As the years pass, I've realized we benefit more when we let go or at least hold things more loosely. One of my very first blog posts was about holding on tight and the challenges that brings.

But today is all about letting go because it allows us and the people around us to grow. When we let go or loosen the reins, it's initially scary because we feel like we're losing control, but then it's exhilarating because there's a feeling of freedom and joy.

So what is worth letting go of? Here are some of the items on my list, and I'd love to hear any you'd like to share.

In two different situations this week, people were sharing what they would tell their younger self so it got me thinking about what I would tell my 23-year-old self. Here are 5 things that I would tell my early career self:

What does working at the top of our license mean if we're not in a licensed profession?

🎯It means we need to assess ourselves, our skills, and the value we offer an organization when we focus on those things.

🎯It means that we're spending the bulk of our work efforts doing the work we are more uniquely qualified to do.

🎯It means that we're looking at ways to eliminate, reduce, automate, reduce, or delegate the work activities that are not using those higher-valued skills that add the most significant impact to the organization.

I thought it’s time to share why I believe in the value of coaching and investing in a coach.

Yes, I have a vested interest since it’s part of the portfolio of work I do, but it’s more than that. It’s about the value I’ve gotten from hiring different types of coaches over the past 10 years or so.

I didn’t always believe in what coaching could do outside of a health, sports, and fitness area.

The topic of radical candor came up twice this week so it felt like a sign that it's time to talk about it The simple way to think about it is that we have to care enough and build trusted relationships so that we can be honest in a valuable way..

Are you moving in rhythm right now, or are you off the beat? I don’t have a great sense of rhythm, so I’m often off the beat when it comes to my dance moves or clapping. In the grand scheme of things, there are certainly worse limitations than this.

We all have multiple identities we associate with - parent, child, sibling, employee, boss, coach, community leader, and the list goes on. How often do you ask yourself, "who am I?" Does your response start with those "hats" you wear or does it start with something deeper?

How would you define who you are right now, who you serve, and how you best serve them? Even if you are part of a bigger organization, these are still questions that you should challenge yourself to answer because you might be surprised at what you find.

How are you evolving as a professional?

We are all imperfect leaders, of ourselves and of others. However, along our life journey, we have the opportunity to learn lessons that we can take forward as we become more intentional leaders. Though these lessons were hard at the time, I am thankful for the experiences and the leadership coaching I received that have helped me become more intentional in my style.

At some point in 2020, a colleague suggested that I should turn some of my LinkedIn posts into a book. Initially, I wasn't sure if I saw myself as an author, even though I knew I had written a lot of content, and there's always the concern that no one will buy it.