The Woman Dancing With One Paddle—and the Leadership Lesson I Didn’t Expect
Traveling from Boston to Portland, Oregon, I naturally woke up just before 4 a.m.—thanks, circadian rhythm. I laid in bed, prayed, meditated, and eventually decided to get up. I went through my morning rituals and, feeling starved, grabbed some breakfast at the Residence Inn. It’s usually solid: hard-boiled eggs, oatmeal—simple, nourishing.
Originally, I planned to head to the gym. But then a question that someone had asked me in Boston floated into my mind.
While I was there, I had the opportunity to teach over 75 emerging global leaders at Harvard about high performance—specifically, how to be a high-performing leader and build high-performing teams.
One of the delegates had asked, “Do you ever just go off schedule? Like, not be so strict and disciplined?”
It’s a great question, especially since one of our foundational beliefs at The Amplified Life Company is this: disciplines and systems are the true unlock to the freedom you seek in life.
And I still believe that.
I answered him honestly in the moment: Yes, I do go off schedule. In fact, I build white space into every day on purpose. So if I get a spontaneous idea, an urge to try something new, or an opportunity to serve in a different way—I actually have the capacity to do it.
That answer echoed in my mind as I contemplated my workout. I was running on just over four hours of sleep—a non-negotiable daily health habit for me—and something told me: don’t go to the gym today. Go outside and walk.
It wasn’t a thought. It wasn’t even a feeling. It was more like intuition—what some might call a “God nudge” or a whisper from the universe. So I listened.
Being from Miami Beach, I bundled up with layers, a beanie, and gloves, and set out for a walk along the Willamette River in downtown Portland. The wind cut through the buildings at first, but as I turned toward the river, things calmed.
That’s when I saw her.
A woman—wearing shorts and a tank top, in this cold—was dancing. She had a paddle in her hand and a huge smile on her face. There was a white vest on a bench nearby. She looked joyful, free.
I smiled, waved, and kept walking.
On my way back, she was still dancing. But now I noticed something else: other women. Fully clothed, like me, each carrying a single paddle. I was intrigued.
I approached two of them who were chatting and asked what was going on.
“It’s for the Dragon Boat Races,” one of them said. “We’re practicing today. Look over there—you can see the boats on the river!”
I’d never heard of Dragon Boat Racing before. But these women were clearly passionate. I kept walking, smiling at each person heading toward the launch site—each with their own paddle.
Back near the hotel, I noticed a small coffee shop with a handwritten sign: “Low-Impact Coffee Shop.”
I stepped inside—tiny, warm, seating for three people max. I asked the barista, Ryan, what “low impact” meant. He explained that they don’t use disposables. If you want a to-go coffee, you put down a deposit and take a reusable glass jar. You can bring it back, or keep it and reuse it.
Simple. Sustainable. Thoughtful.
Ryan mentioned he also owns a grocery store across town—also zero disposables. No plastic bags, no throwaways. Just fresh fruits, vegetables, and a commitment to low-impact living. I was about to ask him what inspired this path when another customer walked in.
“I’ll be back on Monday,” he said. “Come by if you want to talk more.”
I will. Because the hazelnut-pumpkin seed milk he recommended for my Americano? It was delicious. Probably something I’ll never find elsewhere. But now, I’ll look forward to it every time I return.
As I walked back to my hotel, I smiled. I had answered that Harvard delegate truthfully: I do go off schedule—but only because I build in the space and the structure to be able to.
That morning, I learned about Dragon Boat Racing, a coffee shop’s low-impact business model, and a new nut milk I didn’t know existed. But more than that, I was reminded of this:
White space invites wonder.
So the next time you feel the nudge to go off-script, to say yes to something spontaneous—do it. But make sure you’ve built the margin in your day to allow it. Because that’s where life really happens.
Not in the dogmatic schedule.
But in the unexpected moments—where women dance in the cold with one paddle, and people change the world one coffee jar at a time.
