, or desired—but this time, you arrive with more capacity, clarity, or courage. It’s not just a “comeback.” It’s a reckoning. A revelation.

 

And yet, most leaders miss these moments entirely.

 

Why?

 

Because we’re conditioned to chase the next big thing. Not to feel the thing that’s already here.

 

But moments like Alana’s remind us: leadership is just as much about returning as it is about arriving.

 

 

 

If this story spoke to you, leave a comment, or share it with a leader who needs to remember how far they’ve come. Full circle moments are rarely loud—but they’re always worth noticing.

Most leaders don’t talk about this.

 

Not in the boardroom. Not in team meetings. And certainly not in performance reviews.

 

But it’s there—under the surface of high performers, executive teams, and startup founders alike:

 

 

It’s a belief so deeply embedded in leadership culture that most people don’t even know it’s there.

 

I’ve seen it in Fortune 500 boardrooms. I’ve seen it in healthcare clinics. I have seen it in government offices. I’ve lived it myself.

 

Last week, I was on a road trip to the Eugene airport. Halfway there, I stopped to refuel and reheat my lukewarm Starbucks blonde roast. Inside the gas station, I greeted the woman behind the counter, Angela, as I popped my coffee into the microwave.

 

She seemed kind but distracted. When I asked how her morning was going, she sighed and said,

 

I replied gently, “Isn’t it a superpower to know what you do know, own that, and surround yourself with people who can fill in the rest?”

 

She paused. I watched something shift.

That pause? That’s the space where perception changes.

That’s leadership.

 

For years, I believed being a strong leader meant knowing it all—or at least pretending to.

 

I’d walk into rooms braced for performance: over-prepared, overly polished, overly protective of my image.

 

God forbid I didn’t have the answer.

 

I thought being vulnerable would cost me respect.

 

I now know it’s the opposite.

 

Today, I work with visionary leaders, executives and entrepreneurs. And I see it playing out over and over again:

Let me say this clearly:

 

Here’s what I’ve learned after more than a decade of coaching conscious leaders:

At The Amplified Life Company, we say it this way:

 

Your leadership is only as powerful as the people you allow in—mentors, peers, team members who bring different gifts, insights, and expertise.

 

If you’re trying to “know it all,” you’re not leading—you’re posturing.

 

And it’s costing you innovation, trust, and long-term growth.

 

If you’re ready to step into authentic, confident leadership, try these:

 

You’re not here to perform.

And that only happens when you trade in the outdated model of “knowing it all” for the very human art of showing up real.

 

That’s what creates psychological safety.

That’s what builds trust.

That’s what turns a team into a movement.

 

Next time you feel the pressure to have the answer—pause.

Say, “I don’t know yet, but I’m open.”

 

Then watch what shifts—inside you and around you.

“There are only two types of speakers in the world.

The nervous and

Liars.”

— Mark Twain

 

Let me take you behind the scenes of one of my most humbling leadership moments.

 

I was sitting on set for a morning TV show, about to share a coaching framework I’d been teaching for years.

 

This was a dream moment—lights, cameras, a warm and curious host—and I was ready.

 

Until I wasn’t.

 

As she leaned in and asked about my go-to method, my mind went completely blank.

I froze. My brain pulled the emergency brake.

 

The framework I could teach in my sleep? Gone.

 

And then—bless her—the host held up her notecard and gently said,

 

 

Yep. I was.

 

That was the day I learned:

 

Public speaking isn’t about being polished. It’s about being present.

 

 

We’ve all been there:

And here’s the truth: if you’re leading a team, company, or vision—you’re a public speaker, whether you realize it or not.

 

Speaking isn’t a stage skill. It’s a leadership strategy.

 

You’re not just communicating.

 

You’re enrolling people into your vision.

 

That’s why the best leaders I know don’t just learn to speak—they learn to tell stories.

 

 

Your slides won’t move people. Your story will.

 

In our executive coaching work, I teach leaders a simple and powerful tool for message clarity and impact. It’s called:

 

This framework is simple, powerful, and unforgettable. Just like the message you want to deliver.

 

 

When that happens, you don’t just lose your audience—you lose your impact.

 

But the beauty of speaking is that every moment—even the missteps—are opportunities for growth.

 

 

Whether it’s the all-hands meeting, the client pitch, or the keynote—your words shape your culture.

 

Your presence sets the tone.

 

And your story? It invites people in.

 

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be real.

 

What story could you share this week to help your team feel what you see?

 

What truth are you holding back because you’re afraid you won’t say it “just right”?

 

“People will forget what you said, they’ll forget what you did, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou

 

I’m currently booking my workshop, The Art of Public Speaking for Executives, for leadership teams, corporate events, and offsites.

 

It’s designed to help your leaders:

 

DM me to book, or click HERE to connect.

 

Let’s turn your voice into your most powerful leadership tool.

If you’ve been leading long enough, you know this:

 

 

The secret behind the leaders who innovate faster, build deeper relationships, and create lasting impact?

 

 

Most people are chasing clarity, confidence, and connection.

 

But here’s what I’ve learned after years of coaching executives and building my own leadership practice:

 

 

Curiosity is not soft.

It’s not vague.

It’s a power move for any CEO, leader, or visionary ready to grow in a way that lasts.

 

This used to be me:

 

A high-performing knower. Always achieving, solving, pushing. Never asking.

 

Now?

 

Curiosity is one of the pillars of our Above-the-Line Leadership work.

 

It’s how we help leaders shift from proving to leading, from hustle to alignment, from doing more to asking better questions.

 

 

It’s waiting on your willingness to get curious.

 

If this resonated, share you’re thoughts in the comments below!

Let’s talk about what it would look like to lead with curiosity inside your business, your team—or your next keynote. Start the conversation by clicking HERE.

 

They’re burnt out because their nervous system has never learned how to pause.

 

Here’s the truth most won’t say out loud:

 

You can’t lead a high-performing team from a dysregulated state.

And your team is modeling your nervous system.

 

I learned this the hard way—after 16 years in corporate finance leadership, I left thinking it was the job.

 

But it was deeper than that.

 

I was leading from adrenaline, urgency, and outdated management paradigms.

 

Now, we teach executives to build nervous system regulation into their leadership strategy—because presence, clarity, and calm are what scale companies (and lives) sustainably.

 

Read the full blog HERE.

 

At The Amplified Life Company, we’re not calling you out.

We’re calling you up.

 

You want a high-performing team?

Be the high performer—starting with your nervous system.

 

Does this resonate with you today? Share your ideas in the comments below…

 

After years of leading, building, and pushing—there’s still a whisper in you:

 

 

But here’s what most high-performing leaders miss:

 

Your next level isn’t reached through more hustle.

 

It’s unlocked through self-awareness, nervous system intelligence, and visionary presence.

 

After 16 years in corporate finance leadership, I didn’t need another title.

I needed a new way to live and lead—without the constant proving, overworking, or running on fumes.

 

 

️What energy are you modeling for your team?
Your next level of leadership lives in:

 

And here’s the truth:

 

 

But no one rises alone.

 

 

At The Amplified Life Company, we work with leaders ready to scale their impact without sacrificing themselves. If you’re ready to transform how you lead—starting from the inside out—text “Amplify” to 503-386-2981 and let’s talk.

 

Your best chapter is here.

Let’s amplify it.