Confession: My January was not bold or brilliant.
With a five-year-old in tow, I faced a travel saga that is not for the faint of heart. It included the FAA grounding all planes, missed connections, hours in airports, delayed de-icing on the runway, hours sitting on the runway only to be taken back to the gate, days stuck in an airport hotel, a failed landing in high winds, a flight that told us they were running short on fuel, a flight that got us to Bermuda and turned around only to take us to Boston to refuel and then take us back to New York (we spent almost 9 hours on a full plane to get back where we started), a plane with a piece of metal in the tire, and more. Following more plane hours than I care to count, I got incredibly ill and was in bed for almost two weeks.
It can be hard to not get overwhelmed and disheartened when things feel out of control. But, our mindset is always in our control.
After taking 13 hours to get from Washington D.C. to New York, my son said to me: “This is our luckiest day”. Well I felt many things that day (expletives included) and ‘lucky’ was definitely not on the list. However, my son viewed it as a travel adventure and more time with Mummy. A reminder: When facing change, mindset is everything.
In short, January wasn’t what I had hoped for (understatement). My husband shared a quote from his recent meditation:”Begin Again”. That is my mantra for February: “Begin Again”. It is a reminder that every day we have the power to start over. It is a reminder that the concepts in Begin Boldly are not just for those in the earlier stages of their careers. Instead, we can all begin boldly at any time in our journey.
Here’s to beginning again in February.
Read on for this month’s roundup – including the tools and insights that helped me navigate the bumpy start of 2023.
One Insight
“Over and over, we begin again.“
– Banana Yoshimoto
Exciting new launch for 2023! ‘Begin Boldly’ Coaching Cohort Programs
Bring the signature ‘Begin Boldly Method’ to your organization.
I am absolutely thrilled to be launching this new offering for corporate partners.
‘Begin Boldly’ in-house cohort programs are highly action-oriented and impactful coaching experiences for a distinct group of women delivered over three or six months.
The signature ‘Begin Boldly Method’ equips cohorts with the tools to navigate change and the unknown (the theme of this newsletter!), make meaningful connections, build robust networks, hone persuasive communication skills, cultivate confidence, manage time and priorities inside and outside of work, prevent burnout, and more.
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One Share
A Slight Change of Plans
Named by Apple as the Best Show of the Year 2021, host Dr. Maya Shankar blends compassionate storytelling with the science of human behavior to help us understand who we are, and who we become, in the face of a big change.
Maya’s impressive bio includes Senior Director of Behavioral Economics at Google, Senior Advisor in the Obama White House, where she founded and served as Chair of the White House Behavioral Science Team, and the first Behavioral Science Advisor to the United Nations. She’s also a fellow Rhodes Scholar, friend, and all around amazing human being. Listen here to learn more from phenomenal guests who have navigated big changes: https://www.pushkin.fm/
One Tool, Technique or Tactic To Try
Claim your reaction to change as a “choice”.
Life is fluid, with constant challenges and opportunities large and small that we are all going to face both professionally and personally. Change is both inevitable and scary.
Advice from Begin Boldly: Claim your reaction to change as a “choice”.
Externally imposed change can sometimes interfere with feelings of autonomy and make you feel that you’ve lost control. However, autonomy, ownership, and empowerment come from choice in the face of change.
See your reaction to change as a choice that only you can make. It’s up to you to choose wisely.
One Question
In times of change and uncertainty, ask yourself: Will I choose resistance or response?
You can funnel energy into resisting change, or you can use that same time and energy to be intentional about your response to change.
Despite discomfort with change, those who have cultivated bold and brilliant career and life paths attribute it partly to their ability to embrace change and manage their mindset and response to it.
Instead of focusing on resistance, focus on response.
Let’s go live boldly!
On Beginning Boldly in 2023 
