So often, we enter conversations from a defensive perspective. In this reactionary mode, we are not engaged with anyone except for ourselves. We are not listening. What if I told you there’s an easier, less stressful, more effective way to approach challenging and stressful conversations? Let me introduce you to the concept of deep listening.

If you’re a small business owner or solo entrepreneur, you’ve likely been in this scenario before: business is slow, you’re in a dry spell, you feel stuck or bored, and there’s a sense of staleness around work. You know that something needs to change. Through more than 20 years of running my own coaching practice, I’ve been through many of these lulls, and am here to share with you what I’ve learned.

August is a chance to check in with yourself before heading full force into the fall. It’s the perfect time to reconnect with yourself and assess your level of happiness with the work you do, the job you have, the team you’re on, the manager you have, and the company you’re with. Start with a gut check.

We each have shadow selves, which often stem from trauma, neglect, and painful experiences within our family of origin. Acknowledging and working with these shadow parts allows them to heal and then become integrated parts of us.

Behavioral change is one of the greatest challenges we face in the attempt to reach our potential. My work as a transformational coach is centered around helping strong-willed adults and leaders…