Career Design

This little elf hit me with a truth bomb.

Yesterday, I asked my 12-year-old daughter how she sees me being hard on myself.

Her answer wasn’t about perfection. It wasn’t about mistakes.
It was simply: “You work too much.”

And today Gordon appeared on my desk with a note that read:
“Stop working so much!! RELAX.”

Cue the lump in my throat.

Her perspective was such a clear reminder that the people who love us aren’t watching our productivity...they’re watching our presence.

So here’s a question for you as you look toward 2026:
What do you want your upcoming year to FEEL like?

✨ More relaxed?
✨ More spacious?
✨ More connected?
✨ More aligned with who you really are?

Small shifts today shape the year you’re building tomorrow.

If you’re ready to design a year where your work supports your life, I’d love to help you map it out — right alongside refining the map for my own.

Wrapping up this week’s series inspired by The Mel Robbins Podcast with Kelly Gerardi — a conversation filled with courage, perspective, and the freedom to reinvent what’s next.

After more than a decade of preparation, Kelly finally achieved her dream of going to space. But what moved me most wasn’t just the launch, it was what came after. She said that once she’d reached her goal, she had to ask herself, Who am I now?

That question.... Who am I becoming next? — is the creative edge of courage.

At Career Design, we call this the art of reinvention.
You can always reserve the right to rewrite your story.
You don’t need a crisis to change, just curiosity and courage to listen to what’s calling you next.

✨ Reflection:
What dream have you already outgrown?
And what new horizon might be quietly calling you now?

“👣 ‘Don’t be afraid.’

These were three tiny words Bridger, a 3‑year‑old, whispered to himself as he bravely walked into pitch darkness to get help and save his great‑grandmother—reminding us all that courage isn’t the absence of fear, but taking action…despite it.

Career changes often feel like standing at the edge of an unseen path. But like Bridger, we can light our way by saying, ‘Don’t be afraid.’ Whether you’ve been wrestling with doubt or stuck in a comfort zone, today’s the day to step forward. You never know who—and what—you might save, starting with yourself.

🎥 Watch the full story: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/how-a-toddlers-brave-walk-into-the-darkness-to-get-help-inspired-his-family/

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How a toddler's brave walk into the darkness to get help inspired his family A little boy walked into the darkness to get help for his great-grandmother. His mantra that night is now inspiring his family. Steve Hartman has the story "On the Road."