Oh, the magic of serendipity! It's those moments when something occurs by chance that, if you’re paying attention, is incredibly beneficial. My email inbox is historically not a place where fortunate strokes of serendipity occur, however about 3 weeks ago, a great solution to my growing sense of overwhelm fell into my lap. My to-do list had been growing completely out of control. I was racing from one task to the next, not feeling or seeing much progress. My brain was constantly reminding me of the next thing, the unfinished tasks, and how far behind I was. Sleep was becoming an issue. Yeah, I was totally overwhelmed. And like magic, there was the solution. Right there in my inbox. A newsletter from Dicky Bush describing exactly what I was experiencing. He nailed my problem: too many open loops in my brain. “Every open loop is like a browser tab quietly running in the background. You might not see it, but it’s constantly draining mental battery. Keep too many of them open and your brain starts operating far below its capacity.” After I went through his 7 steps for closing open loops, the overwhelm was gone. I had a sense of peace. I had clarity. I had a plan. I now use the process every Friday as part of my weekly reflection and next week’s planning time block. I can’t express how helpful it’s been and continues to be. So here’s a bit of serendipitous magic from my inbox that I’m sharing with your inbox. I hope you find it as helpful as I have. Thank you, Dicky Bush! Here's the link: https://dickiebush.substack.com/p/how-to-purge-your-life-of-open-loops

Happy Friday! I wanted to pop in with a quick update and some context. The community's been a little quiet lately—mainly because I've been working behind the scenes to build the foundation for what’s next. And I want you to know: every quiet stretch is backed by deep work. I’ve been focused on creating more meaningful, targeted resources to support your goal of building a fulfilling, resilient, and successful career. One of those resources just dropped: a new course based on The 2-Hour Job Search. It’s a focused, practical approach to networking—especially helpful if you're tired of the black hole of online applications. The accompanying videos are not completed yet (still in editing phase) however all of the steps and accompanying spreadsheets are done and ready to be used. I know a few of you would really benifit from this as soon as possible so I'm dropping it in not completely finished. :) This course came directly out of my own research and continuous learning. I’m constantly researching the best practices in career and executive coaching—not just to keep learning, but to distill and deliver what works. That’s what drives me. And it’s what I’ll continue to bring to you. More tools, trainings, and real-world guidance are coming soon. This isn’t just a community. It’s a training ground for your next chapter. Rooting for you all! :) Ps. I'm out of the country for the next two weeks (13th- 27th) and will not be checking emails or anything (I'm practicing what I've challenged a lot of you on regarding vacations and not working) :) Wishing everyone a happy holiday season! Kris

You can check every box on a job description and still get passed over. You can carry 20 years of results on your back and still feel invisible. You can be highly competent and still unknown. I see it all the time: brilliant, capable professionals who have no idea how to tell their story. And in today’s hiring climate, especially at the mid-to-senior level, that’s a deal breaker. Being good at your job isn’t enough anymore. There’s a quiet grief many professionals carry; the feeling of being overlooked despite doing everything “right.” You deliver. You lead. You make things happen. And yet... someone less experienced gets the role, the raise, or the recognition. It’s not that you're not qualified. It’s that your value isn’t clear, to them or to you. That’s why storytelling isn’t just a “nice-to-have” skill anymore. It’s a strategic career asset. Gina Riley, author of Qualified Isn’t Enough, says it plainly: people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. (Great book, btw. If you want to dive deeper into this I highly recomend reading her book) Riley shows that your career story should not be just a list of duties and achievements. It should express your values and beliefs, your why. And your career experiences are the proof of those values in action. Your actions, the way you lead, communicate, and create impact, reveal what you stand for. That’s what people remember. That’s what builds trust. Storytelling is how you become memorable. When Riley asked executive recruiters what made a candidate stand out, they didn’t say technical skills or credentials. They said presence, clarity, and self-awareness. The ability to bring their story to life in a way that feels real and relevant. She calls out the “Tell me about yourself” moment as a critical turning point. The strongest candidates don’t list roles or responsibilities. They hook people with their journey. They show who they are through the patterns they’ve lived. Because our brains don’t retain bullet points. They retain stories.

Most professionals think the secret to success is obsessing over the goal. “I just need to land the role.” “If I can get this promotion, I’ll finally feel confident.” “This one pitch has to work.” I’ve coached dozens of high performers through this mindset. And here’s the pattern I always see: The more attached you are to the outcome, the harder it is to show up fully for the process that gets you there. The irony? You get so fixated on the prize at the end that you completely miss the steps that would win it. Your attention gets scattered. Your energy leaks. Your confidence wavers. Because every time the goal feels far away… You start to believe you’re far from capable. Let me offer a reframe: Your goal isn’t the goal. Your daily process is. The outcome? It’ll take care of itself if you show up consistently for the right things. Ask yourself: “What does winning look like today?” And here’s what I suggest: The Core Four 1. Give 100% of what I have today. 2. Be fully present. 3. Express gratitude. 4. Focus on my routines and only what I can control. Simple. But powerful. Because when you lead with process, not pressure: • Your mind clears, you're more at peace because you’re not worrying about the future. • Your focus sharpens • Your performance improves • And your results? They follow This is how you break free from outcome obsession. You stop trying to win the future and start mastering the moment you’re in. Because the truth is: The person who crushes their process… gets the prize without chasing it. Get out there and crush it today. :) Rooting for you, Kris

Well, I am celebrating successful completion of 4 interviews where I felt really solid about how I showed up, how I shared about my experiences and how I connected it to the needs of the team. I have no idea what will happen (it sounds like they had a candidate in mind going into this) but I gave it my ALL and definitely gave them reason to pause and consider another option. (I also had 2 solid leadership recommendations sent over). Regardless of outcome, it feels great to look back on how I showed up and feel like I did my absolute best. Keeping my fingers crossed for results...