Soulsavvy

A client recently told me:

"Oh yeah, I know that tool."

My response?

"Yes, but did you use it when you were spinning?"

We live in a time of endless information.

Podcasts.
Books.
Courses.
Facebook posts of the 20 things to try when your dysregulated...
Tools.
Hacks.

But transformation doesn't happen because we know something.

It happens when we apply it.

Sometimes the next breakthrough isn't learning another tool.

It's remembering to use the one you already have.

You should see improvements if your tools are working for you.
If not, it could be time to expand your options.

What tool do you know works for you, but forget to use when you need it most?

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘥𝘥 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯...

This week, I noticed the wobble. 😅

I recently committed to an intensive business retreat this summer. It's something I'm genuinely excited about.

And at the same time, I noticed my stress level rise.
Not because anything was wrong.
Not because the retreat is a bad idea.

Because I had just added a significant item to my stress load.

Travel. Preparation. Time. Money. Hope. Uncertainty. Possibility.

Growth often comes with more than inspiration.
It also comes with load.

One of the first steps in my Stress to Strength approach is surprisingly simple: Take account of what you're carrying.

Before solving anything. Before pushing harder.

Before telling yourself you should be handling it better.

Notice what's actually on your plate.

For me, that meant updating my stress list and making room for the reality that the next month will ask more of me.

Once I did that, I could see the next step more clearly.

Some familiar worries had surfaced. A few old thoughts were making noise. So instead of adding more tasks, I turned toward the tools that help me work skillfully with those thoughts.

Because knowing a tool is different from using it when you need it.

Walking our talk doesn't mean never wobbling.

It means noticing when we do and returning to what helps. Fast.

🚶‍♀️ What helps you come back to center when life stretches you?

I was thinking about my years working in cancer research, supporting patients through treatment and recovery.

We used Motivational Interviewing — and our sessions were recorded and reviewed regularly.

There was a strong emphasis on structure and consistency —
making sure we were truly listening, and delivering the work in a grounded, reliable way.

But what stood out most was this:

Structure didn’t make the work rigid.

It made it more effective.

Because within that structure, there was still space for:
connection, humor, intuition, and real human presence.

That balance — structure and soul — is something I still bring into my work today.

Because being deeply heard, and supported in a grounded way,
is what helps real change take hold.

Here is a picture from a conference members of the team attended, including Bill Miller, the cofounder of Motivational Interviewing.